On February 5, 1994, I was rushed to the hospital after my right lung had slowly collapsed during the night. I was told that had it been 30 minutes longer, I would not have lived. I remained on life support for five days, and then stayed an additional two weeks in the hospital. I know it was Jesus who brought me through that situation. 

Two years later, I was given the wrong medication, and I was pronounced clinically  dead. I felt myself dying and could do nothing about it.  Once again, my God was there every step of the way. 

In May 2002, my car was struck by a hit-and-run driver after leaving church.  The majority of my face was fractured. I lost my right eye, and my left eye is now considered legally blind. My left ribs were broken, my left lung and spleen were bruised, both knees were bruised, and my right foot was broken. Through six surgeries and constant rehabilitation, God has brought me through and is still continuing to bring me through.  

Every day has not been easy, but it is good to be alive and secure in my Father’s hands.  I still know I have work to do, and I have some things to get right. God is still working on me, and I thank Him for that. I may not have all my strength and health, but I am still blessed. I am abundantly blessed, praise the Lord! 

 After enduring three back surgeries, the stimulator began to press against my spine in my lower back. The pain was so severe that it began to affect my back and legs. I was already experiencing other pain. My doctor tried everything he could think of to prevent removing the stimulator implant. I was taking several pain medications to prevent the doctor from removing the stimulator, but the pain medication did not seem to help. My walking became so difficult that I had to use a walking cane to get around. When I would go out to the store, I had to use a motor roller to move around the store.  

However, going through all of this, I still believed that one day God would pick me up and make me whole again. My pastor, Elder Theodore Jenkins, prayed many prayers with me and many of the saints throughout the Progressive Churches lifted me up in constant prayer. I finally talked with my doctor and told him that the stimulator implant needed to be removed. And though I thought about the severe pains I had endured as a result of previous back surgeries, I said to myself that one more surgery wasn’t going to hurt. I went through my last surgery. and saints, nobody knows the pains I had to endure. Only God knew the pain I suffered, and only He could touch me in a way no doctor could. I put all my trust in the almighty God, and may I remind you that this was my fourth back surgery within a period of one year.  

The last surgery was performed in December 2003. During my recovery period after the surgery, I constantly looked up to heaven and told God, “By your stripes I am healed.” During that same month, Elder Jimmie Deas and the saints of the Progressive Church in Florence, SC were having a three day revival. I was only able to make it out to one night of the services. I went believing that the Lord was going to give me healing that night. Elder Robert Mingo of Jacksonville, FL was the guest speaker for the revival services. At the end of his message that night, he called for those needing prayer to come down to the altar. He laid hands on me and prayed for me saying, “Go and wait for His deliverance.” At that point, I knew God had touched me.  

The next day, I was able to pass my walking cane on. Since then, I’ve been walking on my own with the help of the Lord and I’m doing great! To God be all the glory!  I especially thank my mother, Sister Janie Bell Muldrow, of the church in Florence, SC for being there for my family  and me through all my surgeries. She did not leave my side one time until I was able to get back onto my feet, and I praise God for that. Please continue to pray with me that God will keep on doing great things for me. After all the things I’ve been through, I still have joy.  

As a result, they performed a biopsy. When I went to meet with the doctor about the results of the biopsy, he told me that it was malignant. I felt like a load was lifted off my shoulders. I underwent surgery on May 1, 2001 and also underwent chemotherapy and radiation. One of the worst parts about that experience was when all of my hair fell out, and I had to wear a wig. However, prayer and faith took me through that trying experience.   

In February 2003, I was admitted into the hospital again because I was having difficulty breathing. When I walked any distance, fluid would begin to build up in my lungs. The doctors drew fluid off my lungs, and in the fluid, they found cancer cells. Additional tests also found a cancer spot on my liver. I stayed in the hospital for approximately 15 days. When I left to go home, I was walking with a walker and on constant oxygen — 24 hours a day for several months.

In spite of it all, the Lord continued to bless me. When school began in August 2003, I was able to go back to work. I strongly believe that you should not let your sickness get you down in spirit.  You cannot sit or lay there and worry about it. You have to ask the Lord for strength, believing everything will be alright. You have to think about happy things and most importantly, think about the goodness of the Lord. I thought about the places I wanted to go, people I wanted to see, and I did my best to smile many times, even though I was hurting.  

