 
Come
on in and have a seat. This started out as a short testimony, but
over the past couple years I have added more as the Lord has led me to.
Guess you might say it is turning into a mini book. To understand
where I am in my Christian walk today. I would like to start at the beginning
of my life and take you on a journey. Before you leave, would you please
be sure to sign my guest book? I would greatly appreciate it. I hope as
you read this, you will realize that God cares and loves each one of us.
It does not matter where we have been or what we have done. He is waiting
on open arms for you to accept Him as your Lord and Savior.
 Childhood
Memories
I
was born on Wednesday September 4, 1968 in Akron, Ohio to Sandra
Lee Coker Willis and Ronald Author Willis. Paternal grandparents
are Arthur Willis and Virginia Wilcox Willis (both deceased). Maternal
grandparents are J.C. Coker and Eileen Harding Coker. At first, both parents
are happy to have me there. For some reason or another my dad decided to
take off and leave my mother and I when I was a couple months old. My mother
did the best she could with help from her parents, and AFDC. My father
did not pay child support.
When
I was 2 years old, my mother got remarried to Joseph Stafford. He had six
(6) children. Three (3) boys and three (3) girls . When they first got
married, my step dad was the greatest. He put me in tap dance class with
his oldest daughter. We had so much fun. He was a truck driver for
Consolidated Freightways. Many times he would bring me things back from
his trips. He would spend time with me and treated me like his own child.
But as his children grew into teenagers and got married, he began to treat
me different, and my mom too. My mother was great. She spent many hours
volunteering at my school. We called her the popcorn lady. On Friday afternoons,
we could buy popcorn during recess. She was my homeroom mother every year
that I was at Portage Path Elementary.
As
things changed with my step dad and I, they were also changing with her.
He began to abuse her in many ways. He expected to be waited on hand and
foot. He was very violent and loud with her. There were times when I would
come home from school, and my mom not be home , that I would be locked
outside on the front porch. There was one Christmas that I remember all
to well. We came home from my aunts house and he went off. I don't know
what pushed him this far, but he threw the dining room table on my mother,
and beat me with the belt. As soon as he left that afternoon, I remember
my mom having me get some things and we began moving. (She had already
put in an application for low income housing.) On the way back to the house,
we were in a terrible car accident. Our car was hit by a drunk driver.
As my mother pulled me out of the car, it blew up. My collar bone was cracked.
The car was totaled. Joe tried to say that she wrecked the car on purpose
to keep from him getting it in the divorce.
That couple
months that they were going through the divorce were really hard on me.
I did not realize that Joe was not my father until then. I used his name
in school (he had not adopted me). Then, if that was not enough, I found
out that the man I thought was my biological grandfather, was not. Mom
told me that he had adopted her too. What a blow. I had a terrible time.
Mom decided to find my dad and set up a way for us to meet at his sisters
house.
The
meeting went ok for me, but dad had a new life. He was with a lady that
had 3 children of her own. He told me that he had another child, but he
had got killed when he was 7. We stayed in touch only for a little while.
Still no child support was paid and no visitation.
Shortly
after all that mess, my grandparents decided to move to Tennessee. I was
devastated. It seemed like my whole life was coming apart. I was only 12,
how could all this be happening. The next summer, they moved. I was
able to go with them for the summer. Who was to know that summer would
change my life forever?
Summer
of 1982
Wow!
What a summer this was. So much had gone wrong in my life over the past
several years, this had to be a wonderful turning point. My grandparents
moved to tennessee and I came on vacation with them. WHEW-- the smell of
that country air to a city gal will really get to you. -- I loved it though.
I would love to sit on the porch and read a book. Somehow, I did not get
past the first page of the book. They boy across the road caught my eye.
(Norman) We kept staring at each other till he came over and acted like
he was going to borrow tools from my grandfather. Papa introduced us. We
road bikes, took walks and went to the movies together all summer. We watched
the movie ET several times that summer.
It was wonderful.
I fell in love at 13. I knew that I wanted to be with him forever. Now
how is that going to work with me in Ohio and him in Tennessee you ask?
It is called, beg your mother to move to Tennessee. I did not want to go
back to Ohio at all, but my mother insisted. I did miss her. My grandparents
put me on a plane home. I remember the ride to the airport was so sad!!
The song "I Will Always Love You" sang by "Dolly Partin" was
on the radio. I cried all the way to the plane. I was going to miss Norman
tremendously. 2 1/2 hours later, I arrived back home in Ohio with my mom.
I was so happy to see her. Immediately I began sharing the summer and begging
to move to Tennessee.
The
Long Awaited Move
Even though
I was glad to be home with my mom I felt like a part of me was missing.
Norman and I really bonded. We both felt like we were going to be together
forever. We both just knew that we were to spend the rest of our lives
together. Everyone has a soul mate and we believed we were a match.
