BAPTISM TESTIMONIES

Earlier this week after going to our local urgent care, with what I thought was an ear infection, the doctors gave a report of “trigeminal neuralgia”. I know that is a lie from hell and we do not accept that report. For days now I was struggling to eat or sleep because of the pain. Tonight after church Nathan asked me “are you ready to get dunked”. He recently was baptized in North Carolina for his own healing. I was apprehensive at first and didn’t feel like driving all the way to North Carolina. All the way home and even afterwards I kept seeing in my mind Nathan baptizing me in our garden tub in our master bathroom. I was praying and asking God should I go to North Carolina, should I wait, and all I kept hearing was “stay put” or “stay where you are”. I started to fill the bathtub up with water and I heard overwhelmingly in my spirit “Do it here! You’ve got everything you need here!” So I told Nathan this is where we are doing it and we are doing now. He was a little unsure at first because he didn’t want me to feel like he had pressured me. I told him I felt very positive that I was supposed to be baptized at home right now, and he said he would call his friend Norman and make it happen. Norman was already praying and had already received a word from the Lord concerning me. So we got on the phone with Norman and the Holy Spirit began to move right in our bathroom. Initially my baptism was for healing of negative a diagnosis from the doctors but it became much more than that. God set me free from baggage I had held since I was 18. As far as the report the doctors tried to put on me goes, that assignment is broken and canceled! AND the pain in my face began to subside as soon as I started filling the tub. 

I am SET FREE.
I am HEALED.
I am WORTHY.
I am FORGIVEN.

I have PEACE.

I AM TELLING YOU NOW THAT IF YOU GO IN EXPECTING, YOU WILL COME OUT WITH THE GREATEST BLESSING!!! ALL I CAN SAY IS THANK YOU JESUS FOR DELIVERING ME!!! 

There are no words to describe the feeling you have around these waters much less the feeling of being in the water when The Holy Ghost is present!!! You have to experience it to know it!!! 

I have rekindled relationships, I have wiped my hands clean of relationships but what I hadn’t done was forgive those who had abandoned me at some point in my life and I didn’t even realize that I was still holding onto that fear until tonight and I kept telling myself (well the devil was telling me) that I just came to witness the miracles in the water but tonight wasn’t my night, well guess what….. a new Sweet precious friend, Emily prayed strength over me and when I took one step toward that pool it was OVER from there, JESUS took over and held me the whole way of letting myself go and letting him take over!!!! HE IS ALL I NEED AND HE WILL NEVER ABANDON ME!!!!  

I was baptized 3 times tonight!!! 1) Dying out to myself and letting Jesus take over and live in me. 2) For the filling of being on fire for Jesus and 3) Asking and receiving The Holy Ghost!!!

Thank you Norman and Ruth Westra Cruikshank for the work you both are doing for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!!! 

(Excuse the ugly cry and flying Jesus juice! )

Easter night, I KNEW I had to get in that water. 

God was calling me so I called Ruth.
Fast forward two weeks and here we are. Stepping into the water, it was time. We had spent time praying together, talking about the things that I needed delivered from, that I didn’t even know had weisled their way into my life. 

But they were there.
Fear, people pleasing, control, religion, and this list goes on. You see, I once walked in complete freedom! Walking by the spirit, day by day. But, trauma made it’s way into my life and I let that slowly open a door. A darkness came over me that I thought I would never see. Norman put it perfectly… 

you just want your first love back! Jesus.
Back to the water. All of that filth and the past were washed away. I came up KNOWING it was gone in the name of Jesus! Back under again for a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit.
This isn’t your normal water baptism. I’ve heard people say, I’ve already been baptized. Yeah, me too. This is a baptism of healing and deliverance and surrender. And the waters are stirred.
Thank you Jesus I’ve been set free!

I  became a father and a husband at a young age. I have been hard on myself, trying to learn from my mistakes and trying to make sure I’m a good husband and father. Making sure that there’s food on the table every night for my wife and daughter. When I got into law enforcement, dealing with the job stresses were taking a great toll on me, my marriage, and being a father. I would come home and dissociate from my family. I was there physically, but I wasn’t there mentally. In August of 2023, I was hit head on by a drunk driver which resulted in a severe injury to my foot. It required surgery and a lot of physically therapy. Every time I took a step, I felt pain. Recently, my doctor has told me that in order for me to continue my career, I would have to receive yet another surgery. But there is only a 50% chance of it working. 

