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Miracles happen every day. Most of the time, we aren’t witness to them, but they happen. They’ve happened to me, and I’ve seen them happen to others. All of them are evidence of God’s mercy, grace, and love.
In 1994, I was 24 years old, and had a bicycle accident. It was my fault for not checking the wheel lock on my detachable front tire. I was cruising the streets of Austin, Texas on a Saturday morning at about 20 mph. And when I crossed a bridge where there was a change in surface elevation, the front wheel stayed in place and the rest of the bike flipped with me on it. I hit the road head first then left shoulder. At the emergency room, the doctor told me if I hadn’t been wearing a bike helmet, I’d have been brain-damaged or dead. The bike helmet had been cracked and the right fork was bent at a near-45-degree angle. According to the x-rays, I nearly separated my shoulder. Needless to say, I was in regular pain after that. I was still a sinner, so I tried to soothe the pain with smoking weed and arm exercises. Both helped but only temporarily; the soreness and agony would always return.
In January 1996, I gave my life to Jesus Christ and joined my wife’s church. I got to know the pastor and soon, I confided in him about my shoulder pain. He was very understanding and asked if he could pray for me right there, asking the Lord to heal my shoulder. Even though I was still new to being a Christian, I agreed. I’d been convinced by the faith I saw in his eyes. He had one of the deacons anoint me with oil and then he placed a hand on my shoulder, praying to the Lord earnestly as I closed my eyes and silently prayed along with him. By the next morning, my shoulder pain was gone and has never returned. I had exercised my faith in the Lord and the prayers of a man of God. In return, the Lord honored the pastor’s prayer and my faith.
In 1997 on the day of a tornado outbreak in Texas, I was heading home from work early and driving down an overpass when a massive funnel cloud began forming to my right. Had it touched down and moved in my direction, I’d have been trapped on a one-way and unable to escape it. Considering the overpass was fairly high up, I likely would not have survived the twister. So, I prayed with all my might, asking the Lord for mercy. And within seconds, I watched that huge funnel cloud disperse. Then I praised the Lord for his mercy!
In 1998, when my wife was very pregnant with our second son, she became ill and had to be hospitalized. The doctors hadn’t yet determined the cause, but it was serious. And at one point, my wife told me she felt like she wasn’t going to make it. But the Lord had mercy on her, and she recovered. The doctors had theories on what had happened, but nothing conclusive; they had just been treating her symptoms. Within a couple of days, she was released. In October, our son was born healthy, and he just turned 27 years old.
Our church regularly has events in our local area and around the state. We have a couple of different Christian bands (my wife and I are in one of them) and choirs. I once saw the Lord hold back bad (stormy) weather to within a couple of miles surrounding our location until we finished performing. Then God let the storm loose.
I was friends with a brother-in-Christ who had been brought back from the dead through the pastor’s prayers. I was friends with him and his wife until his natural passing years later.
A close friend of our family, and a sister-in-Christ, was in a terrible car accident and her feet were shattered. The doctors warned her that she might never walk again. She fully recovered and walks normally.
What many people aren’t aware of is that we live in a dual world: a physical one and a spiritual one — both occupying the same space. God has His angels and the devil has his demons, and they can influence both worlds. Yet here we are, mortal men and women, caught in=between what we can and can’t see.
The bridge between those worlds is faith. Through faith, we can be reconciled to God through His Son, Jesus Christ, and He can send His Holy Spirit to dwell with us. Through faith, we can believe in His goodness and power. And through faith, we can receive miracles, which are interventions from the Most High.
Sometimes God lets us receive miracles as sinners to make us question, “How could that be possible?” Miracles can point people towards the Lord, stirring that little bit of faith within us and growing it. But a little faith can go a long way.
Matthew 17: 18-21 (KJV)
And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
It is so encouraging to know that God loves us so much that He will send His angels to intervene on our behalf sometimes. We don’t know the reasons why, but He does. And He is always working for our good, even in this world that can so often be dark and discouraging. No matter what you’re going through, seek the Lord and His will for your life. If your faith is being challenged or you haven’t used it in a long time, ask Him for more faith, and believe He’ll give it to you. Because He will.
