Testimonies & Conversion Stories

In August of 1999, I was as far away from the Catholic church as possible!!! I had just ordered books on-line which criticized the Catholic faith and debunked Catholocism!!

As a child, I was sexually molested by my father. I told my mother who chose to do nothing about the situation. When this happened, I lost all love, respect, and affection for my parents.

For 30 years.........30 YEARS, I did not have a religion. I could not possibly join ANY faith because I simply could NOT obey the 4th commandment.....Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother!!!! They did not deserve my honor!!!! I led an incredibly sinful life of lies, deceit, promiscuity, hate, anger and moral corruptness. Now........I have been married to a wonderful man for 29 years, have 2 great grown children, we are successful and have everything that money can buy!! Yet.........I was the most unhappy person alive!!!

I ended all contact with my parents 16 years ago. I simply could NOT have them in my life anymore. They didn't deserve to be in my life!!!!!

Shopping had become my great love!!! I'd go shopping constantly thinking that buying things would make my life complete!!! Of course it never did, but I continued.

In August of 1999, while on a shopping spree, I walked into a book store in a mall to find a new book on the "New Age Spiritualism" fad that I had come to believe was the "true" religion!!!!

Not finding a book on the shelf that looked good, I turned to leave the store and on the "religious" shelf, a book caught my eye. It was entitled "The Vision of the Children. The Apparitions of the Blessed Mother in Medjugorje"!! To this day, I do NOT know why I picked up this book. I stood in line to buy it and asked myself "Why on earth are you buying this book? You don't want to read this junk"!!! I turned to put the book back on the shelf right as the clerk said "May I help you?" I went ahead and bought the book.

I went back home to our summer cabin and began reading the book. I was totally engulfed in it. After reading about 40 pages, I began to experience what I believed was a heart attack!!! A tremendous heat started to travel very slowly down my body, starting at my head, traveling down my arms, out to my fingers, down my torso, legs and to my feet!!!! As soon as this heat reached my feet, I ABSOLUTELY KNEW...............I KNEW WHAT I WAS READING WAS TRUE............I KNEW THE CATHOLIC CHURCH WAS THE ONE TRUE CHURCH................I KNEW I WAS TO GET BACK INTO THE CHURCH AND I KNEW I WAS TO GO TO MEDJUGORJE IMMEDIATELY!!!!

Now...............try to explain this 180 degree turnaround to a husband and children. Then try to explain to them what happened to me and that I MUST go to Medjugore immediately!!!!

Through the grace of God, my husband was very supportive. Within 5 weeks, I was indeed in Medjugorje!! I can't go into all the miracles that happened to me before I went, while there, and after returning home. This would be too long. I will tell you this one however:

The first morning in Medjugorje, our priest guide was giving us a tour of the village. He asked us to step into the Adoration Chapel and say a quick prayer. I knelt down on that wooden floor and through tears I begged the Blessed Mother to tell me what it was She wanted of me!! I said to her "Blessed Mother, you wanted me to come here, and I did, now please tell me what it is you want"!!!

This is when I heard her voice. She said to me "IF YOU FORGIVE THEM, THEY WILL FIND THEIR WAY BACK TO MY SON"!!!! I could not believe this!!!! I could not believe she had asked me to forgive them so THEY would find their way back to her son!!!!!

I came back to Iowa and have continued to attend daily Mass, say daily rosaries, daily Divine Mercy chaplet, daily prayers. BUT....................I was not able to forgive my parents!!!! I knew I was disappointing the Blessed Mother but I simply could NOT find it in my heart to forgive them such a horrendous crime against me!!!!

Many friends were sending me many books on "forgiveness" but I knew I could not learn to "feel" forgiveness for them by simply reading a book!!!! I flipped through one of the books one day last month and saw this line "You CAN NOT rid your heart of the pain and sorrow yourself. Only God can do that"!!!

I tossed the book aside, looked up to heaven and said "Well..........what is taking you so long"?!!

Two days later, my husband and I were leaving our house to go to a party when suddenly I froze in my tracks!!!! I realized at that exact moment that I had NO MORE HATE, NO MORE SORROW, NO MORE ANIMOSITY AND NO MORE DISLIKE FOR MY PARENTS!!!! It had totally disappeared!!!!! I could not wait to see them again!!!!!

I traveled back to my home town and arranged to see them again after 16 years!!!! Upon seeing them, I gave them each a big hug (the first time I have ever hugged them in my life)!!!!

This was just ONE of the many miracles that God has blessed me with this past year!!!! This was one of the greatest of all.

The Holy Spirit came to me while reading the book............the Blessed Mother led me to Medjugorje and Her son......and God erased the years of sorrow from my heart and reunited me with my parents!!!!

I did nothing to deserve these great graces!!! I lived in such sin and hate!!!! I am still totally overwhelmed to know how much God loves me to allow me these miracles!!!!