Total Abandonment:

It was in the Summer of 1996, at 5:30 am, while on my knees in prayer, that I got my calling. I spent an hour or more every morning, reading the Bible, Seeking the Lord, and praying, but this morning was different.. I was filled to the top with the Holy Spirit and with boldness and was completely fed up with a mediocre existence and ready to be commissioned by God for something great. I laid my life on the altar and in Total Abandonment of my career as a Physical Therapist that I worked so hard for, and everything else that mattered to me in life, I said a very bold prayer. I told God that I wanted to do something big for him, not small. I told him I wanted to be involved in something that HE was doing, and that HE thought was Important and big on the earth and let me be a part of it! I was willing to do anything and go anywhere that he led me, to get it done for him. I pictured Jesus as the Captain of a huge ship, steering it, and him standing behind me, with his hand on my shoulder, letting me do the steering, with his guidance. I just wanted God to be by my side and to lead me into doing something great for Him. I wanted to be able to help many people in times of great trouble, and to be involved in a big way, in the end time harvest of souls. After this amazing prayer, I got an answer in the Spirit that was definite.

God spoke clearly in my inner soul. He said my prayer was granted.. but that there would be conditions. I sought him for these conditions and he told me: My wife and I and our family would go from place to place, trying to find a way, we would be brought low, we would be in great need and we would be made weak. Then he would build us up again, restore us, enable and empower us financially and otherwise, and finally, give us this big and great mission to do. I told my wife about this and we prayed together and she accepted this condition with me before God. At that time, we had no idea what we were accepting or how long and hard the journey was going to be. If God was going to put enabling power into our hands for something great, we needed to be humble and KNOW that everything is of him and for him and his kingdom, not for us or our glory, and it will be none of our own doing. Also, he wanted us to condescend down to men of lowliest estate, by being made low ourselves, so that we could serve many people who are in dire need and in lowly conditions one day, while interacting with them on their level and not feeling above them in any way. Helping the poor in a special way, was one of the areas of our two prong mission calling. The other one was to have an big part to play in the end time harvest of souls. The Testimony he was going to build in us through hardship and his miraculous intervention, was eventually going to be used in a mighty way to reach a lost and dying world that will be searching for answers and for help in their times desperation and great need, from someone bigger than themselves. Our great God and Savior is available to help us right now, as well, in all of our daily needs and struggles!

I have been enlightened partially, but not fully, yet, as to exactly what we will be doing, but it involves feeding, clothing and giving safe haven to many hurting and destitute people in an end time world, yet to be seen. It will be in our lifetime and it will be in a world unlike anything mankind has ever experienced before. Also, in the context of catastrophic events, bringing men to their knees, the End Time Gospel of the Kingdom will go out in new and powerful ways, which will include cutting edge Bible Prophecy, because the actual fulfillment of it will be before everyone’s eyes, bringing many to salvation, through special, enlightened revelations going out to the world through the “world wide web”. I will have a part in this, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, which I continue to wait on and have been beginning to receive. One day, in the context of much trouble and in the time period of the “Day of the Lord” (Joel 1:15, 2:1) God will pour out his Spirit upon all flesh and his sons and his daughters will prophecy. (Joel 2:28-31) Also, in the context of the end times (the actual middle of the tribulation period) “the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits” (great and powerful works) and “they that understand among the people shall instruct many”. (Dan 11:32,33)

It has now been 27 years since our calling, which included much hardship, but all while experiencing the miraculous hand of God many, many times. The amazing thing is.. the miracles have not stopped; We continue to experience an average of a miracle per year! Although we are older now, we are still flawed and imperfect like everyone else, but more enlightened as to how much God’s forgiveness and grace means for us. If we are to do anything great for him, it is only by God’s grace and only if we stay humble and always know that is is Him and not we ourselves, that is doing it.

