Joy Unspeakable: A Testimony of Love, Redemption, and Healing

Going to church once a month and on the special holidays, and telling everyone I'm a Christian makes me a Christian. Right?

That was me.

Suffering from anxiety and crying every night -- or anytime I got alone -- was the norm. I always tried to surround myself with others, whether it was roommates, friends, or (as silly as it sounds) just people at the gym.

From the outside looking in, I had what seemed like a lot of "friends." I had outward "happiness." No one would have ever known what I struggled with except those closest to me. I was lost, hurt, and lonely. 

One of the major things that I had going for me was modeling. A career in that field was truly starting to fly open for me, and many doors were being opened in that direction.

It was a distraction.

It kept my mind occupied and was something I enjoyed in the moment. I liked the attention I felt it gave me. But where was God in all of this?

It seemed like I had it all. . . . Yet I was still having anxiety attacks nightly, shaking, and unable to breathe from crying so hard.

"Why am I so sad?" and "There must be something wrong with me" were thoughts that constantly went through my mind.

I thought I had my life planned out the way I thought it should go, but God had bigger plans. 

Two years ago, my mother and I walked into a church service (that I did NOT want to be in). It was a two-hour drive, a last-minute decision. We went only because my grandmother was so consistent with asking us to attend a service in the great revival they were having.

The moment we sat in the service, I saw a man (who I did not know was the preacher at the time), and I looked over at my grandmother and said, "Grandmother, is that the preacher?" He struck my curiosity instantly.

It was a service I will never forget. The message "I'm Just Not For Sale" was preached. It was a word from God, and I knew it was straight to me.

I remember the conviction that swept over me; by the end of the service, I was at the altar in tears. I distinctly remember the preacher sitting directly above the altar where I was. He was praying right in front of me, never leaving the whole time I was there. There were women of the church also sitting by my side as I gave God everything I had, and in that altar call, God baptized me with the Holy Ghost.

After the service ended, a lady in the church came up to me and told me that the preacher had requested to meet me. They brought me to him, we introduced ourselves to each other, and we had a brief conversation for about two minutes.

As soon as I finished, I hurried to where my grandmother was and told her, "Grandmother! I just met my future husband!" She quickly quieted me down, as others around could hear, and at the time it was very bold to be blurting out!

I was happy, to say the least.

My mother and I drove back two hours the next night to hear Rev. Cody Fedrick preach for the second time. Another powerful move of God took place. After the service, I was invited to eat with the pastor, his wife, and the evangelist. I got to conversate more that night with Bro. Fedrick, and I found out he only lived twenty minutes away from me, when we had been driving two hours a night, one way, to hear him preach.

He introduced me to his home church, Pine Grove Pentecostal Church (PGPC), which is where my mother and I started to attend. He started teaching me Bible studies and how to pray, and our relationship grew from there. 

During a special service at PGPC, my now home church, the guest preacher began preaching on miracles, and God healed me completely of something the doctors told me would never leave my body.

Afterward, I wanted to test if I was really healed, and I quit taking my medication. I've never experienced pain in that area of my body again! God is a healer!

A couple of months went by, and I found out that in that first revival service I attended, when I had walked through the doors, God had spoken to Bro. Fedrick and said, "She's the one." Bro. Fedrick had then told the pastor that if I prayed through, he was going to marry me.

One year after receiving the Holy Ghost and attending PCPG, I married Rev. Cody Fedrick. I now get to travel with my husband full-time and help others who are the same way I was. Since we've been evangelizing together, I've gotten to see so many souls filled with the Holy Ghost and baptized in Jesus' name, one of those being my baby brother. 

Knowing God and having that special relationship with Him has changed my life forever. The whole time I was looking for fulfillment in people, activities, and places when in reality, no one could fill the emptiness inside but God! All the hurt, daily anxiety, and loneliness are now replaced with joy unspeakable, peace, and love. 

I hope that through sharing this testimony a reader in need of more and experiencing emptiness inside will turn to our Almighty God. 

God bless!

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Chelsea Fedrick, 22, travels full-time with her wonderful evangelist husband, Rev. Cody Fedrick. She is from Mississippi and based out of Pine Grove Pentecostal Church (PGPC). Chelsea's passions are soul-winning and showing God's love. She enjoys traveling, coffee shops, and family. Follow Chelsea on Instagram at @_chelseafedrick.