A Testimony from Hebron Colony

Wow! Ten years, since I was a student at Hebron. My wife told me about Hebron shortly after I was given less than 90 days to live, by 3 different doctors. Drugs and alcohol were rapidly taking my life. I thought… go to North Carolina, rest up for a few weeks, I would be good as new. Little did I know, that God's word, his promise to me was about to restore, all things Satan had taken from me.

There is a special anointing, about Hebron Colony. On the 54th day at Hebron, on a Wednesday morning, I was delivered from all of my addictions. I challenged God that Tuesday night. I prayed out loud, “God if you think you are able to heal me, then here I am; give it your best shot!! Be careful what you challenge God to do. For you see, we need to seek the promise not the results; we need to seek the giver not the gift. I can do all things through Jesus, who strengthens me. I am strong in the lord and in His might, I can do all things. The staff at Hebron are very special people. I made friendships there that will last a lifetime.

When I first went Hebron, my wife and I were homeless, no love in our marriage or our family, no money, no future. The day I said yes to God, while at Hebron, was the beginning of the manifestation, of God's promise to me and all who believe, in Him. I am now a branch CEO of a successful industrial tool supply company, married for 40 years this June. The love of God will embrace everybody, if you just say yes to Him. When you pray heartfelt prayers, miracles do happen. I should know; I am one of them. Hebron Colony was and always will be the place, where I found God's healing and redemption power. If students pray and obey, God will do what he promised. He put His Son on a cross to prove it!!

With much love and admiration,
Michael McCorkle
Class of 1999

John 8:31-32

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A Testimony from Grace Home

When I went to Grace Home in April of 2005, fifty per cent of me wanted to die and the other fifty per cent felt already dead. I truly thought that I was destined to be an alcoholic and that I was being punished for turning away from God. I was saved the summer after I graduated from high school in 1978. I had started drinking and dabbling in drugs when I was 13 years old and by the time I was a senior in high school I had done a lot of things that made me feel extremely dirty. During the summer of 1978, I attended a camp sponsored by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. My soul was so stirred, and I accepted Christ that summer. My life drastically changed and I knew that I had found what I had always yearned for. However, when I went off to college a few months later, I felt so lost and alone. I stayed to myself and sought no fellowship with other believers. I really thought that I was the only Christian on campus. I became very depressed and was extremely critical of everything and everyone around me. After college, I joined the US Army and it wasn't long that I began to drink and use drugs again. It started off slowly, but by the end of my 3-year enlistment I was barely hanging on to life. I will not go into details about my life after the army because much of it is a blur and it is my past. Suffice it to say that in the years that followed, I suffered 2 miscarriages, married and divorced twice, lost my home and went through several residences, ruined a 13-year career, spent years involved with the legal system, and killed a friend in a drinking and driving accident. I wasted many years and caused so much heartache because of my drinking and drug use. My two sons must have wondered if I loved them at all. My family was sickened by my behavior and lack of respect for life. No one, however, could have had worse feelings about me than I had for myself. I hated myself. I knew that I had turned from God to life in the pit. I had been unsuccessful at my many attempts to quit drinking. It was then that I decided God had assigned me to be an alcoholic because I had left Him so many years before. I had taken a life and so I felt my life should be taken.

Then came the divine intervention masquerading as legal intervention by the courts which led me to Grace Home. I was devastated as I traveled the long path to Grace Home. I cursed myself for having messed up my life so badly that I had to be subjected to rehab…but, little did I know. Words cannot express what my 10 weeks at Grace Home did for me. My life was completely transformed as I came to realize that God deeply loved me and desired to have a personal relationship with me. I learned that He specializes in healing the broken-hearted and restoring life to the lost. God also revealed to me that even though I had to face the consequences of my sin, He still had an abundant life waiting for me. All I had to do was turn away from myself and turn to Him. I knew that what Jesus told the disciples about the Holy Spirit coming to abide with them was also true for me. For me to say, “I cannot do this anymore; Please help me” was an invitation for the Holy Spirit to do a work in me. I stand amazed at all that God has done for me. I did drink again some months after I returned from Grace Home but the Lord deeply convicted me to get back up and do what He required of me. I had to leave an old job and give up some long-time acquaintances in order to make room for what God had in store for me. I had to replace my former familiarities with new found trust in God. Today, my family is serving the Lord and we give thanks to God for having taken a shattered life and replacing it with joy that is complete and eternal. I could list all the wonderful things that are taking place in my life, but even if those things were not present, knowing that God seeks to walk and talk with me every day gives me peace that the world cannot give. It is my desire to spread the good news that Christ is all and all. May God richly bless Grace Home's ministry of healing and restoration for those who find themselves in bondage to alcohol and drugs.

Much love in Christ,

Diane Thurmon, Grace Home Graduate, June 2005

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