Isaiah 55: 6-9 (KJV)
Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
In 1994, I was 24 years old, and had a bicycle accident. It was my fault for not checking the wheel lock on my detachable front tire. I was cruising the streets of Austin, Texas on a Saturday morning at about 20 mph. And when I crossed a bridge where there was a change in surface elevation, the front wheel stayed in place and the rest of the bike flipped with me on it. I hit the road head first then left shoulder. At the emergency room, the doctor told me if I hadn’t been wearing a bike helmet, I’d have been brain-damaged or dead. The bike helmet had been cracked and the right fork was bent at a near-45-degree angle. According to the x-rays, I nearly separated my shoulder. Needless to say, I was in regular pain after that. I was still a sinner, so I tried to soothe the pain with smoking weed and arm exercises. Both helped but only temporarily; the soreness and agony would always return.
In January 1996, I gave my life to Jesus Christ and joined my wife’s church. I got to know the pastor and soon, I confided in him about my shoulder pain. He was very understanding and asked if he could pray for me right there, asking the Lord to heal my shoulder. Even though I was still new to being a Christian, I agreed. I’d been convinced by the faith I saw in his eyes. He had one of the deacons anoint me with oil and then he placed a hand on my shoulder, praying to the Lord earnestly as I closed my eyes and silently prayed along with him. By the next morning, my shoulder pain was gone and has never returned. I had exercised my faith in the Lord and the prayers of a man of God. In return, the Lord honored the pastor’s prayer and my faith.
In 1997 on the day of a tornado outbreak in Texas, I was heading home from work early and driving down an overpass when a massive funnel cloud began forming to my right. Had it touched down and moved in my direction, I’d have been trapped on a one-way and unable to escape it. Considering the overpass was fairly high up, I likely would not have survived the twister. So, I prayed with all my might, asking the Lord for mercy. And within seconds, I watched that huge funnel cloud disperse. Then I praised the Lord for his mercy!
In 1998, when my wife was very pregnant with our second son, she became ill and had to be hospitalized. The doctors hadn’t yet determined the cause, but it was serious. And at one point, my wife told me she felt like she wasn’t going to make it. But the Lord had mercy on her, and she recovered. The doctors had theories on what had happened, but nothing conclusive; they had just been treating her symptoms. Within a couple of days, she was released. In October, our son was born healthy, and he just turned 27 years old.
Our church regularly has events in our local area and around the state. We have a couple of different Christian bands (my wife and I are in one of them) and choirs. I once saw the Lord hold back bad (stormy) weather to within a couple of miles surrounding our location until we finished performing. Then God let the storm loose.
I was friends with a brother-in-Christ who had been brought back from the dead through the pastor’s prayers. I was friends with him and his wife until his natural passing years later.
A close friend of our family, and a sister-in-Christ, was in a terrible car accident and her feet were shattered. The doctors warned her that she might never walk again. She fully recovered and walks normally.
What many people aren’t aware of is that we live in a dual world: a physical one and a spiritual one — both occupying the same space. God has His angels and the devil has his demons, and they can influence both worlds. Yet here we are, mortal men and women, caught in=between what we can and can’t see.
The bridge between those worlds is faith. Through faith, we can be reconciled to God through His Son, Jesus Christ, and He can send His Holy Spirit to dwell with us. Through faith, we can believe in His goodness and power. And through faith, we can receive miracles, which are interventions from the Most High.
Sometimes God lets us receive miracles as sinners to make us question, “How could that be possible?” Miracles can point people towards the Lord, stirring that little bit of faith within us and growing it. But a little faith can go a long way.
Matthew 17: 18-21 (KJV)
And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
It is so encouraging to know that God loves us so much that He will send His angels to intervene on our behalf sometimes. We don’t know the reasons why, but He does. And He is always working for our good, even in this world that can so often be dark and discouraging. No matter what you’re going through, seek the Lord and His will for your life. If your faith is being challenged or you haven’t used it in a long time, ask Him for more faith, and believe He’ll give it to you. Because He will.
Isaiah 55: 6-9 (KJV)
Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
- Published on
I made an A.I. animation with the Grok App using the cover art from Jordan's Arrow. It's actually pretty amazing!
- Published on
I have updated the title for my sequel to The Former Things. Instead of just Aria, it will be The Former Things: Aria. I have been working on the sequel lately and I realized that it truly is Book 2 in a duology with the same theme running between both books. I can't explain why right now (because that would involve spoilers), but I can tell you this is so. This is the way the Lord has constructed these two books to work together.
The trailer is the same except for the title frame.
The trailer is the same except for the title frame.
- Published on
I originally wrote this in 2019, and it still holds true. The only additional I’ll make is embedding a video of my full Christian testimony (made in 2023) at the bottom of this post.
I know that for most of its history, Halloween has been a popular “holiday-that’s-not-an-official-holiday.” It is recognized for many reasons, not least of which is children (of all ages) dressing up as whatever they desire and associating a sense of fun with varying degrees of dark, horror and even macabre themes. Little of it is meant to be taken seriously. I remember it well, as I celebrated Halloween from childhood through my early twenties.
Before I proceed, I want to make it clear that I have nothing against anyone who engages in Halloween festivities. That is an individual decision, and it means different things to different people. Consider the rest of what I’ve written here as food for thought.
I stopped participating in Halloween when I became a Christian in 1996. I know that some believers still do celebrate the occasion; and that’s their choice. However, I did not change my mind about it just because of my faith. As time has passed, I’ve come to better comprehend what Halloween accomplishes: it gives people a reason to play with something that many of them either do not truly believe in or understand -- the Spirit World.
Costumes and images evoking ghosts, goblins, vampires, werewolves, and murdering ghouls (whether zombies or deranged psychopaths) are fair game for one day out of the year. Far from angels, these things actually represent demons. But since people see them as fictitious, they’re harmless, right? Isn’t it just make-believe?
And what about people who dress up as superheroes, other heroic characters, or some cartoon character? Is it okay to dress up as a TV/movie character that has nothing to do with horror? What’s the harm?
If one is celebrating Halloween in any form, it is giving silent acceptance to all of Halloween, including the harmful and evil representations.
Presently, many people do not believe in spirits -- or anything they can’t identify with their five senses. That’s understandable from the society we live in. We are used to instant access to plenty of things we can experience through our mobile devices, computers, or in-person.
But we all have faith. I’m not talking about religious or spiritual faith. I’m talking about believing in something. It could be family, friends, education, politics, science, entertainment, social justice, or any number of other areas. One has to have faith in order to trust in anything. And we can’t see faith, we only experience it.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. – Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)
There’s literally a universe worth of things we don’t know, realize or understand yet. No matter how long we live, as individuals or collectively as the human race, we will always be learning. We cannot see gravity but it’s what keeps us from floating away into the cosmos. We can’t see the wind; we can only see its effects.
All that said, I will state that we live in a dual universe: one physical and one spiritual - both inhabiting the same reality. We are alive both biologically and because we have living souls. When we are conceived, our bodies are biologically created, and our souls enter in to occupy them. When we die, our bodies cease to function and our souls leave them.
Likewise, as we walk this Earth, we see people, animals, vegetation, land, water, sky, and all things constructed. But occupying the same space are other things, spiritual in nature. There are angels and demons, incredible wonders, and unspeakable terrors. Most of it is beyond our ability to comprehend. Still, it exists.
As a teen, I walked between both worlds in ignorance. Most would probably find it unbelievable. But it occurred. I’m grateful that the Lord Himself had mercy on me. He allowed me to break free of that ordeal.
Today, I see Halloween as linked with all the darkness and wickedness I left behind. I truly believe that most people don’t see the fullness of what they’re associating with in Halloween. They think it’s harmless fun. I saw its true face and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.
By 1996, the Lord led me down a path to Salvation. My own changed life is a witness to God’s power. As an adult, I have seen and experienced miracles.
