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Lynda Ring had just about given up on churches, God and any real reason for living, until January 2006. At 56 years of age, she was invited to come to worship at Motley Free Methodist Church (MN).  

The Motley congregation didn't know Lynda but that didn't matter. As soon as she came in the door she was greeted with hugs and the words, "I love you" from an 88-year-old woman. The church didn't know it then but Lynda had never heard, "I love you" from her mom, step-dad or even from her husband. But that day in January the Spirit of the Living God was moving in Lynda's heart and she began to realize that maybe there was a God that cared and maybe someone did love her.

(pictured left to right: Marie Allee, Lynda Ring, Pastor Jim Johnson)

All her life she had been told by her mom, "Nobody loves you. God doesn't even love you." From the age of 4 until she was 19, Lynda was sexually abused. At 15, she moved out of her mom's house expecting her first child. Lynda met a man and was married at 16 - had another child and was divorced by 18. She remarried again at 19 into a third abusive relationship of her young life.  

Soon after Lynda had visited Motley three or four times, she ended up in the hospital with severe stomach problems. Pastor Jim Johnson visited with Lynda and after listening to the horrors of her life story, Pastor Jim told Lynda that God did love her and so did the church. He told her Jesus died for her and asked if she would like to receive Jesus into her heart as Lord and Savior of her life. Her reply was simple and honest, "The only thing I know about Jesus is when I was being sexually abused by my step-dad, I would sing to myself, "Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so ..." Pastor Jim asked Lynda if she wanted Jesus in her life and she said, "Oh yes." They prayed together and Lynda received Jesus as her Lord right there in the hospital bed.

She told Pastor Jim a few minutes later that her chest began to hurt terribly bad while they were praying and she thought that she was going to die, but as soon as she uttered the words, "Come into my life and heart Lord Jesus," the pain was instantly gone.

She now worships with the Motley congregation regularly and attends a women's Bible study group on Wednesday nights. She loves the Lord and for the first time in her life is excited to be alive and walking with the Savior.