John Williams – PUMC Member
I was a miracle baby – I have an elder brother, 12 years apart. My late parents, Emily & Solomon, always introduced me to people saying “he is our miracle son.” My mother was told she could never conceive. She visited different doctors but all said the same. One day, my dad was informed a pastor from Houston, Texas was visiting Pakistan and their church as well. He was known to be a great healer. They were very fortunate to meet him. He prayed over my mum and told her with great faith she would conceive soon. After a few months mum conceived. People around them who knew their situation, including the doctors, were astonished with this great miracle.
The faith of my parents helped them achieve what they were longing for, as prayer without faith lacks power and purpose. It is so important to acknowledge and thank God at all times.
As years passed by, the anticipation of when I would finally find my wife approached. We met in 2005 and married in 2007 by Our Almighty Father who guided us in every setback we had, related to issues with our families in denial due to our different nationalities. My wife is a beautiful and strong woman who has always stood by me and our family in challenging times. came along my daughter in 2009, followed by my son in 2014. God has been so merciful and has blessed us with amazing children; we always ask for His guidance so we may teach them right from wrong & so they choose the path of life by keeping Jesus the center of it.
Our family has faced challenging situations. The worst was when my daughter’s life was threatened. Whilst I was already going through a desert experience, losing my job due to COVID and my wife was on thin ice with her job as well this led to our children not being able to continue schooling; I also lost my mother around this time. Under the circumstances, we completely became hopeless, problems came crashing upon us as all this happened too fast. This was my time to go on my knees and pray, which I did with tears pouring down, and all I had to say is, “Father I have no idea what comes up next for us, you guide and lead us to what you want for us as I have no clue of what I am going to do.”
Within a few months Almighty God navigated a new path for us and it led us to the United States of America.
Our lives took a U-turn as soon as we arrived. The greatest joy for us was to see our children attending school again. But what really stood out most was the church we came upon. Attending PUMC has been a transformative experience. The sense of community and belonging we’ve found here is inspiring. The sermons often provide us with valuable lessons we can apply to our daily lives, fostering a deeper connection with our faith. Overall, our time at this church has not only enriched our spiritual lives but has also welcomed us to many beautiful people and the love they bestowed on us.
I thought to myself when hardships and unmanageable situations occur, why is that the only time I approach God and implore Jesus for help? What I have understood is I should not only go to Him in tough times but also remember Him in the good. By doing this, I comprehended that God never judges no matter what I did or said. God has and will always be by my side under any circumstance. And I want to thank God for all God has done for my family and I. In the end I can say that from the very beginning until now my life along with my family has been nothing but a testimony to Jesus’ unending love for us. He is our living God, our strength and our shield.
Plainfield UMC Today 