Going back 14 years earlier from that powerful prayer and day of my calling: I was 20 years old, lost, angry, addicted to cigarettes and beer and without direction. I joined the Army and got stationed in Germany, as a Field Artilleryman. It was a rugged and hard two years, but I was tough (on the exterior) however, inwardly; I was lonely, empty, dead inside, uncertain of where I was headed, and seeking a way out from feelings of failure, guilt, emptiness and loneliness. On my last day in the Army, while packing my things from my locker in the barracks, I found myself completely alone. I broke down and began to cry and poured my heart out to God in prayer. With sincere repentance and yearning, I turned to God with all my heart and was Marvelously and Miraculously Saved. This was just before coming out of the Army and heading back home to Wisconsin, USA in April of 1984. I was Born Again, Filled with the Spirit of God and totally changed. I will never forget that day! Deadness and darkness were turned to Life and Light. I went from emptiness inside, to being completely filled with the Holy Spirit of the Living God. My face turned radiant and I couldn’t get rid of my smile, even when I tried, for days! I got on fire for God. I couldn’t get enough of his word and I became burdened for souls.

I joined the Army Reserve, had some part time jobs, and went to college full-time for 8 years, with help from the Army Educational Assistance program. I achieved a masters degree and became a Physical Therapist. During that time, I met my wife at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, during a 4 month training session at the Academy of Health Sciences for the Army Reserve.

We were now 34 years old with a beautiful 2 year old daughter and married 8 years. This is where our amazing and miraculous, but arduous journey began..

We eventually had 5 children; another daughter and 3 sons.. who were all raised while our family moved from place to place, trying to make a way; while we were brought low, made homeless and destitute, living in tents, in our car, in homeless shelters, but always seeing God’s hand leading and guiding, protecting and providing. There were extended periods of time where God brought us to amazing places to live, like a 60 acre farm with two ponds, and we were able to raise animals and even have horses. I always worked hard and I had good success at times, but then the floor dropped out and we were made destitute again and it took years to recover. The last time it happened was in 2009, after the Global Economic Collapse. We lost EVERYTHING and had to start from scratch, with nothing, except a tent to live in, a Sand worm rake, some hip waders and cooler. That was when I started 10 years of full-time work on the sea, with many adventures and even, near death experiences. (All will be explained in the testimony that follows.) It took a decade to recover from rock bottom, but after all this, we are now in the process of being lifted up, for the purpose of enablement and empowerment of the ministry.. God has shown us that we have entered the time of our recovery and revival now.. but we will NEVER FORGET all the trouble and hard times we had and how God helped us again and again, in miraculous ways!

THIS IS WHERE OUR STORY BEGINS…

I went to college for 8 years after getting out of the Army, and was now a Physical Therapist, trained to help people’s bodies.. but my burden was for souls! Over a 3 year period, while working in over 30 different hospitals, clinics and nursing homes as a temporary placement PT for 2 different agencies, I witnessed to my patients whenever possible, passed out over 1000 gospel tracts, won 24 souls to Christ and then wound up losing my job twice for witnessing in the workplace. Many of these salvations are amazing stories in themselves. I’ll tell you of a few of them..

((Insert story of older Woman patient who I led to Christ for salvation and who then died the following night. This was after my boss told me not to witness anymore and gave me only patients to see in rooms close to the nurses station, and asked the nurses to keep an eye on me. The fire alarm went off, so the nurses went around shutting all the doors and the alarm sounded for about 5 minutes, while I pulled my Bible out of my pocket and asked my patient if she knew for sure that she would be going to heaven when she dies. She said no. I asked her if she wanted to know how. She said yes. I led her through some scriptures and a prayer. The next day when I saw her, she waved her finger at me and said with tears in her eyes: “I remember our prayer.. I remember our prayer.” The day after that when I came to work, I saw her name crossed off the board for therapy. She had died of respiratory failure during the night.))

One of my patients, a woman named Mary, who was wheelchair bound and bed bound and in constant pain for over 5 years, was miraculously healed after I prayed for her in Jesus name! I told Mary that the treatment I was giving her on the spasming muscles of her neck, would help her, but it won’t heal her. She said, I know, but I appreciate you helping me. Then I said ..but Jesus can heal you. She said.. I know he can! I realized Mary had faith to be healed and the Spirit of God was saying to me.. pray for her right now. But my supervisor, also a PT, was in the booth next to me with her patient, separated only by a curtain, treating another patient, and it was against clinical rules to preach or pray with your patients. I decided not to be afraid and to simply do what God was compelling me to do, so I prayed for Mary’s complete healing, by faith, in Jesus name. I did not elevate my voice, but I also did not diminish it. I spoke in a normal voice, which was easily heard by my supervisor. When Mary came back to the clinic for her next therapy appointment, she was not in her wheel chair… She was walking! She was able to drive a car again, ride a bicycle around her neighborhood, and walk the entire shopping mall! Mary no longer needed her wheelchair, and all her pain was gone. I discharged her from physical therapy and in the medical records I wrote: “healed by prayer in Jesus name” (which my boss did not like)!