My wife told me about the water baptisms, and I was skeptical. I honestly told her I didn’t want to do it. But decided last minute I was going to. When I got into the water, I immediately felt peace, reassurance, confidence, and understanding. I was told things that nobody shouldn’t have known. Things I kept to myself.  I started feeling the pain leave my foot. The next morning, I was walking normally and felt zero pain. I felt the need to start running, so I did. Proving not only my doctors, but myself wrong. Physically showing the world what God had done for me. I’m so glad I decided to get into the water and give God all my pain, doubts, and worries. I have no regrets. 

My sister-in-law, Carlee Channell, told me about the water and how many people were receiving miracles and healing. So I talked with my husband, and told him that I had a strong feeling we should do this together. 

When I was 12 years old, I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease and a syrinx in my spinal cord in my neck. I went into remission from that at 14 years old. But 10 years later, I was still struggling with symptoms such as extreme exhaustion, arthritis, body aches, etc. When I was 18 years old, I got into a bad car accident which caused bulging discs in my neck and lower back, which lead to degenerative disc disease. After that, I struggled with depression and anxiety that only got worse after each passing year. I grew up in church. I grew up in a christian home. I prayed for these things to leave my body, but they had a strong grip on me. Before I got into the water, I felt exhaustion like no other, sickness, depression, hopelessness. When I came out of the water I felt like I could breathe again. I was full of joy, peace, my body felt much lighter. I was filled with Jesus again! The morning after getting into the water, I got up out of bed and started doing jumping jacks! I felt like I actually slept! I was in no pain! I was smiling! Jesus is so good! If you are skeptical of getting into the water, just get in anyway! You will not regret it! Jesus healed me from Lyme Disease, depression, anxiety, unforgiveness, exhaustion, back injuries, and so much more. He can do the same for you! 

On July 12th 2020, God changed my life forever in the waters of the North Georgia Revival! Here is the crazy thing: I was a Pastor for 20 years and had completely given up on the prospect of ever being free, so I QUIT! Yep! I went and got a secular job, because I had been let go from ministry! WHY? Because porn had a stranglehold on me! I COULD NOT GET FREE! I went to meetings. Went through counseling. I even considered checking into rehab but by that time I had given up all hope. I had lost two marriages by this time and I honestly didn't believe that I would ever be free. 

That is, until this day! 

As I walked down the stairs of the baptismal, I was shaking! I knew that my life, as I knew it, was getting ready to end. I could only come up with two words: "I'M DONE!" And I was! I was done living for the world and my SELF! I was done with half hearted easy believism! I was ALL IN! I died that night, and I have never been the same since. I realized the next day that I no longer had the urges and the drive to fulfill my lusts. Instead, I had an unquenchable desire to BE WITH GOD! I met with Him every morning, early! I started studying the Word and learning through Kineo Ministry Training Center. My life began to blossom because my life was ALL ABOUT HIM now! I was FREE! I have not had one instance since that night and have found out how much more there is to life when you are truly free. Jesus said it best, 

"Whom the son sets fire, is truly free!" 

John 8:36

My testimony is the dirty little secret of so many Pastors and ministry leaders, but who do go to? My testimony is giving hope to men who fight with this demonic stronghold. There IS hope! You can be free! 

On Sunday, April 28th, I obediently answered the Call to meet Jesus in the waters. Before going in I told Ruth that I really had no idea what to expect. The moment I walked into the water, the Spirit of the Lord’s presence filled me to overflowing, and I was enveloped by such a deep and everlasting love. What a humbling experience 

Norman and Ruth gently and lovingly guided me through what the Holy Spirit had already prepared me for. So also, my pastor and his wife praying and standing in the gap with me. 

In what seemed like a split second, I heard myself say “Lord, my first love” as I started to weep and weep some more, shake and move, speaking in the Spirit. I could literally feel the transformation starting to happen as the Spirit stirred within me. I was taken back to the time when I first found Him and got to know Him. When I just could not ever get enough of Him. Thank you Jesus!

Then I was dunked in the waters for the first time, fully giving up my control and humbly asking for All of Him to take charge of every step of my life. I came up with a heavy weight lifted off me. All I could say was Wow, and thank you, Jesus. Feeling love from above, all around me and within me. Now it was time to be filled anew with Him. A time of refreshing in the Lord.

I was dunked once again. This time when I came up, I felt joy unspeakable. I was seeing with the eyes of Christ. It was an explosion of Joy and Love I have never experienced before. Within and without. The sky, the clouds, everything was alive and brightly colored with new dimensions. 

Thank you Norman and Ruth for your ministry and calling. Thank you to all my supporters in Christ who were with me and who weren’t. and of course THANK YOU JESUS !!!

