These healers used white and black magic for their treatment

Editor’s note: Previously, we had shared Kaspar’s story on how he came to put his trust in Jesus. In this post, we present Alys’s* side of the story.

I grew up “religious” but have always felt an inner emptiness. I kept asking myself questions concerning the meaning of life. I couldn’t find satisfaction for my soul—neither in philosophical views nor in wealth and success.

During my school years I became friends with a Christian woman. For my birthday, she gave me a book entitled, Der Fremde auf dem Weg nach Emmaus (The Stranger on the road to Emmaus in German). At that time, the book did not really interest me, so I put it aside on a bookshelf and there it sat.

Years later, I worked with health practitioners from another country. They were treating German patients but because they spoke a foreign language, I became an interpreter for them during treatment sessions. This allowed me an intimate view of their work. These healers used white and black magic for their treatment! This was a completely unknown realm for me. My whole worldview was shaken, and I began to wonder what truth was.

I suffered from frequent anxiety attacks at night and became more and more skeptical towards these healers. But I couldn’t understand how their actions could be considered wrong, since it seemed to me that what they did helped the patients temporarily. These questions tormented my life. I needed answers but I didn’t know who had answers.

It was during this time that I met regularly with Kaspar, a fellow student, to study together. He perceived that I was not doing well and asked what was happening in my life. I risked it and told him what was troubling me. To my amazement, he was able to offer me answers. He said that what these practitioners were doing had demonic origins, and that the Bible says such deeds were atrocities before God.

The moment I realized this, everything suddenly made sense. I thought if the devil is alive and his followers did demonic work for him, then God must also be alive! I asked myself the question: “Where can I find the living God?”

Kaspar wasn’t a believer at the time but his mother was, and she recommended several Christian books for me to read. Then I remembered that I still had the book “The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus” on my bookshelf. It had sat there for seven years!

Since I didn’t know what books to trust, I first asked Kaspar to read “The Stranger.” Through its pages, Kaspar understood the gospel for the first time, and he believed. Then I read it and also got to know God in all his glory, goodness, incredible grace and infinite love. I realized that my whole life and my way of thinking was entirely sinful and that I needed Jesus’ salvation. I asked God for forgiveness and began to experience God’s powerful change in my life. I was filled with a deep peace and my soul was satisfied for the first time. I could hardly believe this gift—a life full of meaning and eternal life with God. Since then, my greatest desire is that God will use me to help other people understand the gospel and be saved. I am very grateful for God’s guidance and the book “The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus.”

Kaspar and I are now married. For the last two years, we have partnered with another couple to lead courses based on “The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus.” We have had the privilege of seeing people putting their trust in God at the end of each course and we have watched how God is changing them.

To God be the glory.

 

[*Names changed as per GoodSeed policy.]

Photo credit: Phalinn Ooi on flickr