A lot of times, patients opened up to me in conversation while I was giving them therapy, and I had an opportunity to share the comfort and faith that I had in God. I would simply ask, do you trust in God, or do you pray to God for help? It would open up conversations that my patients welcomed, and wanted to have, about God. So.. why could I talk to my patients about our families and our pets, the weather, sports, etc. but not God and faith, which is the most important thing in life? It did not make sense to me. Soon afterwards, I was fired, because I talked too much about God to my co-workers and witnessed to my patients. I was not trying to do anything wrong. I just couldn’t t keep the good news of the gospel to myself and I felt God constantly leading me to witness for him.

Mary was a new convert to Christ with a child-like faith when I met her. She had been through a lot of suffering and pain in her life and was even beaten by her husband before he left her, and now she disabled and in constant pain. She was miserable, but trusting in God for help. She had joined a church and was attending there for just a few months before meeting me and starting her therapy. Because of her amazing healing, her pastor asked me if I would attend their church the next Sunday, because he wanted to give me the privilege of baptizing Mary before the congregation! These people did not even know me. They only knew that Mary used to come to church in a wheel chair, but now she walks in to church without a wheelchair and her Physical Therapist is the one who said the prayer. My wife and I visited Mary for two years after her healing and she was still healed and doing well.

((Insert story of giving my life for God to take, an Angel in the Park, and Scripture confirming: I will not die, but live and declare the works of the Lord.” Ps 118:17))

((Insert story of me walking while on lunch break from Hospital I was working at and how I chased a young black man up a grass hill to tell him what God told me to tell him and how he wound up praying with me with tears, receiving Jesus Christ for salvation and his life was changed.)) ((And on same walk, giving a gospel tract to a man on a busy crosswalk right in front of the hospital, and him stopping and me talking to him briefly and realizing he was ready, and us praying together right there to receive Jesus for his salvation, while a line of cars waited.))

I worked as a PT for 4 years and I also did Home-based Network Marketing on the side, because I liked the idea of having my own business and I wanted to get out of debt and build a better life for my family as fast as possible. I was very ambitious and worked 20-30 hours a week at my home-based businesses, while working full-time as a Physical Therapist.. but while I did this, I also felt God’s calling for Ministry.

I felt the Lord calling me to go into my own business and also to move from Wisconsin. I started seeking him for answers. ((Insert Miraculous sign of the Geese and answer from Bible here, telling us that we were to leave Wisconsin, and that it would be after the Winter..))

In the Spring of 1996, I was in a remote parking lot that I had searched for by car, while on lunch break from my job at a nursing home that I was placed in at the time. I needed direction from God. I needed a definite answer from him that day. It could wait no longer. I knew that I had been called into full-time ministry and I had already given God my life; My life was on His alter. I had already ordered and received and reviewed about a dozen information / application packets from various Seminaries and Bible Colleges around the country, because I was willing to go back to college to become a Pastor, but it was not God’s will. He let me know that time was too short to spend time in college. He had prepared me, and would continue to prepare me for the mission that he had for me to do. I also had already ordered and received an Information and Application packet, and had a phone interview, and was approved to be a Missionary / Physical Therapist to Nepal, but the Lord prevented me again. I was searching for His direction. One thing I did know, was that I was to get ready for service. He was going to release and send me into full-time ministry very soon.

I was, however, grid-locked into the enslavement of debt from eight years of full-time college, and although I was earning over $80K per year as a physical therapist, being that my wife was a full-time mother and housewife, and we had a mortgage, student loan payments, and credit card debt, as well as many bills; I typically had $20 to $40 left after paying all of our expenses on paydays. With debt that would take thirty years to relinquish, how was I to be set free to enter ministry? I was waiting for the divine guidance and miracles that I knew was necessary for this freedom.

