Through Suffering Testimonies
377 stories of God's work from believers across 304 locations.
God worked through pain, trials, or hardship as the means of transformation
Showing 200 of 377 Testimonies
Still in Prison, Still Worshipping: The Iranian Christians Behind Bars in 2026 Who Refuse to Stop
2026•🇮🇷Tehran (Evin Prison), Iran
Dozens of Iranian Christians remain imprisoned for their faith in 2026, enduring Evin Prison and worse. Yet they refuse to deny Christ, lead secret worship gatherings behind bars, and smuggle out letters that are becoming some of the most powerful testimonies in the underground church.
Genocide Survivor Forgave Her Torturer — Now They Serve Together
2010•🇰🇭Phnom Penh, Cambodia
A Cambodian genocide survivor forgave the Khmer Rouge guard who tortured her — they now serve together at a memorial, telling their story side by side.
Polycarp of Smyrna
🇹🇷Smyrna, Asia Minor (modern Turkey)
Polycarp of Smyrna, student of Apostle John, remained faithful to Christ for 86 years until his martyrdom in 155 AD, declaring he could never blaspheme...
Afghan Refugees in Iran Are Meeting Jesus Through the Underground Church They Were Never Supposed to Find
2025-2026•🇮🇷Iran (Iranian cities with Afghan refugee populations)
Afghan refugees in Iran — numbering 3-4 million — are encountering the Iranian underground church and coming to faith in growing numbers through 2025-2026, carrying the gospel back toward one of the least reached nations on earth.
The Iranian Diaspora Is Planting Churches Across Europe Faster Than Any Mission Agency
Ongoing since 2015•🇹🇷Europe (Germany, Sweden, Netherlands, UK, Austria, Turkey)
Iranian Christians who fled as refugees are now planting Farsi-speaking churches across Europe and Turkey at a pace that has stunned missiologists, revitalising the Western church with a theology born from persecution.
Iran Arrested More Christians in 2025 Than Any Year This Decade. The Church Grew Faster.
2025-2026•🇮🇷Iran (Tehran, Isfahan, Ahvaz, Rasht, Kermanshah)
Iran's 2025 crackdown on Christians was the most aggressive in over a decade — more arrests, raids, and imprisonments than any recent year. Yet every metric of church growth surged simultaneously. Persecution scattered the church, and the scattering multiplied it.
2026: The Year Iran's Underground Church Became Impossible to Ignore
2026•🇮🇷Iran
By 2026, Iran's underground church reached an estimated 1.5-3 million believers — up from fewer than 500 Muslim-background Christians in 1979. Digital house church networks, intensified persecution, and global attention make this the year the movement became impossible to ignore.
The Women Who Lead Iran's Underground Church When the Men Were Taken to Prison
Ongoing•🇮🇷Iran
When Iranian authorities imprison male house church leaders, women step forward to lead, teach, and multiply the underground church — making them the backbone of the fastest-growing church movement in the world.
Alex MacDougall: Psalm 23 in the Storm
🇬🇧United Kingdom
Alex MacDougall was diagnosed with cancer. In the depth of treatment, Psalm 23 became a living encounter — and the fear gave way to peace.
Immaculee Ilibagiza: The Holy Spirit Gave Her Power to Forgive the Man Who Killed Her Family
🇷🇼Rwanda
Immaculee Ilibagiza survived the 1994 Rwandan genocide by hiding in a 3x4 foot bathroom with seven other women for 91 days. Through prayer, the Holy Spirit gave her the power to forgive the man who murdered her mother and brother — face to face.
Stolen Generation Elder Forgave — Healed a Community
2005-03-01•🇦🇺Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia
An Aboriginal elder from the Stolen Generations forgave those who took her from her family.
Rachel Barkey: Death Is Not Dying
🇨🇦Ontario, Canada / UK churches
Rachel Barkey fought terminal breast cancer for years. Weeks before death, she told 600 women: death is not dying when you know Jesus. The talk went viral.
Nabeel Qureshi: Love and Peace to the End
🇬🇧Houston, Texas / Oxford & UK churches
Apologist Nabeel Qureshi was diagnosed with stomach cancer at 34. His video diary showed faith replacing fear with love and peace, impacting UK churches deeply.
Genocide Survivor Looked Killer in the Eyes — Forgave
2006-06-01•🇷🇼Kibuye Province, Rwanda
A Rwandan genocide survivor faced her family's killer at a Gacaca court and publicly forgave him. She now leads a reconciliation ministry in Kigali.
Bach: The Composer Who Signed To God Alone the Glory
1685-1750•🇩🇪Leipzig, Germany
Johann Sebastian Bach signed every composition 'SDG' - To God alone the glory - creating over 1,000 works as acts of worship.
A Soldier Returns from Combat with PTSD — Then the Holy Spirit Reached the Nightmares Medicine Could Not
🇺🇸United States
After two combat deployments, a soldier returned home with severe PTSD — nightmares, hypervigilance, and flashbacks that no medication could fully control. At a veterans' prayer group, the Holy Spirit met him and healed what combat had broken.
Former Child Soldiers Met in Church — Became Brothers
2019-06-15•🇨🇬Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo
Two former child soldiers from opposing factions in the Congo War met in a church reconciliation programme. They were baptised together in Lake Kivu.
Faith Amidst Persecution in Somalia
2023•🇸🇴Somalia
Somali Christians courageously follow Jesus despite severe persecution, finding peace and transformation through online ministry and divine encounters...
A Woman in England: Eleven Years, Then Free
🏴London, England
Eleven years of cancer. Metastases in lungs, spine, and pelvis. After a year of Healing Rooms prayer, scans showed no evidence of bone metastases.
Anne Graham Lotz: Cancer as Fuel for Fire
🇺🇸Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
Anne Graham Lotz faced breast cancer after losing her husband and father. Joy never left. The Holy Spirit was her constant companion through fear and treatment.
