Nothing changed. I continue to pursue my own ambitions and desires of this life. I was not born of the spirit of God.
Then God spoke to me. That changed everything. I was born by God's Word which He spoke to me.
August 5, 1976 ... "Joan ... You know those mistakes you've been making all these years? Those weren't mistakes. Those were sins."
"SINS?" I thought they were mistakes.
Everything changed instantly.
I no longer wanted to be with the people I'd been with before. Now I wanted to be with other Christians.
I no longer wanted to do the things I did before. Now I wanted to read the Bible and go to church.
Then one night while I was sleeping, I was transported into heaven. I was with God, and with Christ, and with the Holy Spirit. (no images just in the spirit) At that time, I was merged into the body of Jesus, made one with the Word of God, God and the Holy Spirit witnessing.
A few nights later, the exact same thing happened to me again.
IT WAS WONDERFUL!
💥💥💥
After that, I was on a plane going to Albuquerque, New Mexico (USA), where I bought jewelry for my business that I owned at that time.
As the plane landed, I heard, "Be baptized."
My Church of Christ cousin met me at the plane. I said, "Jeanne ... if you can arrange it at the church today, I'll be baptized."
She said "But you've already been baptized."
I replied, "Yes ... but I wasn't born again then. Now I am born again and the Holy Spirit says to me, "Be Baptized." so I will now if you can arrange it before I return to Dallas."
She said, "Well ... I believe you are a Christian. I just don't know HOW you can be."
💥💥💥
That afternoon we arrived at their church building. I was very surprised for about 15 of my relatives were there. The preacher said to me, "Would you like to say anything."
That surprised me even more because they don't let women speak at their church! But I replied, "I guess so." and I began speaking as I was led by the Holy Spirit telling about being born again.
I noticed my uncle began crying and one cousin began moving her head up and down.
When the minister lowered me into the water, I heard this from the Holy Spirit: "This is like being buried with Christ."
As I came up out of the water, the Holy Spirit said, "This is like being raised with Christ."
💥💥💥
My uncle came to me and said: "I've never heard anything like that which you spoke today." (I noticed he was crying.) Then he asked: "Could you write that out and send that to me when you get home?" I told him I guess I could. (I did that)
Years later, I realized this uncle was born again by God when I spoke those Words that day!
💥💥💥
Romans 6
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into HIS death?
4 Therefore we are buried with HIM by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of HIS death, we shall be also in the likeness of HIS resurrection:
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with HIM, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with HIM:
9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over HIM.
10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.