“I hate this song,” Maria thought, so she reached to change the radio station. The dial landed on a preacher she never heard before, and she heard the man say that the dead know not anything. “I thought he was crazy!” Maria says.
She had grown up a devout Christian, seeking God’s will for her life. But as time went on, she explains, “I felt empty every time I went to church. I would come out of the service sad—or sometime not go in at all.” While she remained a committed Christian, she felt unfulfilled and directionless.
So when this staunch Christian heard a preacher say, in effect, that her grandmother wasn’t yet in heaven, she determined never to listen to the man again. But something drew her to the program, called Bible Answers Live, and she found it again a few days later.
God’s Glorious Providence
For a short time, Maria worked as a receptionist at a clinic and met a nurse practitioner named Ken. She noted how calm he always was to the patients he served. “He had a peaceful appearance I just could not understand.” She eventually left that job, but she remembered Ken.
After listening more to that “crazy preacher” on the radio, Maria learned his name was Doug Batchelor and that he was the president of a Christian ministry called Amazing Facts. She ordered the Amazing Facts Bible Study Guides, which came with a book about prophecies.
Although its bleak cover freaked her out, Maria read the book and found it very interesting. On the radio, Maria learned about an upcoming prophecy seminar relating to the book she had just read, so she and her mother decided to attend at least a few meetings.
When Maria arrived at the seminar, she was surprised to run into Ken. She had not seen him since she left her job a few months before. She introduced him to her mother, wondering, Is he crazy too?
When the seminar was over, Maria called Ken to ask where she could continue Bible studies. He directed her to a local church, where she began attending a Bible class with the pastor and his wife. During that time, Maria heard about Doug Batchelor’s book, The Richest Caveman. Curious, she grabbed the book and wondered if Pastor Doug had been so strange even before he became a minister. Maria also shared the book with her older brother.
A Well-Watered Seed
Not long after, Maria learned that Pastor Doug would be in her town speaking on a Friday night. She Googled the address to the church and brought a friend to the meeting. Pastor Doug was also speaking the following day at another venue, but Maria was unable to attend. But her brother had enjoyed The Richest Caveman so much, he went without her.
At that point in time, Maria’s husband had tolerated her new spiritual “hobby.” She explains, “He said I could go to church and the Bible studies, but I couldn’t bring anyone home or talk about it at home.” But when her Bible study group was cancelled, Maria was very upset. Despite her husband’s pronouncement, she shared her frustration with him. “Where am I supposed to meet them now?” she cried.
“Well, invite them to our house,” her husband suggested. Maria was thrilled at his sudden change of heart! The pastor, his wife, and other members began coming to Maria’s house to study on Fridays. After that, God continued to bring people into her life to keep her spiritually fed. As a result, her interests in life have changed dramatically. She no longer eats unclean foods, nor does she watch worldly television anymore.
Through her study, Maria learned about the blessings of the seventh-day Sabbath and has committed to keeping it holy. Despite her initial reaction to Pastor Doug’s proclamation about death on the radio, Maria now accepts what the Bible says about the afterlife and the second coming. Maria has also accepted many other Bible-based beliefs, thanks to the messages of Pastor Doug and Amazing Facts ... and your loving support.
She has since joined the Sabbathkeeping church by a profession of faith. “It is my desire to follow Jesus wherever He leads,” she says, her heart full of joy, peace, and contentment.
You really are making a difference! Thank you for your willingness to make Bible Answers Live available around the world, feeding people solid spiritual food and planting seeds for growth in the everlasting gospel.