My Story
- by Brenda Jackson

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

What would you do if you could change a life? For me it seemed so long ago that I was hoping to live, holding on to life.

As a young married bride, my life of hopes and dreams quickly faded as I woke up one morning in despair. My eyes were both swollen shut from the fist that hit them the night before. My jaw unable to move from the pain of being slammed against the wall. My feeble body of 105 pounds could not even lift my head from the pillow where the tears fell. For me this was now my life. I felt all good things had ended. I felt despair, loneliness and forgotten. Where was God and how could he leave me in such a mess. Did he not remember he was supposed to take care of me?

But you see it was not God's fault, it was choices I had made to marry this man. This man would later abuse me, try to run over me with a car, and daily said I was the worst, ugliest person on the earth. After many years I prayed for relief, and it came, not the way I had imagined, but with one final blow.

It was Saturday morning and all seemed well, but in a few minutes, my neck and throat were covered with blood and my body bashed by the barrel of a shot gun. My hip felt broken and I no longer could stand or walk. I cried out, God, please save me, please help me.

A flash of light appeared and he was gone. I told myself, hurry you must crawl to the trailer next door to get help. I did not have long, he would be back in 10 minutes to finish the job and finish I am sure he would.

As I drug one leg across the floor I realized God was still here. His hand was ever so gently pushing me along the floor. I felt little pain by now, most of my body was numb.

As I lunged down my stairs and thrust my broken body on to the concrete sidewalk, I seemed to press on with strength from deep inside me. My heart was broken, but still pumping. As I reached Sally's door, I used my knuckles to reach up and knock on the bottom of her door. As she came out and saw me, she started to weep. She said," who hurt you like this?"

She quickly lifted me up and put me in her car. She ran every stop light to get to the hospital. All the while she said, Brenda don't fall asleep, God is here and you will make it.

As we arrived at Prouder Hospital the nurses asked her how was my car. She said, "oh no, this was no car, this was her husband."

As the days passed I began to heal and press on. God's hand was ever on me and his love filled me from within, he heard my cry and answered my prayers, he saved me just liked I prayed.

Now 20 years later, I have the greatest joy to reach out to others whose bodies are broken, and spirits are suffering more than words can comprehend. These lives have no hope no future.

I look into those swollen eyes, and tell them God is here, and he will help them make it through this tough time. He saved me so I reach out to the broken and bruised, that need a touch from Jesus. We can take no credit for what we do, it is because of God's grace on our lives, that allows us to give hope to the hopeless.

I can never thank you for supporting this work. I am truly blessed to have so many friends that help us, and support the life changing experience that touching one life can make.

Why not touch a life today? I know God will bless you for it.

Brenda Jackson