A Testimony

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#000066" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="1b9005a3.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC00" FACE="Arial" >Living Hope Christian Fellowship</FONT>     |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Living Hope Christian Fellowship"><B>Home</B></A></div> <div> Back to  <A HREF="prison_ministry.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Prison Ministry"><B>Prison Ministry</B></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=160 BGCOLOR="#000066" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="32ac8043.jpg"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="135" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#000066" BORDERCOLORDARK="#FFCC00" FRAME="ABOVE" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#FFFFFF > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC00 HEIGHT= 33 WIDTH="131"><div> <B>Writings from Prison:</B></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <A HREF="peacemaking.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Peacemaking Bible Studies">Peacemaking</A></div> <div> <A HREF="my_plea_to_you.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="My Plea to You">My Plea to You</A></div> <div> <A HREF="my_jesus.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="My Jesus">My Jesus</A></div> <div> <A HREF="the_redeemer.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Redeemer">The Redeemer</A></div> <div> <A HREF="the_sacrifice.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Sacrifice">The Sacrifice</A></div> <div> <A HREF="easter_morning.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Easter Morning">Easter Morning</A></div> <div> <A HREF="our_risen_lord.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Our Risen Lord">Our Risen Lord</A></div> <div> <A HREF="the_dream.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Dream">The Dream</A></div> <div> <A HREF="the_abcs_of_god.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The ABCs of God">The ABCs of God</A></div> <div> <A HREF="pentecost.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Pentecost">Pentecost</A></div> <div> <A HREF="thanks.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Thanks">Thanks</A></div> <div> <B>A Testimony</B></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="32b00042egerdp.jpg"> <div> <I><B>A Testimony</B></I></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="1" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="598" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#000066" BORDERCOLORDARK="#FFFFFF" FRAME="BELOW" RULES="ROWS" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 616 WIDTH="598"><div> <IMG SRC="0abfa140.jpg" border=0 width="250" height="276" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">My name is <I>Thomas</I> [... last name omitted for privacy...], and I am writing this testimony to let you know how much the Holy Spirit has done in my life through Pastor Cozzi. I am currently serving a 12 year sentence at the Adult Correctional Institute. The Holy Spirit has used Pastor Cozzi to help me understand scriptures that I always had problems with, like Romans 1:18-32 and 6:15-23, and to help me sift through all the confusion I had in my life.</div> <bR> <div> Before meeting Pastor Cozzi, Romans 1 would come across to me in a negative light, as if it was filled with hatred. Now I am able to see that once we start walking away from God you begin a downward spiral towards oblivion. We forsake God, and enjoy doing so in our perverted ways. I have also learned, from Ephesians 4:23, to divert my thoughts from evil and lust to God-centered and clean thoughts, and to actually practice this in my life in a planned and coherent way.</div> <bR> <div> I had so much confusion in my heart, much of which came from secular, non-Christian approaches to my sin and problems. For so long it seemed as if I wasn't getting anywhere, or at most I seemed to take very little steps in my recovery process. For example, for two years I had tried to deal with issues related to the impact my father had in my life, but I could only find anger and bitterness in me toward him. Some even encouraged that anger in me. It was through my counseling with Pastor Cozzi that the Lord enabled me to cut through the confusion and deal with the issue at its core. Through the Lord's help, I came to forgive my father and move on with life. Pastor Cozzi showed me how I could express my feelings properly, without defaulting back to my anger. For the first time in my life, I have been able to complete a letter to my father which does just that: it expresses my true feelings toward him without anger and shares my faith with him. I am finally able to bring it all to the cross, and to place myself in the hands of God. </div> <bR> <div> Lately we have been working on a plan for me to face my upcoming release from prison. A plan that, God willing, will help me avoid many pitfalls and problems in life. I wish to thank the Lord and all of you for making this ministry possible. Through it, I have learned to sift through many issues, and apply the Word of God to my life, as well as see things more clearly. For this, I am truly thankful to the Lord.</div> <bR> <div> <I>- Thomas, ACI Cranston, RI</I></div> <bR> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> Copyright © 2003 Living Hope Christian Fellowship  -  All Rights Reserved</div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>