Steve,
I just wanted to let you know that the last few months God has really spoken to me through your sermons. I never worked up the courage to publicize my faith or participate in church or let you know that your words had helped me in my relationship with God, but tonight I really felt like God was telling me that I needed to take a stand and stop hiding my faith and step forward.
My relationship with God has been rocky over the last years, and tonight I came back to Christ for good. Thank you so much, I've finally gotten over myself and dedicated myself to God and trying to live a holy life. Thank you, thank you.
Good Day Pastor Steve Madsen,
I pray that this email finds you and yours in good health and spirits. My name is Albert Scales and I am the lay leader onboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast. We are home ported out of Astoria, Oregon. I have been leading bible studies onboard the ship for the past two years. I am always praying on how I can reach others for Christ. In addition, I pray how I can help others in their walk with Christ as well. Recently, you and your church donated an iPod to our ship. This was an unexpected gift that will help us to bring others to Christ. The preloaded bible studies were a great addition and will be utilized during our long deployments away from home. I try to use all types of media tools to present the word of God. Nevertheless, this iPod that you and your church donated will be another tool to help spread the word of Christ. Once again I thank you and your congregation for all your prayers and this gift.
Nicole,
I received an unexpected and incredibly gracious gift in the mail today. I was shocked to see that Cornerstone had sent me an Ipod chock full of scripture. I would like to thank everyone for this amazing gift. You’re timing couldn’t possibly have been better. My Marine helicopter squadron, HMM-163, is getting set to leave in two weeks for a six month deployment.
A week ago I was telling with my wife that one of the major drawbacks to being deployed on a boat was that having one Chaplin for multiple denominations resulted in somewhat watered down teaching. Now I can look forward to the teachings of Pastor Steve once again. I am also looking forward to sharing these sermons with my Christian brothers in the squadron. Again, thank you so very much for your overwhelming generosity, it is truly appreciated and will never be forgotten.
Dear Pastor Steve,
It hurts so bad to be so far away from my mom and sisters, I am stationed in Georgia and I am scheduled to deploy to the middle east in a few months. I went to church every sunday and listened to you teach us the word and I have missed it so much. It's true that you don't know what you've got until it's gone. I was starting to forget why I was defending America, and then when I turned on the I-Pod and started to listen to "Intro to Esther" I began to cry and realized why I was defending our country.
I miss being there and hearing you preach the word, I also miss the people, actually I miss everything about Cornersone. I don't know what else to say but thank you so much. I have not cried this much in so long. It has been really stressful here at work and now I am excited that once I get off work I can have something to look forward to, and when I am over in the middle east I will not be scared because I know that Jesus is there with me.
Ms. Fong and Member's of Cornerstone Church,
I can't tell you how much I appreciate this wonderful gift, words are not enough. I found it so strange to receive a box with an Ipod, at first I thought someone made a mistake then I saw the cd. ipods for Soldiers, after watching the cd I cried (tears of happiness). Sometimes we (soldiers of America's armed forces) we get lost in our jobs. Late nights, long stays away, all caught up in the mission that we forget to remember how many people depend on us. We are taught to sacrafice, to get the job done.
There have been many times I've been away, and missed my family and friends dearly. This iPod, can now give me movies of my beautiful girls, songs to help me remember the good times and now church everyday of the week. The bible lessons are wonderful what a gifted man he is so many lessons to learn.
I thank you so much in believing in us. We are doing good things all around the world. I won't lie, there are days that I feel hopeless, but when you see that a small town in Iraq gets running water and school kids get new backpacks it gives you a renewed sense of hope. It's people like you, that makes what we do important to us. I love you all, and as always I have America in my prayers.
I pray your goals are reached, you are giving such a tremendous gift of hope. Thank you.
Steve,
I just wanted to say thank you for the i-pod’s for soldiers program you guys set up. I’m very appreciative of the thought that was put into it, I’m pretty sure I’ve missed more Sundays than are on there, so this is such an awesome gift. Having the package sent here to my squadron actually helped me out as well, when I received it yesterday it had co-workers asking questions about my church and where it was and what it was all about. It’s hard to find opportunity to share your faith in the military. Sometimes it takes receiving a care package to make someone curious.
I would have liked to thank you in person, but I’m not so sure if I’ll be able to make it down before I deploy in May. Well tell the family I said hello and thanks again!
Steve,
At work on Wednesday morning I casually mentioned to another Sister in Christ ‘Hey come with me at lunch to church, for a short service to celebrate Ash Wednesday’. Of course she was eager to come, but a little burdened by her Assistant who avoids discussions of Faith, God, and Jesus.
So then I directed my attention to the assistant and said ‘So Stephanie you come too, you’ll really like it and, don’t worry – you graduated from Granada High School – you’re bound to recognize half the people there’.
She was so startled, she said she didn’t know if she could attend, she confessed she believes in God, but has never received communion and didn’t know really how to begin a life as a believer.
We discussed the major points about confessing your sin, accepting the Lord as your Savior, about stepping into relationship with Christ. She did, right there on the spot – we jumped in the car headed for Cornerstone.
She loved the service, communion, the ash on forehead – she loved belonging, she loved being relaxed at church, she recognized so many faces. She asked questions for another hour, and she’ll be back.
Please send our thanks to the staff, who worked from sunrise to sunset to provide a place for all us to come together and celebrate the rich family we belong to.