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I was born in Mullingar and the eldest of four children. Our parents were good Catholics who believed in the power of prayer and gave us all a good upbringing.
By the time I received my First Holy Communion, I was serious about God. In fact I had a spiritual experience that day but there was nobody to explain it to me. Not too long afterwards I began to show symptoms of a sickness which stopped me walking and caused me great pain in various parts of my body.
Eventually, the doctors came to the conclusion that I had a Chronic Rheumatic heart and my life expectancy was reckoned at about ten or twelve years at most. Many times we prayed for healing but everything remained the same for about one year. On summer’s evening when all the other children were out playing and I was confined to bed, a miracle occurred. The feeling came over me that I was healed and I immediately left the bed and to this day I am completely healed. In fact I have led a very full and active life as well as passing numerous stringent medical examinations without ever being questioned about this former depilating condition.
Although I was expecting something wonderful to happen at my confirmation, I was disappointed when it passed off with incident. The passing years, mixing with lukewarm Christians and the ways of the world conspired to deplete my spiritual reserves. Many times I prayed and always received answers but there wasn’t the certainty I needed to be fully assured of the reality of God, Jesus and The Holy Spirit.
I was really blessed when I met and later married Muriel who was a very active woman of prayer. In 1979 she encouraged me to attend a Charismatic Renewal prayer meeting. That very first meeting I heard the voice of the Lord calling me clearly and I committed myself fully to Him. Almost immediately, good things began to happen to us. We completed The Life In the Spirit seminar, attended prayer meetings weekly and Renewal days as often as possible. A few years passed and my job as a press photographer became over stressful and my health was in danger of failing.
God is always faithful and showed us that it was time to change, not only my job but also move to another country. Within one year we were working and living in Toronto, Canada, where we stayed for four years. This was a wonderful experience in which we were able to join with other prayers groups and attend seminars. Several crises occurred during our stay, including the death of my father and my brother who died suddenly at 34 years of age. During these hard times we experiences the peace of the Lord, which is beyond all human understanding and we never felt abandoned.
When the appointed time for our return was decided, I got job offers from unexpected sources but returned to freelance press photography. Two years later, after again getting myself into a position of severe stress and overwork, I collapsed and was admitted to hospital where I remained in a critical condition for five weeks. Through the prayers of fellow Christians, I was delivered and am now fully restored.
For the past ten years, I am employed as an adult education teacher and have the opportunity to meet with prisoners in the local jail. Many of these men are interested in spiritual matters and there are ample opportunities for sharing the Word Of God with them. Some have received Jesus as their personal Saviour while others are currently reading their Bibles and will make a firm commitment in the near future. Muriel and myself currently lead a prayer and bible study group. In the Portlaoise Prison Officers Club each Wednesday Evening at 8,30pm.
I am an officer in the Full Gospel Busmen’s Fellowship International Fellowship and we organize a monthly meeting in the Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise on the third Monday of each Month. The Power to Change Programme is a great concept, which will allow the people of Ireland to awaken the reality of Jesus Christ and what He wants to do in their lives. I am looking forward to the challenge of presenting them with the information which will allow them to receive this vital transformation. My message it simple. Jesus Is Lord and what He has done for me He wants to do for you.
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