Going to
school was hard. I had spent the previous two years in a private school.
I was going to a new school, and high school to top it off. This was my
freshman year. Everyone made it easy to get adjusted though. I made friends
pretty easy. That helped a lot. But I still missed Norman. I would write
letters everyday. We would call each other a lot too. (made bell south
and ohio bell happy-- but not our parents) I had a baby-sitting job, so
the money I made had to go on phone bills.
Mom talked
to my grandparents about us moving to Tennessee. They were thrilled. papa
bought us a mobile home. It was a nice three (3) bedroom. He placed it
on his land really close to his house. When the time came to move, granny
and papa came to ohio and helped us back. It seemed like forever to drive
down from Ohio. but we did it.
Norman
came over and met my mom and helped us get moved in. She seemed to like
him right off! Goody for me!
Courtship
and Marriage
Norman was
at the house everyday over the summer. We spent many days riding bikes
around the neighborhood and going for long walks. Seemed like we could
not get enough of each other. We grew very close too fast.
Before we knew it, it was time for
school to begin. Here I had to get use to a new school and did not know
anyone. We went to separate schools. This was my sophomore year. I made
a few friends, but not too many. Being from Ohio was not taken too well.
I occupied myself in the courses I liked the most. I loved Math,
French and the band class. I liked going to football games. movies and
skating.
Norman and
I spent every waking hour together that we could. One night I had
a major fight with my mom and ended up at Norman's house. One thing led
to another. No, I did not get pregnant. My mother kept us apart for awhile
for things to cool off. Christmas 1983, Norman asked me to marry him. I
said YES. I had intentions on waiting until I graduated from college first.
But something happened. My mother told him that since we had already been
together, that we should go ahead and get married. We had to have permission
from the Judge. He gave permission because I was not pregnant.
We
had a beautiful wedding on June 2, 1984. I was 15 years old. He was 16.
His parents were going through a divorce and thought we were making the
biggest mistake in our lives. We were so young and so in love that
nothing anyone said to us mattered. We knew we were young. But were going
through it anyway.
Along
Comes Baby 1 & 2
On Monday
January 28, 1985 we had our first child. I can see you doing the math now
(lol) but Brandon was born premature. He was born 2 1/2 months early. He
weighed 4 lbs 15 1/2 oz and was 16 inches long. Other than yellow jaundice
he was fine. He came home from the hospital 2 weeks after he was born.
On Wednesday September 3, 1986, our
second son was born. Jason weighed 8 lbs and was 18 inches long. They are
19 months apart. I wanted 2 children and close, but did not realize they
would be that close.
Death
Of My Mother
Eight months
later, my mother passed way. She had a stroke. There were no previous health
problems. We had just spent the weekend together shopping, picnics and
having wonderful quality time. Before she went to go back home, she began
getting sick. We thought it might be the flu.- I wanted her to stay at
my house, but she wanted to go back home.
The next
day, my grandfather came to my house. He said that he could not get her
to come to the door or even get in; but, she was calling for me. I went
in the house with him. When I went in to check on here, she was on the
couch. He noticed right away that she had a stroke. Instead of calling
the ambulance from there, he walked back to his house to call. They took
her to the hospital. I stayed all day. I hated it when I had to go back
home for the night. We went back the next day to visit. The doctor was
going to have her transported to a larger hospital. My grandmother and
I went to get her some flowers. When we got back, she had died. I went
numb. I thought my world had collapsed. I felt my life was over. She was
so young, only 43. I got mad at God. I felt he took my mother from me when
I needed her the most in my life. I completely shut everyone out of my
life. All I could think about was not having my mother.
Depression
Consumes /Suicidal
About a week
after the funeral, I took a drug overdose. I was admitted to the hospital
for a few days. I told them I would not do it again. So I was released
pending counseling. I tried to forget all my troubles. There were even
times that I blamed myself for her death. I started working several hours
to block my pain.
In the mean time, I
was not being the kind of wife and mother I needed to be. I turned my back
on them and my grandparents. When I realized how depressed and miserable
that I had become, I went to child services. I gave them custody of my
children. (you may wonder how a mother could do that, but I felt it was
the only choice that I had.) Child services placed them in a wonderful
christian home. The boys called them mom and dad. This made me feel good
to know that they were being taken care of.
I
tried to do better; but after a year and a half, I could not take it anymore.
I felt my husband would be all right and our children were in a good home.
I tried to kill myself again. I took lots of pain pills; then, took a knife
and proceeded to cut my wrist. One of them would not bleed, so I did the
other one. My spirit was so tormented and hurting so much that I felt this
was the only way out.
My husband
was at work; so, I figured I would be dead before he came home (about 3
hours later). Was I wrong. He had a weird feeling that something was bad
wrong at home. He came home early and found me laying on the bed bleeding
to death; so, he called an ambulance. I refused to go--but one of the paramedics
was a christian. He told me that I was not going to die in his arms and
that I was going to the hospital. (THANK THE LORD HE MADE ME GO!) He told
me how much God loved me --- NO MATTER WHAT!!!
