Jesus Saves!  I Praise the Lord! Testimony of Joe Brower Sr.

Have you ever wondered what life is all about? I used to. I had a rough childhood. My father left when I was five, and I never saw him again. My mother was on welfare and struggled with life, sickness and so forth. She died at the age of 49. When I finally reached manhood, I was a mess for a while. After two tours in the Vietnam War 1968 & 1969, I was haunted by the things I went through and saw. I was diagnosed with post trauma stress disorder from being in combat. After Vietnam I got married to my high school sweetheart. Shortly after that we had two children.  Then I lost my two and a half year old daughter Kerri on a swing set I put up. I was with her at the time and left her for a few minutes to go to the bathroom. When I returned she had gone on the slide and fell hanging by the neck.  It devastated me. I left my wife Carol a short time later; I could not handle our loss. So I self-destructed. I left my 7-year-old son Joey and my new little baby girl Traci behind, too. My wife and children at the time suffered many years because I was too busy with self pity, rage and selfishness. I was only thinking of my own hurt. Their hurt was not even on my mind. I had not realized they were hurting also; I was blind to it. What kind of father and husband does such a thing? The stress of my hurt almost paralyzed me. I did love my family, but I could not bear with myself. I blamed myself for what happened to my beautiful little girl. I became homeless for a while and almost froze to death, sleeping. If it were not for my dog licking me, I would have died that day. I tried to commit suicide with a double barrel shot-gun; I could not do it, and there is much more. Life was not good for me; it was hopeless. I just gave up on my life & my family. I was really hurting badly and was very angry with myself. I lived in a world without knowing God. Then years later at a point I got myself together. I thought I had it made. I did okay for myself; I had a new car, money, an apartment I owned with a private beach, and many girlfriends. I thought I had it all. I was living in the world and in the flesh (sin). There used to be a woman I knew who used to say to me, "Hey, Joe, what does it all mean?"  I knew she was talking about life. I believe she was a lost soul, too. It was a time I felt I was in limbo, missing something. I had no idea what it could be. I found out years later at about the age of 46. That missing link in my life was God. My life has changed and is better than ever now. God is so good. Read about what my Jesus did for me on the about me page. It is Amazing!!!