We received the fantastic news recently that a lady had become a Christian as a result of God working through members of her Christian Workplace Group at Tower Hamlets Borough Council. Below is her story. For privacy reasons the names which appear have been changed.
 
“I was invited along to one of the Christian groups that meet at lunchtimes where I work by Ruby, who worked on my floor. She had asked me before and I hadn’t gone, but this time I said I would go. When I was in the meeting I noticed something was different, particularly as the group leader was praying. I had a church background, I knew it was the Holy Spirit!  I thought ‘how could this be happening - there are only 4 of us in the room’! I felt energised, and left the meeting, thinking I had encountered something different to what I was used to!
 
I went back to the group a few days later. Tony was leading, talking about Jesus hanging on the cross, and how difficult it would have been for him to breathe. This really got to me. Tony said that we were the sinners, not Jesus. He was hanging there on the cross sinless, while we sinners are still walking around! This suddenly made sense!  For the first time, I could see Jesus as a person! That Jesus couldn’t breathe on the cross and was dying for me really upset me.
 
Tony had to leave early, but Annette took over and continued to talk about Jesus dying on the cross. Later, Annette asked if I had anything to share and I couldn’t talk! I was nearly crying but explained that I had been so full of fear recently. Annette and the others were so sympathetic and said it was fine to cry! In the last 2 years I had felt really lost, and didn’t understand why I hadn't been able to get it together and trust God. Annette asked if I would like to give my life to Jesus. She said that He was there waiting, but that I had to ask him in to my life. I agreed, and everyone said a prayer. It was just amazing that people would pray for me in the way that they did. Annette said that she wasn’t going to have satan keep hold of me! With this I felt propelled from one world to another!
 
In the 2 weeks since then, I’ve felt no stress or fear over anything. I had been living in fear for 2 years. I had been going to clairvoyants, I didn’t know where else to turn for help. I live on my own, had recently moved to a new job and felt unsupported. I had always been independent but in the last 2 years I’d just known this intense fear. Now I know that this was God saying ‘make your choice, but you can’t lean on the world’.
 
The group continued to pray, and when I stepped out of the room, I knew I was a different person! All the fear had gone. Had the group not been there, and had I not been encouraged by Ruby to go to the meeting, had Tony not been talking about Jesus dying on the cross and had Annette not asked God to bring her back, then I would still be stuck in fear. They were like 3 angels who worked together! I don’t know where I would be had they not been obedient to God. I was literally ‘on the floor’, completely lost.  It was so refreshing to hear God being talked about as a person. That tingling sensation of the Holy Spirit – I had known it before but never known what it was. That was God letting me know he was here!
 
It turned out that Tony had just come to live in the same borough as me. I had been asking for a bible class and he offered to start one! My local church doesn’t have a family atmosphere which encourages getting to know the bible and arming yourself with scripture to overcome the ways of the enemy.
 
I was born a Catholic, attended church from age 3 – 14, and started going again at 32. I serve at church, doing children’s work. Church helped me but didn’t give me real support. It was more about attending, going through rituals, hearing the bible read, a little fellowship and then going home.  We can spend long hours in our offices though – and God can come and meet us there too!
 
In 2014, those who don’t know Jesus face 2 choices: stay in the dark or come into the light. I’m so glad God brought me back into the light!”