What is better than silver or gold?
We value money in our society, Peter and John didn't have silver or gold to give the beggar, but what they did offer him changed his life forever. I want to share with you what could change your life forever like it changed the lives of two women that are a part of our Dacusville community.
Our Families..."You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them."-Desmond Tutu
Growing up in an alcoholic family may not seem like a gift from God; to be exposed as a child to alcohol at an early age could set you up for failure. You watch the two most influential people in your lives, your parents, live out in front of you the effects of alcohol.
The effects of alcohol on the children could be detrimental. Pam Lusk and Donna Redding were two sisters that grew up in an alcoholic family. By the time Donna and Pam were at the ages of 13 and 11 they were already drinking, smoking pot, and taking pills. Pam said, "We were just mean, had a rotten attitude and beat up on guys all the time." Donna became pregnant at the age of 14 and had her son when she was 15, she did stop drinking and doing drugs when she became pregnant with him and she said she loves her son very much. Pam has been married three times and in 2005 the guy she was with left her and she moved in with Donna. While living with Donna she told Pam to pray for a job and God gave her a job at Carolina Fine Foods. God has blessed her with a better job, currently she works at The Willows. In 2006 Pam became sick and for two years she suffered with having low potassium. Pam said she was just ready to give up and she heard Jesus say in her ears not yet.
In 2010 Pam and Donna's mom passed away and it was then that their lives changed forever.
Even in the home that they grew up in there was a shimmer of light, and that is all it takes to break the dark. Pam and Donna's mom, even though she was an alcoholic would pray with the girls and talk to them about Jesus. After their mom passed away God spoke to them to go to church, they both fought it for a while and then they did visit with East Pickens Baptist Church and it was there that they got saved.
"Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk."-Acts 3:6-8
Pam and Donna was crippled, not as the beggar was crippled physically, they were handicapped by their circumstances. Just as Jesus instantly healed the man's feet and ankles and they became strong, Jesus has healed Pam and Donna through salvation.
I grew up knowing Pam and Donna, I knew the way they were before they became saved. In the bible after the crippled beggar was healed he walked around jumping and praising God, and when the people saw him they recognized him as the beggar, they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. I too was filled with wonder and amazement after hearing that Pam and Donna got saved.
God not only has saved these two women but has changed their lives forever. Both women are different people now, when God enters your life he brings with him his light. Pam said she has experienced that light because her life was full of darkness, but not anymore. They were able to experience the difference God makes in our lives when their mom passed away. Donna said that when their mom passed away they almost could not bare losing her, she said that they fell into deep depression with no hope. They said they were just sad all the time. Just recently they lost their brother and the difference between losing him and their mom was night and day. Donna said she knew God was there and he was helping them through it. She said that she felt like she wasn't sad enough when her brother passed away. God brings an inner peace that can't be described.
What do we value?
We value our health, our relationships, our freedoms, and we value our family. No matter what family you come from you value them because through them is who you become. If you have been crippled by your past Donna wants you to know that it's okay, you are never too bad to where God can't save you. Pam would tell you to pray, cry out to Jesus and in doing so you too can receive as the beggar did.
*Pam Lusk (left) has a son Matt Lusk, daughter Morgan Pitts, and a son Josh Pitts
*Donna Redding (right) has been married to Jesse Redding for 17 years and have been together for 23 years, together they have a son Jesse II, and a daughter Brianna Redding.
They have lived in Dacusville since they were 4 or 5 years old.
**Addiction runs in their family, could you lift this family up in prayer because they have family members that need to find Jesus.
Both Pam and Donna would like to dedicate this post in loving memory to their mom,
Linda Jean Lusk and their brother, Jerry (Bubba) Lusk Jr.
"We don't know where we would be today without you telling us about Jesus and loving us through our "rough days".
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