My Testimony

By:  Ken Zimmerman

            I became incarcerated on August 16, 2009.  I was “born again” at a very early age. I was raised Catholic, at church every Sunday whether I wanted to go or not, and Catechism every Tuesday night.  My brother and I were altar boys for two years. 

            Before and even now while being incarcerated, I have been a vessel for the Lord, as in getting His Word out, especially to our two kids who are adults now.  Since they moved away, I pray that they both are still attending church as both were involved tremendously when they still lived at home. 

            In my life, I have always asked the Lord for His direction on whatever issues I had.  If I ignored his direction, I would always end up enraged over something I had no control over. So, I sit back, breath in and out deeply, and pray things will turn out okay.

            When I was younger, I rode in the rodeo every weekend.  I would pray while “gearing up” that I would not get hurt, but in the mid-1980s I had my lower mandible (jaw) broken off.  The only thing holding it on was my tongue.  I had lost several teeth.  It took 14 hours to put my face back together and then I wired up for almost two years.

            My best friends were my two 12-speed blenders, but I burned up the first one.  My weight went down from 190 to 117 pounds within a year.  The “power shakes” were all I could consume.  I could not even brush my teeth because the areas where the breaks were hurt so bad that even the headaches woke me up every morning.

            Every day I prayed that the Lord would help me get through that day without any pain.  I would pray that I would not roll over on my face when I tried to sleep.  The Lord has helped me immensely on all sorts of problems I have had.

            After a three-year hiatus I went back to the rodeo.  This time I wore a helmet with a face-cage, but that threw my head all around and so I had to wear a Styrofoam neck brace.  After doing that for a year, I felt comfortable without it on, but the Kevlar vests were mandatory.

            I would pray constantly that I could survive yet another day pain free.  In 1999, I was in the finals in Reno in the change-out room.  Everyone had a huge prayer circle.  You could feel the energy, I loved it.

            On my turn, I got knocked out on the third jump face down on the ground.  I had 2,200 lbs. jump on my back.  I woke up in Reno hospital.  My back was broken.  I got in my truck, and a friend drove me all the way home.  I prayed and cried.

            I had to get my back operated on.  My right leg was paralyzed.  I could walk.  I prayed every day for each breath I took, for each step I took.  I exercised every day to keep things moving and pain free.

            The Lord has helped me so much in my life.  I thank the Lord every morning when I wake up. 

            At any time in your lives, find a quiet place to pray.  Reflect on how the Lord can help you every day in any situation; and as you proceed each day, realize how things have changed in a positive way with the Lord by your side, step by step.

Amen,

Kenneth Zimmerman