She Forgave Her Husband Killer — Adopted His Orphans
2022-09-01•🇵🇪Arequipa, Peru
A Peruvian woman forgave the man who killed her husband, then adopted his two orphaned children. She told him in prison: "Your children are safe."
Jerome: The Dream That Changed Everything
374•🇸🇾Syrian Desert, near Antioch
Jerome of Stridon received a life-changing vision where Christ confronted his divided loyalties between classical literature and Scripture.
Mother Teresa's Divine Calling
1940s•🇮🇳Calcutta, West Bengal, India
Mother Teresa received a divine calling on a train to Darjeeling in 1946, leading her to leave her convent and serve the poorest in Calcutta's slums...
Claire Gilbert: Letters from a Burning Life
🏴London, England
Dr Claire Gilbert received a terminal myeloma diagnosis. Through Julian of Norwich, she found not denial but defiance — joy fiercer than fear.
Wrongly Imprisoned Man Taught 140 Inmates to Read
2017•🇵🇪Lima, Peru
A wrongfully imprisoned Peruvian teacher taught 140 inmates to read using the Bible — the literacy programme transformed Cell Block 7 and sparked a prison...
Tolkien's Faith and Lewis's Awakening
1930s•🏴Oxford, England
J.R.R. Tolkien's deep Catholic faith, shaped by his mother's conversion and devotion to the Eucharist, led him to help C.S.
Rugby Player Paralysed in Scrum Collapse Found Purpose Coaching Wheelchair Rugby
2021-10•🇬🇧Pontypridd, Wales, United Kingdom
A Welsh rugby player paralysed in a scrum collapse was furious at God until a persistent hospital chaplain broke through.
Simon Thomas: Peace Beyond Understanding
🏴Norfolk / London, England
Sky Sports presenter Simon Thomas lost his wife Gemma to leukaemia four days after diagnosis. In the wreckage, he found a peace only God could explain.
Beni Johnson: "Just Love Me"
🇺🇸Redding, California, USA
Diagnosed with cancer, Bethel co-pastor Beni Johnson asked Jesus what to do. His answer: "Just love me." That peace navigated every decision of her journey.
The Joseph Calling - From the Pit to Purpose
1990s-2000s•🇺🇸Atlanta, USA / Washington D.C., USA
Atlanta advertising executive Os Hillman lost his business and marriage, then discovered through mentor Gunnar Olson that his adversity was preparation...
Imprisoned for a Powerful Purpose
Central Asia
Pastor Gul was imprisoned for 6 years for his Christian faith but sees God's purpose in his suffering, comparing himself to Joseph and trusting God will...
Janani Luwum: Do Not Be Afraid
1948-1977•🇺🇬Uganda
Archbishop Janani Luwum courageously opposed Uganda's brutal dictator Idi Amin, speaking out against mass killings until his martyrdom in 1977.
William Booth's Divine Destiny
1800s•🇬🇧Nottingham, England, United Kingdom
William Booth's divine calling led him from poverty in 1800s England to founding The Salvation Army, transforming countless lives through 'soup, soap,...
Amy Carmichael - Rescuing India's Temple Children
1895-1951•🇮🇳Dohnavur, Nanguneri, India
Amy Carmichael spent 55 years in India rescuing over 1,000 children from temple exploitation, founding Dohnavur Fellowship as a safe haven despite...
Adoniram Judson - 6 Years Without a Convert
1813-1850•🇲🇲Burma (Myanmar), Southeast Asia
Adoniram Judson arrived in Burma in 1813 and waited six years for his first convert. He endured 21 months in a death prison yet persisted.
A Vessel for Divine Healing
1907-1976•🇺🇸Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Kathryn Kuhlman's testimony of complete surrender to God led to a powerful healing ministry where countless people experienced miraculous healings...
Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Costly Faith
1930s-1945•🇩🇪Berlin, Germany
Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer stood against Nazi Germany, discovering true faith through persecution and ultimately giving his life for his...
Imprisoned with ISIS
2015-2017•🇸🇩Sudan
Voice of the Martyrs director Petr Jasek was imprisoned with ISIS fighters in Sudan for 445 days, enduring torture and near-death conditions.
Oswald Chambers' Journey to Faith
1917•🇪🇬Cairo, Egypt
Oswald Chambers overcame four years of spiritual dryness and doubt to experience God's transforming presence, founding a Bible college and serving...
Guided by God's Voice
1850s•🇺🇸Dorchester County, Maryland, United States
Harriet Tubman's testimony of divine guidance through visions and prayer as she escaped slavery and led others to freedom via the Underground Railroad...
Truett Cathy's Unwavering Faith
2014•🇺🇸Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Chick-fil-A founder Truett Cathy built a business empire guided by Christian principles, surviving cancer at 38 and dedicating his life to faith-based...
14 Years in Communist Darkness
1948-1964•🇷🇴Bucharest, București, Romania
Romanian pastor Richard Wurmbrand survived 14 years in Communist prisons, discovering God's presence even in solitary confinement and torture, emerging...
Tim Tebow's Divine Game
2025•🇺🇸Jacksonville, Florida, United States
NFL star Tim Tebow's faith journey through career challenges culminated in a miraculous 2012 game where he threw for exactly 316 yards, mirroring John...
Amy Carmichael: Gold in the Fire
1931-1951•🇮🇳Dohnavur, Nanguneri, India
Missionary Amy Carmichael spent her final 20 years bedridden in India, discovering that God used her suffering to deepen her faith and expand her...
William Carey's Missionary Calling
1793•🏴Paulerspury, Northamptonshire, England
From shoemaker to missionary pioneer, William Carey's calling transformed him into the 'father of modern missions,' translating the Bible into multiple...
Tony Dungy's Journey of Faith
2007•🇺🇸Jackson, Michigan, USA
NFL coach Tony Dungy became the first African American head coach to win a Super Bowl in 2007, crediting his Christian faith for shaping his coaching...
Forgiveness Amidst Tragedy
April 1994•🇷🇼Mataba, Rwanda
During the 1994 Rwandan genocide, Immaculée Ilibagiza survived 91 days hidden in a tiny bathroom through prayer. She later forgave her family's killers.
