The Kinders Would Like You To Know A Little About Them: 

   My name is John Kinder, and I am a Born Again Child of God.  It is always a privilege to share my testimony with others, not that I’m proud of anything I’ve done but because I like to brag on what God has done in spite of me. 
   I was born July 22, 1953, the middle of three sons to Ernest and Cora Kinder.  I was blessed with parents that did everything in their power to teach me good moral and spiritual principals. 
I was introduced to a loving God as a child, although I refused to accept Him. 
As a young child my mom says that I was sweet and witty, but of course she is my mom. 
   Looking back as far as I can remember, I see where from a very young age I was rebellious.
I never really appreciated the things or opportunities that came my way.  I remember being strong willed and often in conflict with those around me.  This attitude kept me in trouble quite a bit. 
   I had the occasion to experience the effects of alcohol when I was about fourteen and right away I knew that alcohol was going to be a part of my life.  I never dreamed that it would dominate, dictate and all but destroy my life. 
   In high school I drank as often as I could get away with it.  Somehow I managed not to get into any serious trouble and to graduate.  Right out of high school I got a job with a construction company working out of state.  Once I was away from home I proceeded to drink and use drugs more often. It is nothing short of a miracle that my story didn’t end right here. 
   After a couple of years on the road I was able to put my drinking and drug use a side. 
I came back to Mount Airy tried to settled down and live a more sane life.  I went to work with the Mount Airy Police Department.  I married Nancy my wife of 35 years.  She had two sons and she and I had a son together.  It would seem that my life was going rather well.   However, I had started drinking more often.  My rebellious, self willed and self centered characteristics were beginning to influence my life more and more and I became restless irritable and discontent.  
I ended up leaving law enforcement and going into business for myself.  Even though my business life was successful my personal and family life was rapidly falling apart. 
I was drinking daily and using a number of drugs on a regular basis.  I was abusing my family, mostly emotionally and mentally. I had become a full blown alcoholic and addict and I didn’t even know it. There were the blackouts, wrecks, DUI, conflicts with family, friends and even total strangers.  My life was full of frustration, resentment, shame, remorse and yes another drink. 
   On Monday night August 13, 1990, I came home as usual, drunk and high.  An argument took place and but for the grace a God, that night in a drunken rage I would have killed my family. 
It seemed that like a volcano all the frustrations and resentments of a life built on self will came flowing out in anger, violence and rage.  My family escaped, and I found myself setting there completely, and absolutely alone. 
   In the story of the Prodigal son, Luke 15:17 the Bible says it this way “And when he came to himself”,  I know exactly what that means, because sitting there all alone that night looking at the mess I had made of my life, “I came to myself."  I suddenly realized that I was at the end of myself.  My mother came to my house that night and she prayed for me.  Her prayer in part was “Dear Lord, please open a door that my son might escape from the bondage that he is in.” In the days that followed God did indeed open a door in my life.  I found help for my addiction in a group of people, who like myself had been in bondage to addiction.  Then on May 11, 1991 Mothers Day weekend at a Spiritual Retreat for addicts and alcoholics, the Lord opened yet another door and allowed me to escape from the bondage of sin, as I accepted Him as my Lord and Savior.  
As the result of God’s grace and mercy, my life today is far removed from that place of bondage.   My terrible past has become my most valuable resource. 
   Over the past 12 years, I have been blessed to sing Southern Gospel music and share my experience, strength and hope with thousands of people throughout the eastern United States.  God mended my life, and my family.  I’ve seen my wife, all my children and grandchildren saved.  God has provided me with a job working in a good environment with some great folks.
   In addition to those and so many other blessings, God currently allows me to pastor Charity Baptist Church in Lowgap, NC.  In my case there is no doubt that God’s word is true when it says in II Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

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   My name is Nancy Kinder and like my husband, John I am also a Born Again Child of God.     First of all let’s get one thing out of the way, that picture of me is terrible and is not by my choice.   I was born November 23, several years ago to Raleigh and Daisy Williams.   I was raised in a small community by very loving parents.  Although we didn’t attend church regularly, there was always a lot of love in our house.  I was one on nine children but lost one of my sisters when she was four years old.  My Daddy was a tobacco farmer and in later years became a custodian at our local school.  Daddy taught us love and compassion.  My Mother was a housewife who did not believe in fighting among her children. We were poor but always had plenty. I really can’t remember a lot about my childhood except that our daddy was the rock of our family   I can remember in the fall after selling our tobacco Daddy would take us to town to buy our school clothes for the next year.  Also in the Winter we burnt wood for heat and I remember Daddy getting me up in the morning and hugging me at the stove and putting my shoes on so that I would be warm.   Daddy went on to be with the Lord on October 18, 1998.  He had been sick for several months prior to being diagnosed with brain cancer in August 1998.  I remember bringing him home from the hospital that day and he said “Nancy I have something to tell you, the Lord spoke to me one night a while back and told me that I was going to die.”   I didn’t know what to say and we both just cried.  

   No matter how much I miss him, I find comfort in knowing that he is in Heaven. God gave us the chance to show him how much we loved him and also that we needed to love one another.  When he was diagnosed with cancer one of the 8 children stayed night and day with Daddy.      We got the chance to see a little of Heaven through our Daddy’s eyes.  Hospice had come in to be with us and explained some of the things that were happening to Daddy.  Daddy became weak and sometimes in a partial coma.  Daddy would reach his hands up like he was reaching for something and sometimes he would talk to us.  One day my sister was sitting beside his bed and he was reaching up in the air and talking about how pretty it was there.  My sister began asking him questions and Daddy told her that he was in the most beautiful house and there was a little girl there with him.  He said that he sure would love to own this place.  We both knew he was talking about heaven and that the little girl was our sister.     As long as I can remember there was music in our house.  When all the children were together we would end up around the piano singing.  Daddy loved Gospel music, his favorite song was “Where Could I Go But To The Lord”.  One night about a week before Daddy died, he was laying in his hospital bed in his room and we were all in the living room around the piano singing.  Daddy started trying to get out of the bed.   My brothers got him out of bed and brought him into the living room and he began singing his song.  He was so weak he could hardly make a sound but his mouth moved to every word.   Daddy kept holding on and we could not understand why.  We were there with him when he got so bad, but it seemed he just couldn’t let go.  My Mother had had a stroke in 1990 and she just couldn’t seem to understand what was happening to Daddy.  She wanted him to get up and wait on her, which he had done for 8 years.  Mama just couldn’t seem to let him go.  My oldest sister sat down with Mama one day and explained that she needed to talk to Daddy and tell him that she would be alright and not to worry about her.  Mama did and 3 days later Daddy died.     Although I miss Daddy very much I know that he is with the Lord in a beautiful house with my sister on his lap.   I know I would not have such peace and comfort without God in my life and that one day I will see my Daddy again.     I share this story with you because I wanted to show you a little glimpse of Heaven through my Daddy’s eyes.   God has truly blessed me since July 12, 1998 when I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior.      
I have a husband who loves me, 3 boys and 8 grandchildren, who I truly love and a Mansion in Heaven

God Bless

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   My Name Is Scott Wilson And My Story Is Coming: