In Memory of our son Jim (1976 -- 2004)

THIS IS MY TESTIMONY -- My name is Jim Cannaday. I’m from Roseburg, Oregon. I’m a welder by trade. I‘m here to tell people about the peace and the love that I have in my life and how they can have that also.

Before I was a follower of Jesus I had no hope for my life. Day by day for 13 years all I thought about was ways that I could kill myself, and that I had no purpose or meaning in my life. Sometimes those thoughts would go away during the day when I was distracted by other things, but every night when I was in bed they came back. Depression was aching pain, never ceasing unless I was sleeping or under the influence of something, and that only postponed it for a short while. Then came the end of the day when all was quiet and the thoughts would return.

My life, now that I have Jesus in it, is completely different. The hope, peace, forgiveness, and love that I have for people and life now is so abundant that my depression no longer has any ground to stand on. New meaning has been given to my life. I have a purpose and discipline, where before I had hopelessness and guilt. I have the knowledge of what is going to happen to me when I die and I’m not afraid any more. I know that I’m going to Heaven and I feel that I have to tell everyone how he or she can know this for themselves.

My parents became Christens about three and a half years before I did. I was always watching what they did and how they acted differently and how they talked. There were obvious signs of change. After Sept. 11th, I started thinking about my life and how none of those people knew that they were going to die that day. I was afraid of going to hell if I died.

One day in a restaurant, I was having lunch with my dad, and we were talking about being a Christian and what that meant. What I heard was that I didn’t have to be perfect and that I could be a Christian if I wanted to. He then asked me if I wanted to ask Jesus into my life and I said YES.

I didn’t stop doing the things that I did right away. Slowly I started feeling guilt about cursing and other things. I noticed that I was asking God to forgive me for things that normally I wouldn’t think twice about. Then one night I was on my way somewhere with a friend and I was telling him how great it felt being a Christian. He told me that he was sick of hearing about it because I was doing the same stuff that I was doing before, getting drunk and high.

The next night, Jan.21st 2002, I got on the Internet and was looking for the sermon that Billy Graham gave to the world after Sept.11th. I didn’t find it, but what I found was his web sight and a section called “My answer”. I started reading and it was like I asked the questions myself. The answers were there and all I had to do was listen. That was the first night of the rest of my Christian life.

All it takes for anyone to become a Christian, and know beyond any doubt that you’ll go to Heaven when you die, is to confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that he died on the cross for your sins and that He was buried and that God raised Him from the dead on the third day. If you pray that, and mean it, and ask Jesus to forgive you, a sinner, for your sins and to come into your life, you will be saved FOREVER!!!

I thank you for listening and allowing me to share my testimony with you. I pray that if you don’t have Jesus in your life, that you will ask Him to come in and take over your heart and life. Thank you.