When I came home from the hospital, I had to sit down and rest before I could make it to the bedroom. My husband and children were standing around looking at me. Since that time,  the Lord has continued to strengthen my body. I have learned that it is important to thank God for each day, hour, and minute.   

This has not been an easy journey and it is not over yet. Some days I have a lot of strength and some days I do not. I am still on medication. I thank God for my family. It would have been hard to endure this without their love, prayer, and support.  I also thank the Lord for my pastor, Elder Theodore Jenkins, and my church family whom I love very much. Through all of this, I have learned to trust in Jesus more and more. I truly believe that with prayer and faith, I can make it. Please continue to pray for me that the Lord’s will be done in my life.  

Respectfully submitted by:
Sister Nancy Dolo
Progressive Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Lugoff, South Carolina

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My name is Sister Paula Glenn, and I currently attend church at the Progressive Church in Atlanta, GA. I am the sixth child of 13 children, born to Deacon Arthur Landy and Sister Mabel Landy. My parents have been married for 46 years and have been faithful members of the Progressive Church in Killian, SC for about 22 years. I was saved at the Progressive Church in Killian, SC and attended church there since the age of 11.  Through many years of being saved, I have heard about and seen the Lord perform many miracles. Never did I think that I would experience a miracle of the magnitude that I am about to share with you.

My father, Deacon Landy, was diagnosed with diabetes many years ago. Because of this disease, he was placed on dialysis for over nine years.  The doctors told my dad that he was at the point where it was most necessary for him to undergo a kidney transplant.  After our family received the news, we were willing to do whatever we could to prolong our father’s life.  We are a close knit and loving family.

The doctors told my Dad that he would have to lose a significant amount of weight before they would even consider him for a transplant.  My father got busy and lost the weight that was necessary to be considered for a transplant.  The next step was to determine who would be the kidney donor for my father.  Although all of us were willing, only three of the girls were determined to be the best choices for this procedure.  After further tests, it was determined that I was the best match.

At this point I shared what I was about to go through with my pastor, Elder Earnest Deas  He wholeheartedly encouraged me and let me know that his prayers were with us. So with his blessing and the support of my husband and other family members, I proceeded to go forward with further testing. All of the pre-testing process took about two months to complete, with the first tests being done in Atlanta.  The final tests involved me traveling back and forth to Augusta, GA to the Medical College of Georgia.

On the day before the surgery, March 18, 2004, my blood was re-tested to be sure everything was fine. Everything matched and, hallelujah, on March 19, 2004 at 6:00 a.m. my father and I lay side-by-side in the operating room.  My portion of the surgery took about 3 hours to complete, and his timeframe was very similar.  After the surgery, and time in the recovery room, we were told that the kidney match was perfect, with absolutely no signs of REJECTION!!  TRULY GOD IS A GOOD GOD!!  I was told that along with my family and Elder and Sister J. D. Williams, there was a celebration going on in my Dad’s room!  I called my pastor to share the GOOD news with him and Sister Deas.

When you hear so many stories about patients’ bodies rejecting the kidneys donated to them, I cannot help but feel especially grateful for God’s mercy and goodness to my family. Since my father’s transplant over a month ago, he says that “he is just rejoicing and praising God.”  He also states that he is maintaining his diet and walks 30 minutes each day.

Sunday, May 23, 2004, was my father’s first time back in service at the church in Killian, SC. My entire family is grateful to our parents for how they reared us, and especially to our Dad for being the head of his household. We are so thankful that God has spared his life, and know without any shadow of a doubt, that he is still a God of miracles!  My thanks also to my husband Bernard, and my little son, Titus, who is three years old for their support and prayers.

Respectfully submitted by:
Sister Paula Glenn
Progressive Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Atlanta, Georgia

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He began to explain to my family about all of the things he had learned. I was standing over in the corner, and back in those days, the children did not get in “grown folk business.” But I stood in the corner and listened to what he was saying and I said, “Lord, one day I am going to have that.”  I praise and thank God because He did give me that.  