So here I was, finally frustrated to the point of such great need for guidance and such a zeal for the Lord’s work, that I drove around on my lunch break to find a place of isolation for serious prayer to God, and I was primed and ready for an answer from Him that day! After serious prayer with tears, I asked the Lord God to give me an answer as to what I should do. I was doing home-based Network Marketing from home as my own business, added to my full-time job, my evening job, and my Saturday job in the physical therapy field. I was worn out, and still not getting ahead. But I was looking for a miracle, and I knew something new needed to spring forth in order for me to be set free from financial bondage, so I could serve God in the capacity he was leading me to. My serious request to God in prayer in that parking lot that day, was that God would give me direction NOW as to what I should do. Should I continue in physical therapy, or should I go full-time in my own businesses to get set free? I was quickened by the Holy Spirit at that time to ask him for a definite answer from the radio. (I kept my radio tuned to a Christian Station). So I asked God to give me an answer right now, that was not vague, but direct; so that I would have no doubt that the answer had come from Him, and that the answer would have no room for misinterpretation. My question was this: “Should I go on in Physical Therapy, or should I go into my own business full-time to get freed from debt so I could serve Him”? I then reached over and turned the radio knob to the on position. What I heard immediately, was the end of a question/plea that a woman was asking, followed by the closing remarks of a Christian commentator to the woman who had called into this Christian talk show. The woman had been having challenges making it in her own business! The closing remarks of the talk show host just before the music began to play, signifying the end of the show for that day, was: “Put your heart into your business, and give it over to the Lord, and you will have success”. I turned off the radio, and in total amazement, I told God that I knew it was Him that gave me this most direct and immediate answer, and that I was going to head into that direction in a very serious manner.

I began putting much more energy into my own home-based marketing business, and a few months later, I had a break through… One morning I prayed earnestly to God, that He would deliver me from the work place and empower me unto the ministry! I could not get out from under the burden that was upon me, for people’s souls, not their bodies. The next day, just before leaving for work, I got a phone call from my boss; the director of the placement agency, who placed me to work in all of the different hospitals and clinics. He told me that he was a Catholic and he appreciated that I was sharing my faith at work, but he said too many of the clinics would not take be back anymore because they needed a therapist, not a chaplain! He apologized that he had to let me go and said he had heard good things about me from other clinics who liked me and said I was a good therapist; but it was getting too hard for him to place me now, because of the hospitals and clinics who would not take be back. So, I was fired, the second time, for witnessing in the workplace. I was sad, but amazed, because I had just cried out to God for deliverance from the workplace the day before and I had no idea, at the time, that I was in danger of losing my job again, for witnessing. This was a direct answer to prayer once again!

Even though the Lord had answered my prayer, I was troubled. I was in prayer the next morning, asking God how I was going to take care of my family now, because I was not earning nearly enough from my marketing business to provide for my family. God spoke to me immediately in the Spirit and said, you asked to be delivered from the work place and I did. Don’t you think I will take care of you? I was so comforted that I heard God’s voice and I trusted him.

Two days later, I got a call from the President and Vice President of a new network marketing company. They had seen some of my flyers and marketing materials that I had developed, and heard about me being a good helper / manager of the sales agents under me in previous companies I worked for, and they offered me a position as one of the leading distributors for their new company in opening their product and opportunity to the market. (How did they hear about me? Only God knows! I was not anybody big in the business.) They paid for a massive advertising campaign, and that next weekend, I made 17 sales and started on the path to building over 500 sales agents under me and I became the number one recruiter and salesperson in that new company! Within 2 weeks of the time I asked to be delivered from the workplace so I could be in the ministry and God amazingly answered my prayer, my full-time income as a Physical Therapist was replaced! God delivered me from the workplace so I could be in ministry for him and he was taking care of me and my family, miraculously! I was completely in his hands and I was so amazed and satisfied.

I worked very hard in the business night and day for about four months, and was on track to becoming a very highly paid representative.. Then the company went out of business suddenly, and my income ended over night. They weren’t able to keep up, logistically, or administratively, with their growth; largely due to the business I was bringing them. Now, we were in big trouble. God had already shown us, with miraculous signs confirming, that we were to leave to go to Florida on April 1st. We didn’t even have time to put our house up for sale yet and we were to be leaving in a couple months.

