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Miracle
Testimony
by:
Mabel
Swanson THE
CABIN WAS ILLUMINATED WITH
BRIGHT LIGHT AND
I SAW JESUS
My
mother Mabel Swanson was born in a small English village near
London on the second of February in 1899. She was, as all of us
are, born a sinner and born into a sinful world. Her
circumstances were as follows:
Her
father was an alcoholic so she was raised by her grandparents.
When she was 9 years of age her grandmother died suddenly. This
was a great shock and grief to her young life. The next 7 years
she found herself moved over and over among various family
members homes.
MEN TOOK
ADVANTAGE OF THIS YOUNG HOMELESS GIRL
Among
them she fell prey to the lusts of evil men who took advantage
of this homeless girl. At the age of sixteen, she came in
contact with a charming young man. With hopes of a bright future
and wishing to leave the nightmare of the past behind, she
entered hastily into marriage. A short time after the wedding
her new husband vanished.
A
police officer came to see her and informed her that he was in
prison and had a long criminal record. As my mother had been
unaware of these things, she was told she could have the
marriage annulled.
My
mother decided to stay with the marriage and during the next 5
years a boy and girl were born. During this time mother worked
at a munitions factory in Wales and pawned many personal
possessions to survive, as her husband was an unstable man in
trouble with the law and a poor provider.
IN 1919
MY MOTHER & HER HUSBAND MOVED TO VEGREVILLE, ALBERTA
In
1919 they decided to begin a new phase of life away from the old
influences. Mother found herself in the area east of Vegreville,
Alberta with 2 small children in a strong new land.
Two
weeks later her husband left and deserted her and the children.
Mother survived by working for the families of homesteaders in
the area. One of these families was my father/s family. They had
immigrated from Sweden in 1907.
As
mothers first husband was killed in an accident mother married
my father Carl Swanson in 1924. They moved to the Wildwood area
west of Edmonton and here her life changed for time and
eternity.
In
February of 1927, my parents were living on a homestead farm a
few miles from Wildwood, Alberta. A church of God minister had
come to town to hold gospel services. His name was Leonard
Millenciepher. (I am not sure of the spelling) He walked many
miles visiting the homes and leaving gospel literature. One
publication was a magazine titled "The Gospel
Trumpet".
My
father hurried home from cutting logs one day and found mother
sick in bed. "I promised that preacher I would come to
their service tonight, but I can't leave you here alone
sick", he said.
Mother
said for some reason that she cannot explain she told him,
"You go to that meeting, I know I'm going to be well."
MY MOTHER
FELT A STRONG CONVICTION THAT SHE WAS A SINNER
At
about 9:00 p.m. on a winter night my father said a small group
of Christians were on their knees in earnest prayer. At this
same hour in the little house a mile away from the nearest
neighbor, mother began to feel such a strong conviction that she
was a sinner and must call upon God for mercy and forgiveness.
Mother
had for several days been reading the gospel literature which
pointed to Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God who died for our sins
and opened the way for us to God and to heaven.
MOTHER
CRIED "GOD BE MERCIFUL TO ME A SINNER"
Mother
said she could not bear the burden of sin any longer but
struggled out of bed and fell on her knees beside the bed. She
cried out to God the same simple prayer the publication prayed
in Luke 18, "God be merciful to me a sinner."
IN THE
CABIN IN DAZZLING LIGHT STOOD JESUS
There
were no vehicles on any road nearby and nights are long in
February. Mother said the cabin was illuminated by a glorious
light. In this light appeared steps of pearl that shone like a
rainbow. At the top were two posts of pearl that shone with the
same dazzling glory light. Between these posts of pearl stood
Jesus.
My
mother was called home in God’s presence in 1989, two days
after her 90th birthday. Her mind failed in her last years but I
have heard her tell again and again this story.
The
last time, about 60 years after the event she said "it is
as real now as if it had happened two weeks ago." The one
thing she could never forget was the love and mercy in the eyes
of Jesus. "I can never forget His eyes" she said. They
were forever printed in her soul by the vision of that night in
1927.
The
experiences of mother's childhood and early years must have
created a deep sense of rejection. Her betrayal by those she
trusted must have made it difficult to trust anyone. She carried
terrible guilt even about events where she had been a victim.
God knew she needed a special glimpse of the face of the living,
loving Saviour who is indeed "full of grace and
truth."
When
my father came home later that night he found mother totally
healed in body. Her face reflected such joy and peace.
"Whatever
has happened to you?" he asked. "Something wonderful
has happened to me, I met Jesus", mother replied.
The
faith that was born in mother's heart never wavered. Her humble
testimony and constant prayers influenced many lives including a
large number of her own descendants who now number over 100 in
four generations beside those married to her descendants. Among
these are many strong ministries and workers in the kingdom of
God.
Since
February 4th, 1989, mother has been seeing Him "face to
face."
She
is now in the presence of Jesus whom she has trusted and loved
since she caught a glimpse of His face and His heart of mercy in
1927.
Written
by her son, Carl Swanson, 1999
WOULD
YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST INTO YOUR HEART TODAY !!
PRAY
THIS PRAYER NOW TO RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST IN YOUR HEART
"Dear
Heavenly Father,
I
ask for Thy great mercy and grace. I acknowledge my
sinfulness and confess that I cannot save myself. I
believe the GOOD NEWS that Jesus paid the penalty for m sins,
through His vicarious death on the cross."
"I
believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead according to the
Scriptures and He has the power and authority to forgive my sins
and save my soul. I repent of my sins and am willing to
forsake them with the help of the Holy Spirit."
"I
now renounce the devil and all his works and all his ways and I
now receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, my Master and my
God. Come into my heart and save me now, for Christs'
sake. Thank you Lord, for saving my soul. In Jesus
precious' name, I pray." Amen.
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