I praise God because I have never had the desire to go back into the world. I have always been happy with Jesus.  I have many testimonies, and many of you know me and my testimonies.  In 2002, I praise and thank the Lord because He allowed me to go through many things. I lost a toe to diabetes. I cannot go into all the details, but the Lord delivered me out of that, and the Lord blessed me. That is why you see me hopping sometimes. I have one less toe, and it causes an imbalance in my walk. But I praise God that I have a foot that I can walk on.   

I praise and thank the Lord for really manifesting Himself in my life. Because I am a diabetic, I have  poor circulation in my feet. Poor circulation can cause numbness in your feet. As a result, I put my feet in water that was too hot and I burned the bottom of both of my feet. Through that happening, gangrene began to develop in one of my feet, resulting in the loss of my toe. I did not even realize that my foot was gangrene. But the Lord knew it, and He blessed me to go to the doctor right on time. I praise God that He has placed doctors here to help us.  I went into the doctor’s office on March 25th, and my toe was amputated on March 26th. That is just how serious the doctor realized my situation was.  I praise and thank the Lord for how He took me through that. Not only that, He blessed me to be able to bear the financial burden of that procedure because of people who were there.   

Many of you know that I cannot see very well. I lost my right eye to diabetes a few years back.  A lot of you do not know this, but I have a prosthetic eye. Some people think that it is my real eye, but that is how good God is. I also had to undergo surgery for a cataract in my left eye and almost lost sight in that eye as well. Yet, I praise God for making a way for me to keep my sight.   

I did not have the cataract surgery for two years because I was not financially able to pay for the procedure. I had no insurance, Medicaid,   Medicare, or social security. Because of my illnesses, no insurance company will give me health insurance. But I thank the Lord that I serve a God who has everything. The Lord is real in my life, and this will tell you how good God is.  When I went into the doctor’s office and told him about the problem with my eye, he told me I needed to have the cataract removed immediately. He said that my eye was ripe and ready, and that I had to have it removed.  I told the doctor that I had no means of paying for the procedure. The doctor told me that he would make a phone call to one of his friends. To make a long story short,  the same afternoon my surgery was scheduled.  He had gotten a friend to agree to do the surgery free

of charge. He also talked to another friend of his who happened to be an anesthesiologist. The anesthesiologist also agreed to provide his services free of charge. The doctor’s bill and the hospital bill were all taken care of for me! The doctor told me that if I got a bill in the mail that I should bring it to him and he would take care of it.  I praise the Lord for that! People do not know the many things I have been through, but God has delivered me out of all of my afflictions.  I am here today, whole, because of Jesus Christ. God is going to give me another chance.   

On last year, I received some bad news.  As some of you know when I came to the convocation in 2002, I was swollen quite large. I looked as though I was eight or nine months pregnant. That happened because fluid had begun to accumulate all around my abdomen and my intestines.  I did not know what was happening, and I was referred to a gastroenterologist doctor.  After I went to see the doctor, several medical tests were done. The doctor drew out three liters of fluid from my stomach.  I praise God for that, because I could barely walk due to the weight on my legs and on my body.  Through the medical tests done by this doctor, it was discovered that I had Hepatitis C. This is a very dangerous disease, and the doctors told me that I apparently had the disease for a number of years.  I praise God for blessing me even though I had carried the disease for over 20 years without knowing it. I have been walking in divine health over 20 years with that disease.  He has also kept me for over 30 years carrying diabetes in my body.  I praise and thank the Lord for how He has really kept me.   

After this diagnosis, that was not the end. After running more tests, the doctor discovered that I also had cirrhosis of the liver.  He told me that my liver was over two-thirds gone.  I asked the doctor what could be done about this, and he said that the only thing I could do now is to have a liver transplant.  I told him that I could not afford to have a liver transplant. The doctor decided to run more medical tests to determine if anything could be done.   

After running the additional tests, the doctor called me and asked me to come to his office along with my husband. When we arrived, he told us to sit down, and he began to explain to me what he felt was going to happen.  The doctor told me that the condition of my liver was past the state he would recommend for a patient to have a liver transplant. He explained that the other diseases in my body would make me a bad risk for a transplant. The doctor also told me that I could not have a liver transplant without a doctor’s recommendation.  