Paavo Ruotsalainen's Awakening Journey
1799•🇫🇮Lapinlahti, Finland
Finnish farmer Paavo Ruotsalainen's 200km spiritual journey in 1799 led to a life-changing encounter with God in a blacksmith's workshop, transforming...
Tim Keller: Happier Than Ever in the Valley
🇺🇸New York City, New York, USA
Tim Keller was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2020. In the valley, he found a paradox: never happier, never deeper in prayer, never more held by God.
Vanya Moiseev: Soldier Would Not Deny Christ
16 Jul 1972•🇷🇺Kerch, Crimea, Soviet Union
Soviet soldier Vanya Moiseev endured torture and persecution for refusing to deny Christ, experiencing miraculous healing and leading many to faith...
Joni Eareckson Tada: Diving Accident to Worldwide Ministry
1967•🇺🇸Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, USA
After a diving accident left 17-year-old Joni Eareckson Tada paralyzed, she found renewed purpose through Scripture and transformed her suffering into...
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn: The Gulag Archipelago
1950s•🇷🇺Russia/Soviet Union
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn found faith in God while imprisoned in Soviet labor camps, transforming from atheist to Christian through suffering and...
Singing Through Darkness
2004-2006•🇪🇷Asmara, Eritrea
Eritrean gospel singer Helen Berhane maintained unshakeable faith during two years of torture in military prison, finding strength through worship and...
Joni's Journey of Faith and Purpose
1967-present•🇺🇸Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Joni Eareckson Tada's 1967 diving accident left her paralyzed, but through deep faith and Scripture, God transformed her suffering into purpose, leading...
The Faithful Journey of Ignatius
110 AD•🇮🇹Antioch, Syria and Rome, Italy
Ignatius of Antioch's unwavering faith during Roman persecution led him from bishop to martyr, inspiring the early Church through his courage and seven...
Forgiveness Amidst the Ruins
1940s•🏴Coventry, West Midlands, England
After Nazi bombers destroyed Coventry Cathedral in 1940, Provost Richard Howard chose radical forgiveness, inscribing 'Father Forgive' on the ruins and...
John Knox: A Voice for Reformation
1559•🏴Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland
Scottish reformer John Knox's powerful testimony of faith through imprisonment, slavery, and persecution as he led Scotland's Protestant Reformation in...
Archbishop Ignatius Maloyan
10 Jun 1915•🇹🇷Mardin, Ottoman Empire (Turkey)
Armenian Archbishop Ignatius Maloyan refused to convert to Islam during the 1915 genocide, choosing martyrdom while shepherding his flock through...
John Bunyan: From Chains to Christian Allegory
1660s•🏴Elstow, England
John Bunyan had 'the worst mouth in town' before God's grace transformed him. Arrested in 1660 for preaching, he spent 12 years in Bedford prison writing...
Kagawa Toyohiko: A Life of Love and Action
1909-1960•🇯🇵Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan
Japanese Christian reformer Kagawa Toyohiko abandoned wealth to live among the poor in Kobe slums, dedicating his life to social justice and cooperative...
Faith in the Depths of Despair
1938•🇷🇴Bucharest, Romania
Richard Wurmbrand's powerful journey from atheism to faith in Jesus, sustained through 14 years in Communist prisons in Romania.
Steffany Gretzinger: Lifted Above the Fear
🇺🇸Redding, California, USA
Steffany Gretzinger tried to rescue her dying father. A friend said: "You are not the hero. Jesus is." She asked God to lift her above the fear. He did.
Forgiveness and New Purpose
1982•🇬🇧Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
Simon Weston, severely burned in the 1982 Falklands War, found healing through faith and forgiveness, even befriending the Argentine pilot who bombed his ship.
Robert Morrison's Faithful Mission
1807•🇨🇳Macau, China
Robert Morrison became the first Protestant missionary to China in 1807, translating the entire Bible into Chinese despite severe persecution and...
From Apartheid Advocate to Reconciliation
1960s-2000s•🇿🇦Roodepoort, Gauteng, South Africa
Beyers Naudé transformed from apartheid supporter to reconciliation leader when God opened his eyes to racial injustice through Scripture study after...
Andrew Murray's Spiritual Awakening
Nov 1845•🇿🇦Graaff Reinet, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Andrew Murray's spiritual transformation from career-driven ministry student to passionate South African revival leader shows how God can turn religious...
From Darkness to Light in Nepal
2023•🇳🇵Kathmandu, Bagmati Province, Nepal
Three Nepalese believers from Hindu backgrounds—including a Brahmin and former witch doctor—found faith in Jesus despite severe persecution,...
John Paton's Fearless Faith
1858•Aniwa, Vanuatu
Missionary John Paton faced deadly threats and personal tragedy in Vanuatu but experienced God's miraculous protection and provision, including striking...
Faith Amidst Conflict: A Quechua Transformation
1980s-1990s•🇵🇪Ayacucho, Peru
During Peru's violent 1980s conflict, Quechua translator Rómulo Sauñe overcame disabilities and financial struggles through divine provision to...
A Martyr's Unyielding Faith
1994•🇮🇷Tehran, Iran
Iranian pastor Haik Hovsepian courageously defended religious freedom and evangelized Muslims in Iran despite severe persecution, ultimately giving his...
Richard Wurmbrand: 14 Years Tortured for Christ
1960s•🇷🇴Bucharest, Romania
Jewish atheist turned Lutheran pastor Richard Wurmbrand survived 14 years of Communist torture in Romanian prisons, his unshakeable faith inspiring a...
Tiffany Wendt: Peace Replaced Fear
🇺🇸USA
At 34 with stage 3 breast cancer, minister Tiffany Wendt was consumed by fear. She refused to move until God answered. Within moments, peace replaced fear.
Joni's Journey to Hope
2023•🇺🇸Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, USA
After a diving accident left Joni Eareckson Tada paralyzed at 17, God transformed her despair into purpose through prayer and community, leading her to...
