Over the years, many guest speakers have touched the lives of students through their messages during weekly chapels on campus. Their testimonies and God given trials have been used to change campus students’ lives.

J.D. England gave his story of how his faith remains strong despite his paralyzed condition in a special chapel on Dec. 4.

“My strength continues to grow strong with showing people my joy,” England said. “My faith continues to get stronger each time I see people laughing at the jokes I tell.”

With his joy and happiness, he made the perfect guest speaker for the students.

“I have known him for a long time from church,” Scott Falk, campus pastor, said. “I had heard him speak and knew the students would like him.”

With words of humor and truth about the love of Christ, he created a message the students loved.

“I liked the comedy,” David Tusan, ’07, said. “And seeing how even though he is handicapped, he is still happy.”

Students saw the strength he had as he expressed his humor about a life of being disabled.

“It was great how he can still find humor past his disabilities,” Whitney Ensom, ’05, said. “He can still be happy even though his life was changed by a tragedy.”

Teachers were pleased with the outcome of the chapel and the effect it had on the students.

“I thought he was funny,” Molly Sargent, English teacher, said. “He was good for entertaining the students and if they wanted something funny he would be good for having back.”

Students would like England to speak again and it appears teachers would like to see him return as well.

“I am thinking about having him back,” Falk said. “He really got through to the students the way I wanted him to and the teachers gave a positive response as well.”

To contact England for speaking engagements or further questions, he can be reached at 696-1937 for more information.