Hi, My name is Maureen Schankweiler and my husband is Bob Schankweiler. We have been members of CCS since the very beginning. This is a love story of how we both came to Love Jesus and how he changed our lives. It all started in April of 1989. My niece Heather received an invite to attend Easter Sunday service at Christian Family Fellowship in Plantation. So, my niece and I attended. It was a wonderful service and Pastor Gary and Cathy were the main two persons of the church. I continued to attend services each week and I was greeted by friendly people with smiles which made me feel welcomed and not alone. Each week I became more and more interested in the Church and Jesus.
I was here in Florida by myself my husband Bob was in NY and finally moved down to Florida in 1991. Each week when I got dressed for church I asked Bob to come with me and he answered no. Finally one Sunday, Bob surprised me and said he would come with me. After the service he understood why I was addicted to attending. Bob also became attached to CCS. One Sunday during service I just fell in Love with Jesus and I asked him to come into my heart. In April, 1991 I was baptised. My life has not been the same since. Bob also was baptized in 1992. During one of the services Mike and Pam Rozelle were at church and gave a demonstration of how to accept Jesus in your heart. That day Bob stood up and gave his heart to Jesus.
Then the members of church started to increase weekly so Pastor Gary and Kathy made the decision to move the location of our church. We moved to State Road 84, East of 136 Avenue. It was an exciting time for us all. Everyone helped to clean up the building, painted, hung the huge sign with the new name Calvary Chapel Plantation. Once again the opening day was Easter Sunday.
During the past 22 years Bob and I had many difficulities including brain surgery for Bob, carpal surgery on both hands for me, I had an auto accident where the person who hit me at 140mph died at the scene. I was at work and the office chair I was sitting on broke out from under me and I dislocated my left shoulder, had surgery and had global nerve damage from my neck to my finger tips, my arm was paralyzed. The doctor’s told me that my arm would probably not return to full function. Well, Bob and I prayed to Jesus for complete healing of my arm and yes, my arm was healed by Jesus completely and everyday I raise my left arm praising the Lord for all the blessings, healing and good health he has given to Bob and I.
Many of our friends ask how is it with all that we go through we always seem to land on feet. My answer to them is simple, it’s not our feet we stand on, Jesus lifts us up, heals us and carry’s us through all the difficult times. More recently I was diagnosed with uterian cancer. I had surgery and now I am going through chemo therapy and radiation. Once again, Jesus is carrying me through this day by day, week by week, month by month.
During all of the difficult times Bob and I have been through, Jesus has been right there beside us all the way. We look forward in celebrating the good news of my complete healing from Jesus. We know that all things are possible through Jesus!
The support Bob and I received from Pastor Gary, the staff members, the meal team, Pastor Bill and Bonnie Kinney, Pastor Pete and many more was amazing. We knew we were not alone. CCS and the staff has made this difficult time bearable with their love, prayers, calls, meals and simply letting us know they were there for us and we were not alone.
Bob and I were married 25 years and Pastor Gary and Kathy attended and Pastor Gary honored us by conducting and renewing our vows. All I can say is that our lives have changed since we asked Jesus to enter our hearts.
People tell me including my brother who is not a believer, he can see Jesus in me by all I do in helping others and how Bob and I worship and love Jesus. Jesus never let’s us down. Jesus is there in every circumstance of our lives. We are blessed and honored being family members of Calvary Chapel Sawgrass for 22 years. We are so proud in all the work that CCS does in the community, in Africa, with the youths, helping people in need and reaching out with the word of Jesus to everyone. Congratulations CCS for 20 outstanding years and we look forward in receiving the word of Lord from Pastor Gary for many more years. Blessings to everyone one at CCS.
- Maureen & Bob Schankweiler