After that discussion, I found out that the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC was the only place I could go to in the state for a transplant. I called the university to inquire of them about my medical options. They immediately told me that I would need a doctor to recommend me for a transplant before consideration from them.  With my doctor having stated that he would not recommend me because of my overall health condition, I was left in a dilemma.  I went to the Lord in prayer and asked , “Lord, what will I do?” I asked the Lord to direct me.   

After that, I called the doctors back and they told me that it would cost $600 just for them to give me a consultation.  I thought to myself, “Lord, I do not have $600.”  The doctor also said that if he were to do the consultation, there would be additional medical tests to be run before any transplant could be done. He told me the tests would cost $10,000, and that the total $10,600 would not be refunded if they determined that I was unable to undergo a transplant. They also told me that I must have a perfect match in order to have a liver transplant.  The doctor reminded me, as had the previous doctor, that because of diabetes, heart problems, and anemia, I probably would not be a good candidate for a transplant.  

So there I was, seemingly with all the doors closed in my face.  There was no money.  There were no doctors that would take me.  My doctor even told me that he would not put me on medical therapy because it would make me sicker than I already was. I felt like I did not need to be any sicker than I already was. Therefore I have not taken any medication for my liver.   

After all of this happened, I went back to the doctor’s office, and I sat down and talked with him.  I told him to “lay it on the table and lay it on there straight.” I told him that I wanted to know what I could do.  I asked him, “What am I to do now that all the doors have been closed in my face with this?”  The doctor told me, “I am going to lay it on the table—you have 3-5 years to live if you take good care of yourself.” After he told me this,  I said, “Lord I’m in your hands now.”  You will come to a place in life where there is no other recourse but to put yourself in God’s hands. I have put myself in God’s hands, and this has been over a year ago.  I have continued to get better and better because I put my hand in God’s hand.  I praise God for His goodness and for His mercy.  I just want to say this was the title for me “yet will I trust Him.”  When the doctors close the doors, when the financial places close the doors, when there is no medicine, when there is no money, when there is no doctor, yet will I trust Him.  I am walking in His Word.  I desire you all to pray for me in Jesus’ name.  In the words of the song I love to sing, “I will trust in the Lord until I die.” 

There was a co-worker at my job who was Apostolic and who noticed the changes in me and asked what was wrong. I told her the whole story and mentioned that I was going to join a Baptist Church I had been attending and commit my life to God. This person began to explain to me about the Apostolic Faith and said all religions are not the truth. 

One Sunday morning in August 1989, I was preparing to go to this Baptist Church and had decided to become a member, when the phone rang. My Apostolic co-worker was on the other end and invited me to go to church with her at the Progressive Church in Hopkins, SC. I immediately said “yes,” and followed her to the church.  I had never been to Hopkins, and I didn’t know anybody from Hopkins. As a matter of fact, I hardly knew my co-worker. At the service that Sunday morning, the minister preached a sermon that hit every aspect of my life—from my wife leaving me, to searching for the truth.  He said, I didn’t come there by happenstance, but God had sent me there to the Progressive Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ in Hopkins. 

I did not hesitate after the message, and got up. I walked to the altar, repented and was baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and later received the Holy Ghost. I have been saved ever since that time. I was committed to the Apostolic way, even though the doctrine was pressing in my situation, I realized I could not have another wife or any other female companion in my life, except my wife was to return to me.  My wife was determined the marriage was over, even though I witnessed to her several times.  After about three years, I came to the conclusion that I needed to commit myself to doing God’s work and let God deal with my wife.  I had gotten to the point that I was not even praying for her anymore, but was continuing to pray for my children.  Eight or nine years later, I was discussing my life and marriage with an Elder. He said, ”Brother Albergottie, you know you are the only one that can save your wife.”  After considering what the Elder said, I began to pray for my wife often.  After a total of twelve years, God returned my wife and children. My family is now saved and reunited.

Sister Sheila Albergottie:

It all started February 20, 1989. Enough was enough.  This marriage was not working and I decided that I was out of there. I left my husband and took our two children to pursue the life of a single parent.  Besides, I felt I could make it on my own. I had my degrees and a career and we would be fine.