Compassion Amidst Crisis
1974•🇹🇭Pujud, Thailand
Dutch missionary nurse Minka Hanskamp served leprosy patients in Thailand for 16 years, bringing physical and spiritual healing before being martyred by...
Faith Unyielding: Perpetua and Felicity
203•🏛️Carthage, North Africa, Roman Empire
In 203 AD Carthage, noblewoman Perpetua and slave Felicity found divine peace and strength through faith during Roman persecution, transforming their...
Faith in a Sudanese Cell
Feb 2017•🇸🇩Khartoum, Sudan
Czech missionary Petr Jasek endured 445 days in Sudanese prison, sharing the Gospel with inmates and witnessing 12 conversions despite facing death...
From Victim to Victor
Apr 1990•🇿🇦Durban, South Africa
Anglican priest Michael Lapsley survived a letter bomb attack during South Africa's apartheid era, losing both hands and sight in one eye, yet chose...
E.M. Bounds: A Life Transformed by Prayer
1860s•🇺🇸Shelbyville, Missouri, USA and Washington, Georgia, USA
Civil War lawyer E.M. Bounds left his legal career to become a Methodist preacher, finding God's sustaining presence through imprisonment and...
Bethany Hamilton's Unstoppable Faith
31 Oct 2003•🇺🇸Kauai, Hawaii, United States
Professional surfer Bethany Hamilton lost her arm to a shark attack at 13 but returned to competition through unwavering faith.
Courage in the Face of Evil
1940s•🇩🇪Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer courageously opposed Nazi tyranny, maintaining unwavering faith while imprisoned and ultimately martyred in 1945.
How a Teenage Refugee Named Yusra Swam for Her Life and Then for the World
2016•🇩🇪Aegean Sea / Berlin, Germany
Syrian refugee Yusra Mardini swam for hours to save a sinking refugee boat, then competed on the first-ever Refugee Olympic Team at the 2016 Rio Games.
Jan Hus: A Stand for Truth
Jul 1415•🇨🇿Prague, Bohemia, Czech Republic
Jan Hus, rector of Prague University, challenged the Church's sale of indulgences in 15th-century Bohemia.
Nate Saint's Sacrifice in Ecuador
1956•🇪🇨Shell Mera, Pastaza, Ecuador
Missionary pilot Nate Saint was killed reaching an isolated tribe in Ecuador, but his sacrifice led to their conversion and a global missions movement.
Faith Amidst Flames: Afordia's Forgiveness
2025•🇳🇬Gidan Waya, Northern Nigeria
After losing her husband in a violent attack by militants in northern Nigeria, Afordia chose radical forgiveness and unwavering faith in Christ.
From Gulag to Grace
1960s•Ekibastuz, Kazakhstan
Soviet writer Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn found faith in God while imprisoned in Stalin's brutal Gulag camps, transforming from atheist to believer through...
Blandina: The Slave Who Shamed an Empire
177 AD•🇫🇷Lyon, Gaul (France)
Blandina, a young slave in 177 AD Lyon, endured horrific torture and martyrdom with supernatural strength, inspiring fellow Christians and even amazing...
From Tehran to Transformation
1980•🇮🇷Tehran, Iran
Iranian engineer Hormoz Shariat found Christ in 1980s America, transformed grief over his brother's execution into a mission to evangelize Muslims,...
Faith Unshaken Amid Persecution in Bangladesh
2021•🇧🇩Bangladesh
Three former Muslims in Bangladesh faced kidnapping, beatings, and persecution after converting to Christianity in 2021, yet refused to renounce their...
Hope Without Limits
2000s•🇦🇺Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Nick Vujicic, born without arms or legs in Australia, overcame suicidal thoughts and depression through faith in God, becoming a global inspirational...
The Lone Survivor
2005-06-28•🇦🇫Kunar Province, Afghanistan
Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell's survival story from Afghanistan shows how God protected him through impossible circumstances, guided his moral decisions...
A Beacon of Faith
1944•🇳🇱Haarlem, Netherlands
84-year-old watchmaker Casper ten Boom risked his life hiding Jews during WWII, demonstrating unwavering faith in God's protection even unto death in...
King Kamehameha IV
1855•Honolulu, Hawaii
King Kamehameha IV of Hawaii found deep faith in Christianity, translating religious texts into Hawaiian and establishing a hospital inspired by...
Richard Baxter: Bruised Reed Awakened a Soul
1630s•🏴Shropshire, England
Richard Baxter's gradual conversion through Scripture and suffering in 17th century England. The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes opened God's love to him.
Richard Wurmbrand: Faith in Chains, Unyielding Spirit
1948-1964•🇷🇴Romania
Romanian pastor Richard Wurmbrand found supernatural joy and strength through Jesus during 14 years of brutal Communist imprisonment (1948-1964).
Faith Beyond the Waves
31 Oct 2003•Tunnels Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
13-year-old surfer Bethany Hamilton lost her arm in a shark attack but returned to competition surfing in just one year through unwavering faith in God,...
Pamela McColloch: Surrendering the Fear
🇺🇸USA
Weeks after beating colon cancer, Pamela McColloch was diagnosed with liver cancer. She surrendered the fear to God and a peace that defied all logic arrived.
Louise Blyth: A London Broadcaster Tells the Truth
🏴London, England
Louise Blyth, a London journalist and broadcaster, was diagnosed with breast cancer. She wrote openly and vulnerably about her cancer journey and the role.
Abraham Lincoln - The President Who Prayed
1861-1865•🇺🇸Washington, District of Columbia, United States
Abraham Lincoln's faith deepened through the Civil War's darkest days, leading him to pray, fast, and make a covenant with God that resulted in the...
Faith in the Fight Against Apartheid
1980s•🇿🇦Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
During South Africa's apartheid era, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and other Christian leaders demonstrated how faith can drive the fight for justice and...
From Imam's Daughter to Christ's Follower
2019•🇯🇴Amman, Jordan
Hannah, daughter of a respected Imam in Jordan, encountered Jesus during a university debate and converted to Christianity despite facing family...