There is no comparison between the Dark and the Light. The Dark can seem attractive. It has things to offer and there’s a power behind it. But the Light has already conquered it. There is hope and peace in God’s perfect light through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. – John 8:12 (KJV)
I’d appreciate it if you’d watch my testimony video below. It’s unique, should be entertaining, and yet covers a lot of ground.
I know that for most of its history, Halloween has been a popular “holiday-that’s-not-an-official-holiday.” It is recognized for many reasons, not least of which is children (of all ages) dressing up as whatever they desire and associating a sense of fun with varying degrees of dark, horror and even macabre themes. Little of it is meant to be taken seriously. I remember it well, as I celebrated Halloween from childhood through my early twenties.
Before I proceed, I want to make it clear that I have nothing against anyone who engages in Halloween festivities. That is an individual decision, and it means different things to different people. Consider the rest of what I’ve written here as food for thought.
I stopped participating in Halloween when I became a Christian in 1996. I know that some believers still do celebrate the occasion; and that’s their choice. However, I did not change my mind about it just because of my faith. As time has passed, I’ve come to better comprehend what Halloween accomplishes: it gives people a reason to play with something that many of them either do not truly believe in or understand -- the Spirit World.
Costumes and images evoking ghosts, goblins, vampires, werewolves, and murdering ghouls (whether zombies or deranged psychopaths) are fair game for one day out of the year. Far from angels, these things actually represent demons. But since people see them as fictitious, they’re harmless, right? Isn’t it just make-believe?
And what about people who dress up as superheroes, other heroic characters, or some cartoon character? Is it okay to dress up as a TV/movie character that has nothing to do with horror? What’s the harm?
If one is celebrating Halloween in any form, it is giving silent acceptance to all of Halloween, including the harmful and evil representations.
Presently, many people do not believe in spirits -- or anything they can’t identify with their five senses. That’s understandable from the society we live in. We are used to instant access to plenty of things we can experience through our mobile devices, computers, or in-person.
But we all have faith. I’m not talking about religious or spiritual faith. I’m talking about believing in something. It could be family, friends, education, politics, science, entertainment, social justice, or any number of other areas. One has to have faith in order to trust in anything. And we can’t see faith, we only experience it.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. – Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)
There’s literally a universe worth of things we don’t know, realize or understand yet. No matter how long we live, as individuals or collectively as the human race, we will always be learning. We cannot see gravity but it’s what keeps us from floating away into the cosmos. We can’t see the wind; we can only see its effects.
All that said, I will state that we live in a dual universe: one physical and one spiritual - both inhabiting the same reality. We are alive both biologically and because we have living souls. When we are conceived, our bodies are biologically created, and our souls enter in to occupy them. When we die, our bodies cease to function and our souls leave them.
Likewise, as we walk this Earth, we see people, animals, vegetation, land, water, sky, and all things constructed. But occupying the same space are other things, spiritual in nature. There are angels and demons, incredible wonders, and unspeakable terrors. Most of it is beyond our ability to comprehend. Still, it exists.
As a teen, I walked between both worlds in ignorance. Most would probably find it unbelievable. But it occurred. I’m grateful that the Lord Himself had mercy on me. He allowed me to break free of that ordeal.
Today, I see Halloween as linked with all the darkness and wickedness I left behind. I truly believe that most people don’t see the fullness of what they’re associating with in Halloween. They think it’s harmless fun. I saw its true face and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.
By 1996, the Lord led me down a path to Salvation. My own changed life is a witness to God’s power. As an adult, I have seen and experienced miracles.
There is no comparison between the Dark and the Light. The Dark can seem attractive. It has things to offer and there’s a power behind it. But the Light has already conquered it. There is hope and peace in God’s perfect light through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. – John 8:12 (KJV)
I’d appreciate it if you’d watch my testimony video below. It’s unique, should be entertaining, and yet covers a lot of ground.
About the author
Allen Steadham is a nondenominational Christian. Happily interracially married since 1995 and the proud father of two sons and a daughter. He and his wife have been in the same Christian band since 1997. He plays electric bass, she plays strings, they both sing. It's all good.
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