Testimony - Michelle Hofstetter

In November of 2006 I was sentenced to 38 days in the Allen County Jail. I felt so alone. Somehow I ended up going to church with some of the inmates, mostly just to be able to get out of my cell. When I got there I thought "oh, boy!" This young beautiful woman was there. All smiles and I'm thinking ok, she's never been in trouble a day in her life! When she gave her testimony I was kind of taken back alittle. She seemed so put together and so beautiful inside and out! Everything I wanted to be! When she was done speaking she played this song and my heart just broke. My heart opened and our Lord came flooding in! I was like a sponge just soaking it up! But I had no control to stop it, it was just happening and it was happening to me. The next song was also perfect. I don't remember much after that. I just remember being so full of the Lord I felt like I was beaming with light from my heart, my soul and my spirit - just beaming with light! This beautiful young woman was Tomi. None of this would have happened if I hadn't been touch by you Tomi and your testimony and your sharing with me. Just what I needed when I needed it. Thank you! I truly love you! God used you to bring me home again! God bless, Michelle

Somebody is always watching

Over the last few monthes I have noticed that I keep getting told the same or a similar version of same story. Sometimes by members of Summit sometimes by people that work at the Jail and sometimes by strangers. The story, in a nutshell, goes like this...people keep running into people that have either been in my classes at the jail or know someone who has been. And the overwhelming majority speak nothing but praises about the work that is being done there. I am often told of people that I didn't even actually spend any quality time with and probably couldn't pick out of a crowd sharing about the positive impact I had on their lives. They could tell you something very specific that I taught or a story that I told or even an outfit that I wore. The point is this...somebody is always watching! It may not be who we think it is but SOMEBODY is paying attention to what we say or how we act or the way we carry ourselves. People can tell a difference between a person who genuinely loves God and a phony. They can tell who really cares for them and who is faking. They know 'real' not church. I may not always hear from my ladies when they leave the jail but when someone I know crosses their path and somehow my name or Summit comes up they can't stop talking about it. When a person is touched by God through us they will never forget it and often times they can't stop themselves from talking about it given the opportunity. So this is an encouragment to all of us to never forget that...somebody is always watching!

They are starting to come back

I have been filled with tremendous joy lately due to the fact that a number of my ladies have reemerged into my life over the last month! I have had the privilege of bringing 2 of them to church with me. One has started attending my Winning Group. Another 3 I am in almost daily contact with over the phone. They are just coming from every direction and I couldn't be more pleased. Continue to lift all of them up in prayer in the Spirit because it is working. We are baring much fruit - and this fruit will last throughout eternity!!!!