Kara Tippetts: The Hardest Peace
🇺🇸Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
Young mum Kara Tippetts was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her blog and book The Hardest Peace documented her journey from fear to grace, reaching millions.
Danielle Strickland: Fear Gave Way to Love
🇬🇧UK / Global
Danielle Strickland, Salvation Army officer and UK justice advocate, was diagnosed with rare appendiceal cancer. Community love displaced her fear.
Hans Nielsen Hauge
1796•🇳🇴Rolvsøy, Østfold, Norway
Norwegian farmer Hans Nielsen Hauge encountered God while working in fields in 1796, sparking Norway's first major religious revival.
Jenny Sanders: Grace on World Cancer Day
🇬🇧United Kingdom
After thirty years in ministry, Jenny Sanders faced breast cancer. What she found beyond the fear was grace — raw, real, and personal.
E.M. Bounds: From Lawyer to Prayer Warrior
1850s•🇺🇸Shelbyville, Missouri, United States
Young Missouri lawyer E.M. Bounds abandoned his legal career after encountering God at a revival meeting, becoming a powerful prayer warrior and...
Anthony Ray Hinton and the 30 Years That Could Not Be Stolen
2015•🇺🇸Birmingham, Alabama, USA
Anthony Ray Hinton spent 30 years on Alabama death row for murders he did not commit before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned his conviction in 2015.
Revival Amidst Persecution in Cuba
2022•🇨🇺Madruga, Mayabeque, Cuba
In communist Cuba since the 1960s, pastors faced imprisonment and churches were shuttered.
Carolyn: Eight Years of Cancer, One Night
🇮🇱Galilee, Israel
Eight years of cancer. Eight years of fear. Then one night at a Healing Rooms gathering, waves of peace and joy broke the grip of fear. Victory followed.
Saint Maximilian Kolbe: A Martyr's Love
1940s•🇵🇱Auschwitz, Poland
Saint Maximilian Kolbe demonstrated extraordinary faith and selfless love at Auschwitz, voluntarily taking another prisoner's place in a starvation...
The Muslim and the Christian Who Refused to Stop Talking
2001-2005•🇺🇸Norfolk, Virginia, USA
Devout Muslim Nabeel Qureshi met Christian David Wood at university. Four years of honest debate, shared meals, and genuine friendship led Qureshi to...
David and Jonathan - A Friendship That Defied Royal Politics
1010 BC•🇮🇱Gibeah, Israel
Crown prince Jonathan chose friendship with David over his own throne, warning him when King Saul tried to kill him. Jonathan recognized God's calling on David's life and sacrificed his royal inheritance to protect his friend, declaring 'You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you.'
John Milton: Paradise Found Through Blindness
1660s•🏴England
Blind English poet John Milton lost his sight, political cause, and nearly his life, yet through faith created Paradise Lost, the greatest religious...
The Cat That Found Him in Solitary
1950s•🇷🇴Romania
Richard Wurmbrand, imprisoned for 14 years in Communist Romania, describes a stray cat that repeatedly found its way into his solitary confinement cell...
Nadia Murad: From Captivity to the Nobel Peace Prize
2014-2023•🇮🇶Kocho, Northern Iraq / The Hague
Captured by ISIS at 21, Nadia Murad escaped and became the first person to testify about Yazidi sexual violence before the UN Security Council.
A Champion for the Oppressed
1960s-1990s•🇲🇽San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico
Bishop Samuel Ruiz was appointed to Chiapas, Mexico in 1960. He traversed his diocese by mule, learned four Mayan languages, and became 'Tatic' (father)...
William Penn's Bold Faith
1660s•🇮🇪Cork, Ireland
William Penn's journey from privileged Anglican upbringing to Quaker faith led to imprisonment, family estrangement, and ultimately founding...
From Captive to Missionary
5th century•🇮🇪Ireland
A 16-year-old British boy captured by Irish pirates and enslaved for six years discovered God through suffering, then returned as missionary Saint...
David Brainerd's Missionary Legacy
1740s•🇺🇸Kaunaumeek, New York, United States
David Brainerd overcame spiritual turmoil and physical hardship to become a pioneering missionary to Native Americans in 1740s New York and...
Wang Mingdao: We—For the Sake of Faith
1955-1980•🇨🇳China (Beijing)
Wang Mingdao, known as the 'Dean of House Churches,' refused to compromise his faith under Communist persecution in China.
Ten Words That Carried a Quadriplegic Through 60 Years
1967-1970s•🇺🇸Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, USA
After a diving accident left her quadriplegic at 17, Joni Eareckson Tada met teenager Steve Estes, who spoke 10 words that changed everything.
Thomas Cranmer's Faithful Stand
21 Mar 1556•🏴Oxford, Oxfordshire, England
Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, stood firm in his Protestant faith even unto death in 1556, withdrawing his recantations and declaring Christ...
Faith Beyond Fear: Mehdi Dibaj's Stand
1990s•🇮🇷Tehran, Tehran Province, Iran
Mehdi Dibaj converted from Islam to Christianity at 14 in Iran, endured 10 years of imprisonment for his faith, and was martyred in 1994 after boldly...
Be Faithful Unto Death
1970-1972•🇷🇺Soviet Union
Young Soviet soldier Vanya Moiseev endured brutal torture and persecution for his Christian faith, miraculously surviving freezing temperatures through...
From Battlefield to Healing
2023•🇺🇸United States
Army veterans Jeremy and Nick found healing from combat PTSD through faith in Jesus. Prayer and scripture lifted the weight of their traumatic experiences.
God's Provision in the Congo: Helen Roseveare
1950s-1970s•🇨🇬Nebobongo, Democratic Republic of Congo
British missionary doctor Helen Roseveare experienced God's miraculous provision and protection during decades of medical service in Congo, including...
The Bishop's Transformative Journey
1960-2000•🇲🇽San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico
Bishop Samuel Ruiz García experienced a profound transformation in 1960s Mexico, converting from traditional Catholic views to championing indigenous...
