To the people of Berne and Adam’s County, believers and unbelievers, Amish and non-Amish, to the happy
and the offended, to the ones sitting on the fence, This letter is for you. “The Lord is not slow in keeping His
promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone
come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9
My name is Paul and this is my testimony: I grew up in an Amish community in Southwest Wisconsin. I had
a good upbringing. My parents did the best they understood and my Dad very much believed that we had the
correct amount of primitive living in our community needed for the best chance at getting to heaven. More
(comforts of life) was worldly and less was unnecessary. My heart from a very young age wanted to know the Lord. I
was taught to obey the rules (from the ordnung idol) because it was the correct way to try to get to heaven. I was
taught that the rules we had were what gave us the best chance of reaching Heaven. Looking back at an early age I
know that the Lord was drawing me to Himself. I remember laying in bed and saying to the Lord that He can have
me, yet I could not quite give the Lord my life at that moment. All I could see was the things I couldn’t have, and the
things I would have to do if I actually gave my life to Him. I thought giving my life to the Lord would mean I would
have to wear the widest brimmed hat and have a produce (vegetable) patch....etc. Our community encouraged
farming so I thought that’s what I needed in order to please the Lord. I started working construction when I was 16
and I loved to listen to the radio. When it was turned to a preacher speaking, my heart would leap at the words and
I could have listened to him for hours. I knew there had to be more to life than what I was living. When I was 19 I
started going to a different church. I began to see a glimpse of the Grace that was given to us, and salvation was not
by works. I began to see that Jesus cared about my heart; what my spirit and motives were, and not the size of my
hat or what tools I used for work. I gave my life to the Lord when I was 19. He gave me a brand new heart. I
experienced freedom for me and with that I also began to see the bondage I had grown up under. I had a lot of zeal
for the Lord those first couple years. I knew Jesus made a way for me to go to heaven, but I had little understanding
of what I’d been set free from, or who God was to me now that the Holy Spirit was living in me. There were a few
areas that I struggled in and I did not even admit to the Lord that I needed help. I got frustrated and discouraged
because my conscience would get violated and I did not understand the truth. I was in that condition when I got
married, and the tempter (who comes to steal kill and destroy) came to my life. I believed that I was owed
something. You know, men have needs and a woman should fill those needs. (that is a lie from the pit of hell, but
back then I believed it) In my state of neediness, and people not giving me what i felt i deserved, I fell into the trap
of pornography. I became extremely self-centered, frustrated & angry; angry at myself and angry at the world. I got
drawn away by my own desires and enticed. Pornography became an everyday thing. I was told I needed
counseling, I needed the 12 step program. One person would tell me this and another person would tell me that.
My heart was terribly conflicted. I knew what I was doing wasn't right, and yet it felt like there was no way out. One
evening I went farther than I had gone before and that scared me. I knew the way that I was going and it was
leading me to hell. The next day I would try to say what the Bible said about me but nothing was working. Early that
afternoon I had a groan come out of my gut. Speaking to the Lord I said, “I don't deserve your Grace or your Mercy,
I have gone too far.”
BUT GOD! Immediately I heard a voice that said, “Are you kidding me? Do you have any idea the celebration
that is going on in heaven for you because you are turning towards Me? We have killed the fatted calf for you!” My
immediate response was, “What?” But then it hit my heart, and I fell to the ground weeping. I saw myself eating
with the Father at His table. I wept and wept and wept. For about 2 hours I was in my yard weeping at the goodness
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of God. I began to see how He cared for me, how much He loves me. This was my repentance. Repentance is
changing the way I see and think and exchanging it for the way God sees and thinks . I saw myself sitting beside
Him, and the verse, “I am seated with him in Heavenly places” Ephesians 2:6, ran through my mind. I knew it was
real and in the days that followed I discovered my pornography addiction had vanished. In its place was an intense
longing to know the Lord. I read my Bible and it began to become alive for me. God made him who had no sin to be
sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 1 Corinthians 5:21. I read this verse and it
became alive to me. It became my own. Through faith I believed I had become the righteousness of God. My life
began to change drastically. Where there was frustration before, now there was peace. Where my heart had been
hard, it now became soft because Jesus loves me. I started seeing everything as a gift from God. In the place I least
deserved it Mercy came into my life. Life took on new meaning. Every day I wake up completely forgiven. I
understand that it is a gift from God, not by works so that no man can boast. When I saw how much I was loved, it
gave me new eyes to see my neighbor as myself; to love him because I see how much Christ loves me. If He loves
me this much, then He loves you the same way. I understand it is the goodness of God that leads people to
repentance. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him should not
perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world
through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, whoever does not believe stands condemned already
because they do not believe in the name of God's one and only Son.” John 3:16-17
My friends, to the ones reading these words, as you can see by my testimony and the testimony of many
others; God loves you! How He longs to gather you like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. If you have not
surrendered your life to Him yet, now is the time. What is holding you back from a God that loves you like no one
has ever loved you? He sent His Son. Your sin has been paid for by the sacrifice of Jesus. Believe in Him and you will
have eternal life. Believing in Him is the start of becoming one with Him because He comes and lives in you. “If you
confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you
will be saved!” Romas 10:9 Jesus did not come only to take you to heaven. He came because heaven wants to
come live inside of you and make you brand new! You will never find your identity, your value, or your destiny
outside of Jesus. You will never find your reason for being outside of Jesus. Jesus said. “Come to me, all you who are
weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, For I am gentle and
humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith. This not from yourselves, It is a gift of God. Not by works so
that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
People of Adams County, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Today is the day of salvation! Today is the day
to turn to the Lord. Today is the day to find peace. Today is the day for redemption. Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be white as snow; though they are red as Crimson, they shall be like wool. Isaiah 1:18. You can access this
today by faith. Do not wait!
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and he saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalms 34:19