Cornerstone Church Lodi California Testimonies

I was always over the top. Everything was to the ultimate for me. Call me an extremist.

When I was four years old my father died of extreme alcohol addiction. My mother was always angry and I received much of her anger. My only "real" parental figures were the make believe TV characters. I had no idea of how to grow up, so I followed my own extreme personality.

As a teenager my extreme lifestyle took me into a world of punk rock music, wild haircuts, louder and faster music and violence.

This faster and faster life I was living eventually grew tiresome. And I started seeking a "normal" way of life. I thought I had found it in another person, my wife to be.

When I was married I wanted a wife who would help guide me to a better way, but her problems were as great as mine.

One day my boss invited me to church. I only went because I thought it would help my career. After I completed a welcome card, two men later came to my door. They explained the gospel to me. I had never heard about Jesus except as a curse word.

I learned God truly loved me and Jesus died for my sins. My sins were so numerous and extreme this was the best news I had ever heard.

I immediately believed and received my great Savior. Wanting to know Him better I sought His Word with my usual more and more attitude. My first Bible looked like it was highlighted with a paint roller.

Jesus was so great and my extreme life took on a new surprising twist. Now I was an extreme Christian. I was so zealous and aggressive that I scared people away from Jesus.

My behavior was so obnoxious my wife left me three times and finally never came back. This religious thing was not working out so great, so I decided to make another extreme change.

I went back to my old life of more extreme evil, immorality, drunkenness and jail. Each time I landed in jail I came back to God, but when I was released my behavior got worse.

My extreme behavior lead me into many clashes with the law. My rap sheet at the police station was longer than your arm. There were many arrests, felonies, assaults, and five D.U.I.s.

I experienced the warning of the Bible. If you clean out the evil spirits and leave your house empty, then next time the evil spirits return with behavior seven times worse then the first. I lived that horrible prophecy. Adding up all my wasted years I spent six years incarcerated.

I never gave up believing in Jesus, and I never found the real freedom from my extreme sins until my life actually hit the worst of suffering and almost ended.

My alcoholism was worse then ever now. I consumed a half gallon of vodka every single day. My body was decaying; I was bleeding internally and externally. I knew I was dying in more ways than one. At this point my spirit was willing, but the flesh was so weak.

I had no money, health insurance, or help of any kind; so I got myself arrested once again, just so I could recieve medical attention. They put me in detox which lasted thirteen days.

This extreme suffering was frightening and so life threatening that I came to the breaking point before God. In my hallucinations I saw many frightening images including aggressive animals in my cell. But nothing was more terrifying than my real life encounter with the demonic world. My two evil visitors approached me and identified themselves as Legion and Beelzebub. When I realized what was taking place, and that I was descending into the very worst of the demonic spirit world I came to the end of myself. My life had reached the limit.

After I barely survived thirteen days in hell, my extreme behavior finally began to change and I came back to God. I understood God's mercy, forgiveness, and love had once again delivered me from my extreme depravity.

Today, I spend each day praising Him and living a life of moderation. However, there is one extreme I can never escape. It is my extreme gratitude for Jesus, my great Savior.

This verse from the Bible helps me everyday:
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

At seven years of age I got Scarlet Fever which developed into Nephritus. The doctors told my parents I would not live to be a teenager and I only weighed 34 pounds.

My mom took me to church every Sunday. One Sunday there was a visiting pastor who prayed for me and I told my mom that I was fine after the prayer. My mom didn't believe me.

At my next doctors' appointment they took the regular bloodwork and called me back into the office and said something was wrong. They took the bloodwork a second time and told my mother they didn't know what was happening because my bloodwork was fine and there was nothing wrong with me.

When I was 10 years old I was now a plump little girl.

Later I got Laterial Sclaraderma on the right side of my face. It made the roots of my teeth on the right side of my mouth disintegrate. They sent me to UCSF and the head of dermatology wanted to see my records of my previous disease because she didn't believe I was the same girl. My mom said the Lord had healed me. The doctor said she didn't believe in God but medical science couldn't help me, so there must be a God. I was a great testimony to that doctor.

In 1995 I came down with another disease called Lupis and have had a number of difficult days but I know the Lord is going to help me. I am trusting Him for a new kidney and I thank Jesus for what He is going to do.

Cornerstone has helped me through my difficulties and the fellowship at church along with my Tuesday night growth group have been great.

Before coming to Cornerstone my heart was empty and I was very confused. The church and the people involved made a big difference in my life.

My drug and alcohol addiction was taken out of my life but I still battle on and off with the alcohol. I guess that will always be a struggle for me.

I am very grateful to Cornerstone and the people connected with the church. Thank you Lord!

I love my church. It started me on the path to God. It has saved my life.

Cornerstone has given me loving people even outside of the church. People to pray with and love me no matter what state I'm in.

Cornerstone helped me see the light to Jesus and to the Lord. Jesus made me a better me.

Cornerstone has brought peace into my life. They have showed me the path to Jesus and His Word.

Cornerstone church has shown me how to forgive and not to worry. Before I started attending Cornerstone I was full of anger. I was upset about my past, the things that have happened and what people did to me.

Cornerstone showed how to have faith and forgive. I'm also worrying alot less even though I am now unemployed.

God has plans for me and worrying is doubting God. I don't doubt his plans for me. I trust him more than ever.

Thank you Cornerstone!

Cornerstone Church helps me and my wife learn more about the Lord and get closer to the Lord. Through prayer Cornerstone helps me to change and be a better man. I know the Lord answers Prayer.

People pray for me. People here are like my family. Since I have been here I have gotten to know the Lord. I owe thanks to everyone for being so nice.

I was looking for a church home and happened to see the sign for Cornerstone Church on the lawn outside of Lodi Middle School. I walked over one Sunday and spent the next several weeks as sort of a test as to where the Lord wanted me to land. I would go to the service and leave immediately after as I didn't want to talk to anyone. I didn't want any human interference between me and God. Everyone politely and in a nonjudgmental way gave me my space and as the weeks went by I found myself so immersed in the Word and worship of God that a peace and confidence that I hadn't felt in a long time filled my heart.

I can't say enough about how relevant and grounded God's messages are delivered through Pastor Ron. What a blessing he is to the church.

What I like the most is that this church serves everyone, not just the people who want to be there, but the ones who don't even know yet that they want to be there. I feel like I'm doing something positive in my life when I try and serve the Lord. Every time I have the privilege to hear and understand the Word of God, I feel more involved as well as evolved, to His purpose for my life.

In one word I can describe what Jesus has done for me, and that would be "Peace". Since becoming a Christian my life has become accepting to me no matter what happens. I pray everyday and I also thank the Lord for the blessings I have received. He has blessed me with a loving husband and two wonderful daughters that I love so very much.