16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. (John 15:16 KJV).
When an individual has been called, chosen, and ordained by God, He expects that individual to live fully for Him. His will must be the primary focus of that person’s life. He or she is expected to bring forth fruit, so that the fruit may remain.
In today’s blog, I am featuring a young woman with a heart-rending and repentant testimony concerning her deliverance from a stroke that should have either taken her life or left her paralyzed…but God. The post is titled “Chosen by God” because when God places a call upon your life, you cannot escape Him. You may get away for a little while, but eventually you must yield. When you are chosen by God, the “Hound of Heaven” (poem written in 1890 by Francis Thompson that deals with man’s relationship with God and faith) will get its man or woman every time.
The young woman whose testimony is featured in this post is Sis. Holly Jones Richmond. I met Holly early in 2013 at a nail salon in Cedar Hill, Texas. I was not pleased with the work the salon had done on my nails and planned to just go home and remove it since I do not choose to wear nail enamel that sparkles. She encouraged me to return to the salon since they did not do what I asked. As a beautician, she worked in a shop next door to the salon and helped me get my nails redone. She became my friend and hairstylist, which gave me an opportunity to witness to her concerning her eternal soul. While having my hair styled, I invited her to my church, and she agreed without hesitation.
Holly came to church with a friend that night in 2013 and has been a consistent member since then. According to Holly, her great-grandmother and her grandmother were saved and filled with the Holy Ghost. She was taken to church as a child and remained “churchy” as an adult, though she did not fully submit to God’s will. I find it amazing that, although her grandmother and great-grandmother have gone to be with the Lord, God is still answering their prayers that their loved ones be saved.
From 2013 to 2025, Holly has been a member and attendee of my church, Full Gospel Holy Temple. Often bringing others to church, she has been very faithful. Over the years, the Lord spoke to her about the importance of being wholly committed to Him, but she still wanted to do things her way. She made a few baby steps towards commitment, but she was still not serving God with her whole heart. Then things began to change for her.
In 2025, she began having a recurring dream that repeated several times; then she experienced a series of automobile accidents, one after another. She knew God was speaking to her, but she could not understand what He was saying. And then, the situation presented in the video that follows completely altered her life, her walk with God, and her commitment to Him. Let’s listen to this powerful story of deliverance from a serious situation that could have taken her life or left her paralyzed…but God.
Following Holly’s soul-stirring experience with God, it is safe to say that she is now a committed and sold-out Saint of the Most High. God spoke to her after her stroke and told her that He made her a Teacher, a Minister of the Lord Jesus Christ. She accepted her assignment and has begun her work for Him. Her experience should encourage each of us to accept God’s choice for us with our whole hearts.
Dear hearts, perhaps after you’ve heard this powerful testimony, you also want to be saved. You may feel conviction for your life of sin and desire to be set free. Do you also want to live for God? The good news is, you can! God loves you so much that He sent his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for you so that your soul can be saved.
The method of salvation God put in place is very simple. You simply repent of your sins, invite Jesus to save you, and commit to living for Him. He is well able to save your soul and keep you if you want to be kept. Next, ask God for the power of the Holy Ghost, evidenced by speaking in tongues. You need this power to live the life that He requires.
Repeat the words I provide, or similar ones, and you are saved. Remember, I can provide the words, but you must give the sincerity. Say, “Father, forgive me of all my sins. Save my soul. If you save me, I will live for you forever.”
Once you have made your commitment to God and you mean it with all your heart, your soul will be immediately translated from the Kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of Light. Jesus will come into your heart and let you know that you are saved.
Next, ask God for the infilling of the Holy Ghost. The Bible says in Luke 11:13 that He will give the Holy Spirit to anyone who asks for it.
13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Ask for the infilling of the Holy Ghost in this way: “Father, fill me with the Holy Ghost.” You will know that you are filled with the Spirit because you will speak in new tongues. You will receive a prayer language that empowers your spirit to communicate with God and live a holy life.
Mark 16:17 says
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
Acts 1:8 also tells us that we will receive the power that we need to live the life that God requires when we receive the Holy Ghost.
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Persist in prayer until you receive the Holy Ghost, evidenced by speaking in tongues and the power to live holy.
Once you are saved, you are a new creature in Christ Jesus, and you need to become a part of a body of believers, a church, which will help you in your new walk with the Lord. Read from the Holy Bible every day and expect the Lord to speak to you from His Word. I invite you who are in the US to look for one of the 30+ Full Gospel Holy Temple Churches near you. They are listed on our website, https://www.FGHT.org.
I also invite you to join my church’s YouTube community. We livestream our services on Tuesdays, Saturdays, and Sunday mornings and evenings, and would love for you to join us. We love you and are praying that God will bless you abundantly. You may also contact me with questions, prayer requests, or simply to discuss the Lord in the comments section of any of the 240+ posts on my blog at www.strollingthrougharosegardencalledlife.blog. May God bless you all.
