An Act of Forgiveness posted by John Sorensen on Jun 22, 2012

Tom Carpenter shared this amazing testimony recently during worship services at East Richland Evangelical Friends Church in St. Clairsville, Ohio. I encourage you to read the entire testimony. It is powerful and demonstrates how God works in the most severe trials of life and also how EE transforms lives for all of eternity.

“About eight years ago, after I received the assurance of eternal life, I came to the realization that my wife, Jessie, was doing what I for years had been doing – trying to earn her way into heaven through her numerous good works for the church and community.

So when a good friend, who was an Evangelism Explosion trainer, asked if he could bring a couple of students over for on-the-job training, I welcomed them.

That evening, as I listened to them share the truth of the Gospel, I silently prayed, and then witnessed Jessie receive the gift of eternal life.

Ten months later she was killed instantly by a drunken driver in a head-on collision.  The drunken driver was unhurt.  He was later sentenced to three years in prison.

Now that Jessie was in heaven with her Lord, the question was not whether I would take EE training, but when.  EE training was offered later that year and I signed up for the class.

As soon as I had completed training, I began to have premonitions about the man, Ken, who had killed Jessie.  The Lord was going to open doors and use me, a victim of his sinful lifestyle, to impact his life.

I contacted the Department of Corrections and asked for permission to visit Ken in prison.  I was told that Corrections did not allow victims visitation.  But, after nearly a year of interviews and waiting, I was granted permission and met with Ken in prison.  Instead of a glass partition separating us in the visitor area, we were afforded the benefit of a private room with a guard and were permitted to talk for nearly an hour and a half.  I told him that Jessie is in heaven and that someday I will be there too.  I shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ with him using what I had learned in EE training.  When I asked if he would like to receive the gift of eternal life, he said he was not ready and had to think about it.  He said he was confused – instead of spewing anger and hatred, I had shared Jesus with him.

About two months later, I received a letter from Ken, telling me that he had asked Jesus to be his Lord and Savior and he was starting a new life over again while in prison.

There is no doubt in my mind, that the EE team visit to my home was a divine appointment that changed Jessie’s life not only for her final ten months here on earth, but also for all of eternity.  It changed Ken’s life and it certainly changed mine too.

Evangelism Explosion has equipped me with a tool and given me the confidence to share my faith.”