After leaving, I realized that it was a big adjustment financially and emotionally, but I became more and more involved with work. I was working and working, and was progressing in my career. I also became involved with a church. In fact, my regular work allowed me to work at the church and be involved with various church and community projects. Well, to my surprise a grant I wrote for the church was funded and the pastor asked me to direct the program.  At the time, I refused because the salary was so much lower than what I was making and decided to serve as their consultant, keeping my regular job. I later decided to step out on faith and work at the church. I left my job after 19 years of working for state government.

Before leaving my state job, I tried to get another car because my old car was giving me problems. Unfortunately, I was unable to get one. I didn’t realize how much $13,000 less in my salary would affect my lifestyle and my family. One day, I took a friend to a car dealership to get a car and was approached by a salesperson who convinced me to fill out papers to purchase a car. I just filled the papers out because the salesperson was persistent. But I knew it was impossible for me to get a car because I had been denied just three months ago and now my salary was less and I had more debt. Well, the Lord gave me that new car.

As I continued to spiral downward into financial peril, I sought God more and more.  I was praying and reading my Bible. I was trying to see what God wanted me to do.  I couldn’t pay my bills.  But somehow, someone would come along and pay a bill here and there and I was able to make it.   I knew God was providing for me. Friends wondered why I left my job and thought I was crazy, but somehow I had peace.  I found myself waking up in the middle of the night wanting to read the Bible or some book about the Lord—I thirsted for the Word.  It was amazing. I felt I was getting closer to God.  Friends became fewer, and God drew nearer. 

Well, my next step of faith came at the new church job.  Things there were not holy and my spirit grieved.  I did not know what to do or who to go to for guidance. No one understood why I was seeking the Lord. I did not really know why either. So, I asked the Lord to show me what to do.  I prayed, “Lord, please make it plain so I will know it’s you.”  That Friday night, I awoke from a dream I had about working at the church.  Everybody was there, EXCEPT ME.  I cried because it was so plain. God had answered me, but I really didn’t want to be without a job.  I spoke to the pastor of the church about my dream and he told me it was my decision to do whatever I thought God was showing me.  The next day, I turned in my resignation. Everyone was asking me, “what will you do?”  I told them that I did not know, but God would show me. I thought in my mind, “maybe I’ll start my own business.”  

By the end of that same week, I called the local colleges, where I had previously taught. The next week Allen University offered me a teaching position. God was increasing my faith in Him even more now.  I knew I could trust Him and He would deliver. After leaving the church as a workplace, I was uncomfortable worshiping there and began to visit other churches.  I still woke up early reading everything I could to understand God’s Will.  

In my search for God’s will, I talked to another pastor and I wrote a research paper on “God’s Will.” A friend recommended that I read the small book titled, Jabez Prayer, by Bruce Wilkerson. I did and I became determined to get His Will in my spirit.  In the mean time, at Allen University, my salary took another plunge and by then I was on the verge of losing my home. I was truly crying out to the Lord to show me His Will for my life. I finally resigned the fact that I was going to lose everything and said in my spirit, “Lord, you give and you take away. It’s all yours anyway.” 

Throughout these 12 years, my ex-husband, Brother Ernest Albergottie, would call me every few months and say, “the Lord put in my spirit to call you.”  My usual comment over the years was “there is nothing in my spirit, so, we really do not need to talk.” But this time, when he called I said, “Ok—let’s talk.”  By now I realized God had been speaking to my spirit in so many ways—with my job situation and other things.  We talked and talked about the Lord. This was amazing! We talked again. Over the years, Brother Albergottie would say, “what God has put together—let no

man put asunder.” He always said, “You’re still my wife.” By then I realized something had happened. God was in the midst of this. I resisted this reality because I left the marriage and never thought we could work things out, but God reminded me of my quest for His Will for my life. Finally, I surrendered the struggle and said to the Lord, “If this is Your will, Lord, I’ll do it” and consented to remarry.  

That next week, I visited Bible Study at the Progressive Church in Hopkins, SC There, I spoke with Pastor David Solomon Johnson and repented. I tarried for about four days and on August 1, 2001, I received the Holy Ghost. I had already been baptized in Jesus name in 1990 at another church. The Lord blessed Brother Albergottie and I to reaffirm our marriage vows and put us back together again. 

Respectfully submitted by:
Brother Ernest and Sister Sheila Albergottie
Progressive Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Hopkins, South Carolina 

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