I had been amazed at how perfect everything was turning out for us. The Network Marketing business can be done from anywhere, and once I built a big business, I wouldn’t even have to work anymore. I would have income from the commissions of the sales agents under me. So.. I was going to be free to do the Lord’s work, wherever he told us to go, and we were going to be miraculously taken care of! (I had already forgotten about the conditions God gave us; that we were going to have to go from place to place, trying to make a way, and that we would be brought low and be made weak, before he lifts us up and empowers us unto the ministry.)

I was deeply troubled, but filled with faith. I said a very serious prayer to God. I told him that I knew it was him that gave us the leading, with signs, that we should move to Florida on April 1st. But, now we did not have an income and our money was running out. I declared to him that I know he created the world by his almighty command out of nothing, that he parted the red sea, that he puts floods upon the dry ground, and sends manna from heaven, and I know he is able to make a way where there seems to be none. But, I told God I didn’t want to be irresponsible and put my family in danger, in case I did not hear him right. I asked him if he would just give me one more sign that we were still supposed to leave to go to Florida, even though there didn’t seem to be provision for the move. I told him I was going to go outside and pound a “For Sale” sign into the ground in our front yard, and that within 2 days, he would send someone by, and that the first person that comes to see our house would buy it… It happened, just as I asked!!!

About 6 weeks later, we closed on the house and the date set where we were to move out and give up residence to the new owner, was April 1st. We did not ask for this date, but it was on the the contract! We had very little equity in the house, so after paying closing costs, paying all our bills, and renting a U-Haul truck, we had $350.00 to our names and we were headed to Florida. We didn’t even have enough money to pay for gas to get half way there and we had nowhere to live, no income and no expected income. We were “walking by faith and not by sight”. We were “walking on the water” now, with Jesus’ hand reached out to help us.

We attended a Missions conference at a very large Church, right before we left for Florida, with over a dozen missionaries in attendance and speaking, from around the country, who were on furlough. At the end of the service they had a call to come forward for prayer, to anyone who felt a call by God to be a missionary. We knew that we had been called to be on a mission for God, with miraculous signs confirming, which meant to us that we were missionaries, so my wife and I came forward, holding our 2 year old daughter in our arms. Over a dozen Missionaries and the Pastor formed a circle and laid hands on my wife and I and another couple who came forward also, and sent us out as Missionaries, in Jesus name.

Did God do Miracles for us to Make A Way after we left to go the Florida without provision?? Come back to read the rest of our story! I will be adding to our awesome testimony on a regular basis, until it is finished, but it will take months to write. I could talk for 5 hours straight, without stopping, just telling of the miracles we have experienced. .. Not because we are great in any way, or that we deserved this. It has only been by God’s grace and his divine appointment.

It was when we were in the most dire need and the weakest, that we saw his hand at work the most. We are thankful for the whole Journey and what he has led us through, for the praise of his mighty, loving hand, and to his glory! We also realize that our story must be told, so that other people would be inspired and gain hope for their lives when they are in trouble, now, or in the days ahead, when there is great trouble upon the earth and many people are suffering.

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THE REST OF OUR STORY WILL CONTINUE TO BE WRITTEN ON THIS WEBSITE. THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING. THERE ARE MANY AMAZING STORIES AND MIRACLES TO WRITE ABOUT!

This is a long overdue account of the Miraculous Happenings of the last 27 years of our life, leading up to our present calling and ministry to God’s People and people who are lost, in these End Days.

Please come back to hear the rest of our story and how it applies to our Great God and what He can do for you. .. Also, what he can, and will do for those who believe and trust in Him in the End Days that are ahead of us, which will go from bad to worse. But.. even in the midst of great troubles.. God’s people will always have a song in their hearts, because.. there is ALWAYS Hope with God! He Makes a Way in the Sea and a Path in the Mighty Waters!! He puts Floods upon the Dry Ground! He takes the Beggar from among the dunghills and sets him among princes. He opens the eyes of the Blind and brings out Beauty from the Ashes. No Matter how the world looks down here.. We have a Glorious Future!

PLEASE PRAY FOR GOD’S ANNOINTING so that it all comes out as the the Lord Directs and that the HOLY SPIRIT will use this site for the Manifest Destined Purpose that has been pre-determined.

Thank you and God Bless you as you seek God and His Help for YOUR LIFE!

(Please send comments to sh***************@gm***.com.)

His Servant,

Mark