Joy in the Midst of Trials
2015-2017•🇸🇩Khartoum, Sudan
Sudanese Pastor Hassan found supernatural joy and purpose during 12 years imprisonment for helping persecuted believers, calling his prison time 'one of...
From Scholar to Evangelist
1927-1944•🇨🇳Putian, Fujian Province, China
Brilliant Chinese scholar John Sung abandoned academic success after a transformative experience, becoming a powerful evangelist who led over 100,000...
Faith Amidst the Jungle's Trials
1950s•🇪🇨Curaray River region, Ecuador
Jim Elliot and four missionaries were killed by the Huaorani people in Ecuador's jungle in 1956, but his widow Elisabeth returned to witness their...
Faith Unbroken in Eritrean Prisons
2023•🇪🇷Eritrean Prisons, Eritrea
Despite brutal imprisonment and torture in Eritrean shipping containers, Christians like Helen Berhane and Pastor Gabriel maintained unshakeable faith,...
Boris & Dushka Vujicic: A Son Born Without Arms or Legs
1982•🇦🇺Melbourne, Australia
Boris and Dushka Vujicic were devastated when their son Nick was born without arms or legs in 1982.
From Hatchet Man to Heart Changed
1973•🇺🇸Washington, D.C., United States
Charles Colson transformed from Nixon's ruthless 'hatchet man' to prison ministry founder after surrendering to Christ during Watergate scandal in 1973.
Courageous Faith in Ethiopia
1979•🇪🇹Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Ethiopian church leader Gudina Tumsa demonstrated unwavering faith through persecution, ultimately martyred in 1979 for refusing to compromise his...
Spurgeon’s Compassion in Crisis
1854•🇬🇧Greater London, England, United Kingdom
During London's 1854 cholera outbreak, young preacher Charles Spurgeon fearlessly ministered to the sick and dying in Southwark, providing hope through...
Miracles and Deliverance in China
1958•🇨🇳Henan, China
Brother Yun's testimony of miraculous healing from terminal cancer, supernatural prison escape, and powerful ministry despite persecution in Communist...
Amanda Berry Smith
1868-09•🇺🇸New York City, New York, USA
Born into slavery, Amanda Berry Smith experienced God's sanctifying power in 1868 at a NYC church service, transforming her into a powerful evangelist...
Darlene Deibler Rose: Faith in the Face of Adversity
1942-1945•🇮🇩Dutch East Indies (Indonesia)
Missionary Darlene Deibler Rose survived brutal Japanese internment camps during WWII through unwavering faith, ministering to fellow prisoners and...
D.L. Moody's Transformative Faith
1850s•🇺🇸Northfield, Massachusetts, USA
D.L. Moody transformed from an indifferent young shoe store worker to a world-renowned evangelist after a simple gospel conversation in 1855 Massachusetts.
Faithful Resistance: Bonhoeffer's Stand
1930s-1945•🇩🇪Berlin, Germany
Dietrich Bonhoeffer's faith transformation in 1930s Germany led him from academic theology to costly discipleship, ultimately sacrificing his life...
From Despair to Cy Young
2012•🇺🇸Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Baseball player R.A. Dickey overcame childhood trauma, career setbacks, and suicidal thoughts through faith in God, transforming from minor league...
Thomas More: King's Good Servant, But
1535•🏴London, England
Sir Thomas More, England's Lord Chancellor, chose martyrdom over compromising his faith when King Henry VIII demanded he recognize royal supremacy over...
Mordechai Vanunu: The Whistleblower Who Exposed Israel's Nuclear Program
1986-2004•🇬🇧Israel / London, United Kingdom
Former Israeli nuclear technician Mordechai Vanunu exposed Israel's secret nuclear weapons program to the Sunday Times in 1986.
Dostoevsky's Transformation in Siberia
1850s•🇷🇺Omsk, Siberia, Russia
Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky experienced profound spiritual transformation during four years of hard labor in Siberian prison, where only the New...
Faith Amidst the Armenian Genocide
1915-1923•🇹🇷Adapazar, Sakarya, Turkey
During the Armenian Genocide (1915-1923), young survivors like Mannig and Vartoughy experienced divine protection through miraculous rescue by Bedouins...
The Doctor Who Walked into Ebola and Found Grace
2014•🇸🇱Kenema, Sierra Leone
An infectious disease specialist from Johns Hopkins found faith in a Sierra Leone Ebola ward, singing "Amazing Grace" with a twelve-year-old patient and discovering that grace means being present when everything says leave.
Perpetua's Prison Diary: Earliest Female Christian Writing
🇹🇳Carthage, North Africa (modern Tunisia)
Young mother Perpetua found strength and peace in prison through faith, experiencing God's presence even facing martyrdom in 203 AD Carthage.
Faith Unshaken: Brother Yun's Through
1970s-1997•🇨🇳Zhengzhou, China
Brother Yun's powerful testimony of unwavering faith during imprisonment and torture in China, culminating in a miraculous prison escape through divine...
From Captive to Redeemed
1949•🇺🇸Los Angeles, USA
WWII POW Louis Zamperini found faith and healing from trauma at a 1949 Billy Graham crusade in Los Angeles, transforming his anger into forgiveness and...
Rachel Joy Scott's Impactful Faith
20 Apr 1999•🇺🇸Columbine High School, Littleton, Colorado, USA
Rachel Joy Scott's unwavering faith at Columbine High School inspired millions after she became the first victim of the 1999 massacre, leaving behind...
From Darkness to Redemption
2023•🇺🇸Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA
Louie Nappi's journey from heroin addiction to freedom through divine intervention and surrender to Jesus, leading to a transformed life and new purpose...
Healing in the Heart of Romania
1920s•🇷🇴Paulis, Arad County, Romania
God miraculously healed Gheorghe Bradin's wife from tuberculosis through prayer in 1920s Romania, launching the Pentecostal movement despite government...