A  friend of mine gave me a book by John Ramirez and I had been following his prayers for self deliverance and the breaking of generational curses. I felt a difference after sitting with my husband and reading the deliverance prayer aloud. It wasn’t a huge change but I felt a little happier and free-er. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect my prayer time with Ruth and Norman to be as powerful as it turned out to be. I was so filled with the Holy Spirit it was electrifying. When we finished praying I felt this huge weight all off of me and I began to float or so it seemed. Then my body began to feel as if every cell was vibrating then tingling and it culminated in me jumping off the sofa and bouncing all over their living room. Afterwards we sang a worship song and I heard the voice again “ I have work for you to do”  and I lifted my hands and agreed again to complete the tasks at hand. We weren’t able to go in the water so we waited until Sunday. Sunday was such a blur for me. I was filled again and became drunk on the Holy Spirit. I couldn’t walk! Before my head went under completely they lifted me up and led me to a chair at the end of the pool. Rexx and I were prayed over as a couple which was amazing as we stared into one another’s eyes. I feel such a close connection to the Lord and to my husband and with my church family. God is so amazing and I am so thrilled to begin this new journey. Thank you Ruth and Norman for your selflessness and dedication to God and His people.

 I have been limited in my physical abilities for a few months now.  I wasn’t able to jump and down, run through the yard with my kids, dance, etc.  I went to the water expecting!  I asked God to refill me with fire 🔥 and expressed my deep desires to do His works here.  I know I asked more but honestly can’t remember.  I went under and when I came back up I felt a lightness about me that only be described as joy.  He did it again!  God is so faithful and loving and I can’t get enough.  After that my beautiful wife and I were baptized together.  I just remember, after we came back up, looking deep into her eyes and feeling so much love for her.    It was like 1 Peter 4:8 that says “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” I love Samantha with all my heart but now I feel a love I have never felt before.  I feel like this is God’s love it is so strong.  Absolutely amazing!  After I got out of the pool I thanked the Father by jumping up and down, pain free and without restriction.  HE IS SO GOOD!!!

I have felt the power of God many times in my life but never as consuming and powerful as tonight!! God is doing a great work in our lives and He manifested his presence as a confirmation to me.  Seven or eight years ago I was working in Candler at an electrical and industrial supply. I was the last one left in the building for the last hour on Friday and honestly I wasn’t very happy about it. A customer came in and I asked if I could help with something. He said no but maybe I can help you. He asked my name and I told him and then he said What is your given name?  He then took a piece of paper and wrote my name “Wend”on the left hand side and “ell” on the right hand side. In the center he drew a large trumpet. He asked do you know what this is? And of course I said “Duh. It’s a trumpet! lol. He said no sir. That is you!! Imagine the puzzled look on my face! (I have no inside voice for my facial expressions.) tonight I heard the words he spoke as clearly as it had just happened. He said your name is Wend ell. El being one of the names of God and Wend to represent the wind or breath of God. God is going to breathe through you to make His Word known!! You cannot convince me that God is not moving mightily now and we must move with Him as one with Him!

Showing up tonight, I knew I was going in to be restored and have the pain and sickness be lifted out of my body. I had no doubt in my mind that God was going to take care of it for me and I would walk away with no more pain. And yes, in that first dunk, that is absolutely what happened. I came up feeling healthy, new, and refreshed. What I didn’t expect, was what happened next. I don’t even know how to put it into words. Praying that prayer that God would fill me with the Holy Spirit, was the most powerful prayer I’ve ever prayed in my life. Coming out of the water after that prayer, I felt so something so strong, so powerful, I can’t even explain that feeling. All I could do was cry and rejoice. As good as I felt in that moment, I knew I wanted more. Norman put it into words perfectly when he said to ask for the fire. I’ve always been to church, always been in youth groups, worshipped during church, and went through the motions of everything I should be doing. But I was missing that fire. I came out of the water after that third time and I felt that fire I have been missing! 

I've been putting this off for far to long. I let my pride stand in the way of what God wants me to do, and I didn't fully surrender to him. I wasn't gonna get in last night, but he kept telling me my time is now...

I've battled my whole life with addiction and fear that I have done too many things wrong that God would never forgive me. The moment I got in the water every fear left me and I was finally sure that I am forgiven. I surrender it all to you Father. Now I can be who he wants me to be..

I'm just beyond thankful for where I am in life right now with the people God has surrounded me with. Our Church is so amazing and I love everyone of yall. We are blessed to have such an amazing Father.