I was put in the
psych part of the hospital for three weeks. I kept telling them that if
they let me out, I would do it again. On that , they kept me. I finally
realized what they wanted to hear; so, I began to do what they wanted me
to do. I went to counseling - still had a hard time, but began to realize
I had to do better.
In
The Mean Time
In the mean
time while all that was going on, my husband helped me to locate my father
again. We moved to where he was at. My dad told me that he would help me
get the boys back. At first, he mentioned that he would get custody of
them, then give them to us. I just did not feel right about it. I had a
lot of resentment built up toward him. I thought how in the would could
he do that now when he was not there for me when I needed him growing up.
He seemed happy with is wife and her children. Together they made a new
life and it seemed like I was messing things up. So, hubby and I decided
to move back here to Tennessee.
Boys
Come Home
We eventually
got our children back ! We were so excited!!!! By now, they are ready to
begin kindergarten and preschool. We let them visit their foster family
any time. They are still a part of our family. Infact, my children tell
people God blessed them with two sets of parents.
Salvation
About one
year later, we looked up some old friends. They told us they were going
to renew their wedding vows and invited us to be with them. Then they began
telling us how they got saved. Now this was a guy that we use to party
with. So when he began sharing, we listened. We went with them that morning.
My family got saved in 1992. (that is why the nick name radicallysaved92).
My life has not been the same since. GOD HAS BEEN SO GOOD TO ME !!!!!
A
Life Changing Experience
On July 15,
1996, we had a terrible auto accident. It was so foggy and rainy. While
driving on our way to work, I lost control of our car. We slid in a ditch.
I jerked the wheel pulling us out. Little did I realize the right axle
was broken. I tried to go forward, but we were thrown into a spin. All
I knew to do was throw up my hands and say "GOD IT'S YOURS."
The car
flipped several times and almost went over a guard rail. Our oldest son
was thrown out of the car and into the woods hitting a tree. He got up
with only a scratch to come back and find me.- He went to someone's house,
called 911 and some friends. My husband was thrown out and pulled partly
under the car damaging his left arm. Our youngest son was still trapped
in his seat belt and upside down. He only got a scratch on the top of his
head from a small piece of glass while climbing out the back window.
I was messed
up severely. The rubber strip had come off the metal on the drivers side
door. The metal scalped my head. I was cut all over. My right ear was cut
off and the left ear was just missed, my skin was pealed to the front of
my face, skull cracked, spleen torn and bruised as well was the rest of
my body.
It took
over an hour for the paramedics to get to us. In the meantime, I was getting
upset wondering 1. where my children were 2. if someone could move the
car 3.needed someone to call our boss to tell him what happened.
A lady stopped
by to see what she could do to help. I first asked her to pray for me.
I really thought I was going to die. She told me she could not pray. That
broke my heart. I started telling her about Jesus. Then she asked me if
she could call someone for me. I gave her my pastors name and number.
After a
while, the paramedics showed up. I had to be cut out of the car by the
jaws of live; however, because of my injuries, they still could not pull
me out. I told them that I could get out if they would get out of my way.
As I crawled out and turned over on my back, I felt the life leave my body.
I heard one of the paramedics take the Lords name in vain. That made me
so mad. I told him that he needed to repent. He told me he was sorry. I
explained to him that he did not need to apologize to me , but to God.
( HE HAS SINCE GOTTEN SAVED-- PRAISE THE LORD!!) They put me in the ambulance
and proceeded to put a body suit on me because I had no pulse or blood
pressure. I was transported to the local airport to be airlifted to a larger
hospital.
When I got
there, they did all kinds of test on me. They were ready to do surgery,
but I would not let them til I new if my children and husband were ok and
that I was prayed for. I was waiting on my pastor to get there. My pastor
and grandfather came to the hospital. My minister prayed for me and my
grandfather and I patched things up. The doctors told them that they were
only going to sew me up to go in a casket. I was put on life support. After
four days, I was able to be taken off and breathing on my own. I was home
one week after the accident. The doctors and nurses were amazed. I told
them that I SERVE A LIVING GOD. and that NOTHING WAS IMPOSSIBLE WITH HIM!!!
God has brought me so far so fast. I TRULY BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF PRAYER
AND GODS HEALING POWER!!!
I pray that
this has ministered to your life someway. Please if you know someone
that this would help, pass it along! It took Holy Ghost boldness and confidence
in God for me to be able to put this on the internet about my life. Satan
is defeated! I praise the Lord for allowing me to share this with you!
I praise the Lord for His mercy and compassion that he had for me.
(Rev 12:11 KJV) And they overcame
him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they
loved not their lives unto the death.
 
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