Spurgeon's Transformation and Trials
1850s•🏴Colchester, Essex, England
Charles Spurgeon's dramatic conversion at 15 from despair to faith launched his legendary preaching ministry, showing how God can transform deep...
From Captivity to Advocacy
2020•🇺🇸Detroit, Michigan, USA
Theresa Flores overcame sex trafficking as a teenager through her Catholic faith, transforming from victim to advocate by founding S.O.A.P.
From Napalm to Forgiveness
1982•🇻🇳Trảng Bàng, Vietnam
Kim Phuc, the girl from the famous Vietnam War napalm photograph, found healing and forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ, transforming her from a...
Faith Unyielding: A Coptic Family's Legacy
Jan 2025•🇪🇬Minya, Egypt
A Coptic family in Egypt found strength through Jesus during a 2025 church attack, inspiring their community to rebuild with renewed faith and unity...
The Serbian Martyrs of Jasenovac
1941-1945•🇭🇷Jasenovac, Croatia (Yugoslavia)
Nearly 700,000 Serbian Orthodox Christians chose martyrdom over denying their faith during WWII at Jasenovac concentration camp.
Sabina Wurmbrand: Faith Unbroken Amidst Darkness
1950s•🇷🇴Romania
Sabina Wurmbrand's faith remained unshaken through three years in a Communist Romanian labor camp. She later co-founded Voice of the Martyrs.
Rachel Saint's Journey of Faith
1950s-1990s•🇪🇨Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador and Toñampare, Ecuador
Rachel Saint's extraordinary faith journey through tragedy to triumph among Ecuador's Waorani tribe, where God transformed a violent people into...
Faith Amid Persecution in Oman
2023•🇷🇴Muscat, Oman
Two Muslim converts in Oman find faith through divine dreams despite facing family rejection and living in secrecy.
The New Martyrs of Russia
1917-1991•🇷🇺Soviet Union (Russia)
Over 100,000 Russian Orthodox Christians chose martyrdom rather than deny their faith during Soviet persecution, with the Church canonizing over 1,000...
Faith Amidst Conflict in Colombia
2023•🇨🇴Colombia
Christian testimonies from Colombia reveal how God transforms lives amid violent persecution, including stories of forgiveness between massacre...
Samurai's Unyielding Faith in Christ
1615•🇵🇭Manila, Philippines
16th century samurai Justus Takayama Ukon chose exile and poverty over renouncing his Christian faith when Japan banned Christianity, demonstrating...
Forgiveness in the Face of Tragedy
1999-2015•🇮🇳Manoharpur, Odisha, India
After her missionary husband and two sons were murdered by extremists in India, Gladys Staines chose radical forgiveness over revenge, continuing their...
Andrae Crouch: Music and Miracles
1942-2015•🇺🇸Los Angeles, California, USA
Gospel legend Andraé Crouch overcame stuttering and dyslexia when God miraculously enabled him to play piano at age 11, launching a ministry that broke...
Maximilian Kolbe's Ultimate Sacrifice
1940s•🇵🇱Auschwitz, Oświęcim, Poland
Polish friar Maximilian Kolbe volunteered to die in place of another prisoner at Auschwitz, demonstrating Christ's love through ultimate sacrifice in 1941.
Father Arseny: Light in the Soviet Gulag
1930s-1950s•🇷🇺Soviet Gulag camps, Russia
Orthodox priest Father Arseny survived over 20 years in Soviet prison camps, leading fellow prisoners to faith through miraculous protection and...
Roma Downey
May 2023•🇬🇧Derry, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Roma Downey's testimony shows how God sustained her through losing both parents by age 20, then guided her from Northern Ireland to starring in 'Touched...
William Tyndale's Unyielding Mission
1536•🇧🇪Vilvoorde, Belgium
William Tyndale's unwavering faith led him to translate the Bible into English despite imprisonment and execution in 1536 Belgium.
Forgiveness Amidst Apartheid's Shadows
1990s•🇿🇦Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
Through South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission in the 1990s, families who lost loved ones during apartheid chose radical forgiveness over...
Richard Wurmbrand: Faith Unbroken in Darkness
1940s-1960s•🇷🇴Bucharest, București, Romania
Richard Wurmbrand was a Marxist atheist until a carpenter's witness converted him in 1938.
Faith Amidst Trials: A Hmong Journey
2023•Laos
Hmong Christians in Laos find healing and strength through severe persecution, including a boy healed of hernia, a tortured official sustained by faith,...
John Perkins' Journey of Reconciliation
2023•🇺🇸Mendenhall, Mississippi, United States
Born into poverty and racial segregation in 1930s Mississippi, John Perkins found faith through Romans 6:23 and returned to lead civil rights work...
From Doubter to Devoted Missionary
1850s•🇺🇸Malden, Massachusetts, USA
Adoniram Judson transformed from atheist to devoted missionary, overcoming imprisonment and loss to translate the Bible into Burmese and establish over...
Monica: Mother Whose Prayers Conquered
🇩🇿Thagaste, North Africa (modern Algeria)
Monica of Thagaste prayed for 17 years for her pagan husband and wayward son Augustine. Both eventually came to faith through her patient witness.
Faith Unbroken in Captivity
1948-1967•🇷🇴Bucharest, Romania
Romanian pastor Richard Wurmbrand endured 14 years of communist imprisonment and torture, maintaining unshakeable faith and love for his persecutors.
Faith and Sexuality United
2020s•🇱🇰Colombo, Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan doctor Patricia Weerakoon integrated her Christian faith with her career as a sexologist, showing how God's design for sexuality is both...
Forgiveness Amidst Unimaginable Loss
1994•🇷🇼Kigali, Rwanda
During the 1994 Rwandan genocide, Catholic Immaculée Ilibagiza found miraculous strength to forgive her family's killers through prayer and Scripture,...
From Rock Bottom to Redemption
2020s•🇺🇸Detroit, Michigan, USA
Rock star Alice Cooper found freedom from severe alcohol and drug addiction through faith in Jesus Christ, transforming from consuming two cases of beer...
Saint Maria Skobtsova: Love Unto Death
1940s•🇩🇪Paris, France and Ravensbruck, Germany
Saint Maria Skobtsova transformed from atheist to Orthodox nun who sacrificed her life saving Jewish families in Nazi-occupied Paris, dying in...
A Cuban Farmer's Faithfulness
1990s•🇨🇺Pinar del Rio, Cuba
A Cuban tobacco farmer remained faithful to Jesus through 40 years of communist persecution and economic hardship, holding secret prayer meetings and...
God Loves the Poor
1968-2024•🇵🇪Lima, Peru
Peruvian priest Gustavo Gutierrez developed liberation theology after serving Lima's poorest neighborhoods, showing how God's love transforms both...
A Christian Means One Belongs to Jesus
1983-1994•🇮🇷Iran
Iranian pastor Mehdi Dibaj boldly defended his faith before Islamic judges in 1993, choosing potential execution over denying Christ.
John Chrysostom: Golden Mouth Forged in Silence
🇸🇾Antioch, Syria (modern Turkey)
The greatest preacher in Eastern Christianity spent six years in desert silence before God transformed him into the eloquent 'Golden Mouth' who...
Faithful Archbishop of Courage
1970s•🇺🇬Northern Uganda, Uganda
Archbishop Janani Luwum stood courageously against Uganda's brutal dictator Idi Amin, preaching boldly despite deadly threats until his martyrdom in...
Forgiveness Among the Waorani
1950s•🇪🇨Ecuador
Elisabeth Elliot chose to forgive and live among the Waorani tribe who killed her missionary husband in Ecuador, leading to their transformation and...
22 Years Without a Bible
1958-1979•🇨🇳China (Beijing)
Chinese pastor Allen Yuan spent 22 years in prison without a Bible, enduring hard labor and persecution for refusing to join state-controlled church.
Courageous Faith Against Tyranny
1930s-1945•🇩🇪Berlin, Germany
Dietrich Bonhoeffer's testimony of courageous faith during Nazi Germany shows how God strengthened a pastor to resist tyranny, help Jews escape, and...
Helen Roseveare's Divine Transformation
1960s•🇨🇬Nebobongo, Democratic Republic of Congo
English missionary surgeon Helen Roseveare experienced God's presence and purpose through brutal captivity during Congo's 1964 rebellion, transforming...
Mr. T's Faith Journey
1995-2005 (primarily), with ongoing impact to present•🇺🇸Chicago, Illinois, United States
Actor Mr. T overcame T-cell lymphoma and transformed his life through faith in Jesus Christ, finding healing and purpose serving others after...
The President Who Knelt
1860s•🇺🇸Washington, District of Columbia, United States
President Abraham Lincoln's journey from religious skeptic to believer during the Civil War, finding faith through national tragedy and personal crisis...
Tortured for His Faith
1948-1961•Bulgaria
Bulgarian pastor Haralan Popov endured 13 years of torture in Communist prisons, finding God's grace sufficient in his darkest moments and continuing to...
Flannery O'Connor: The Habit of Being
1950s•🇺🇸Georgia, USA
Catholic writer Flannery O'Connor found God's grace through chronic illness in 1950s Georgia, transforming her suffering into powerful literature that...
William Cowper - From Despair to the Light of Christ
1764•🏴St Albans, England
In 1764, poet William Cowper found faith while reading Romans in a mental asylum after three suicide attempts. He later wrote beloved hymns with John Newton.
From Chemistry to Christ
1920s-1940s•🇨🇳Hong Chek Village, Fujian Province, China
Chinese chemist John Sung experienced a powerful spiritual awakening at Union Theological Seminary in 1927, transforming from academic pursuits to...
Faith Under Fire: Andrew Brunson's Testimony
2018•🇹🇷Izmir, Turkey
American pastor Andrew Brunson was imprisoned in Turkey for two years on false terrorism charges, but God sustained his faith through intense suffering...
Courage in the Face of Death
1941•🇵🇱Auschwitz, Oświęcim, Poland
St. Maximilian Kolbe demonstrated ultimate love and faith by volunteering to die in place of another prisoner at Auschwitz in 1941.
John Rogers: First Flame of the Marian
1500•🏴London, England
John Rogers, Cambridge-educated priest, met William Tyndale and embraced Reformed faith. He completed the first English Bible printed with royal authorization.
Faith Amidst Persecution in the Andes
1980s-1990s•🇵🇪Ayacucho, Andes, Peru
During Peru's violent Shining Path era in the 1980s-90s, Christians in the Andes found unwavering faith amid brutal persecution, with believers...
Watchman Nee's Faithful Stand
1903-1972•🇨🇳Shantou, Guangdong, China
Watchman Nee's powerful testimony of faith under persecution in 20th century China, where he remained faithful to Christ despite 20 years of...
From Atheism to Faithful Witness
1930s-2000s•🇷🇴Bucharest, Romania
Richard Wurmbrand's powerful journey from atheism to faith in Romania, enduring 14 years of Communist torture and imprisonment while maintaining...
Get the Doxa app to explore all 377 testimonies about through suffering
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jesus still doing incredible things today?
Yes! Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The Grace Record contains testimonies from believers in Jesus spanning from the early church to today. These are real stories of God's faithfulness, the power of Jesus, and the work of the Holy Spirit across generations and around the world.
Are there testimonies of through suffering?
Yes. The Grace Record contains 377 testimonies of through suffering through faith in Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. 246 are from the modern era (2000-present).
How can I share my testimony of what Jesus has done?
Download Doxa to submit your testimony of what Jesus has done in your life to The Grace Record. Your story of God's faithfulness can encourage other believers facing similar situations and demonstrate the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit.
God is still doing amazing things around the world
The Grace Record is a growing archive of testimonies demonstrating God's faithfulness across generations. On Doxa, you can explore testimonies, save stories for encouragement, and record your own testimony to strengthen others.
“I shall remember the deeds of the Lord; surely I will remember Your wonders of old.”
Psalm 77:11