Faith A testimonial of John Tanner

I have been fishing since I was 3 years old and as a child I was fortunate enough to grow up in a fishing family. I went fishing with my Dad and both sets of grandparents and developed a love for the outdoors that has never left me. As I grew older I fished every time I had the chance and by the time I was in my 20’s, I realized that I was blessed with the gift of being able to catch fish and started fishing some local tournaments. I went to church as I grew up with my parents and knew who God was.

I had slipped away from church for a few years and really thought I had it going on. I was winning quite a few club tournaments and had even started guiding some. I left the Job I had at the time and started a small landscape business so I could set my own schedule around my guide trips. As time passed I starting to feel the pressure of running the landscape business and the guide service as they both began to grow. I did not know which way to turn. The landscape side was booming but something was pulling at me to fish for a living. I would fight it and fight it. I was miserable and also living alone after a being involved in a terrible relationship. On the outside it looked like I was doing great but on the inside I was a basket case. There was a big hole within me that I could not fill not even with all of the so called success I was having. I couldn’t understand it. Everything was going great but there was still this emptiness inside.

In the house I was living in at the time I saw a bible setting up on the book case above the TV that I was watching one evening. I had this overwhelming feeling to get up and get it. I did and that night my life was changed forever. As I held it in my hands I had a peace come over me that was so awesome. All of the stress and anxiety I had been suffering for so long left me. I opened Gods precious word and the page I first looked at was Matthew 6:25-34. It says, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. In verse 27 it says “Who of you buy worrying can add a single hour to his life”. And in verse 31-34 it says “ So do not worry, saying , what shall we eat?, what shall we drink?, or “ what shall we wear?. For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. NIV.

You see, God was pulling at me to break away and use the gift he had given me to glorify him and spread the word to others. I could feel it but I didn’t have enough faith to go for it. What if I didn’t make it ? What if I went broke? I was worried about it . That night as I read the bible God answered my prayers as I asked him to show me the way. He did and I knew then if I had faith and trusted my life to him that he would take care of me no matter what. I prayed that night before I even opened that bible and that passage of scripture was the first thing I saw. How awesome is that! God was speaking to me through his Word. This was the beginning of a new life for me. I had a feeling like I had never had before. I knew it was time to give my life over to him. So that night in the den of that old house I prayed to God and asked him to forgive me of my sins and to come into my heart and give me eternal life. I also asked God to bring me a companion and a friend. The burden had been lifted and I was free. The weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. The bible says if we ask forgiveness of our sins and ask Jesus to come into our hearts and we surrender our lives to him that he will cleanse us of our sins and we will have eternal life. I knew it was OK to go ahead and fish for a living . It would take some time as I worked my way out of the landscape business., but I knew it was going to be OK because God made it clear to me that it was what he wanted me to do. God was in control now, He was guiding my steps and blessing me along the way.

He sent me a friend and companion too. Robin my wonderful and beautiful wife came along at the perfect time. We dated for 1½ years and then were married. People thought I was crazy. I was told that I was not being very smart by letting go of such a lucrative landscape business and to pursue a career in the fishing industry. But I told them that God would provide for us because I was doing it for Him. He opened my eyes to a huge group of people that did not know about Jesus. There were tons of people around the lake who were lost and it was my job to tell them about what God has done in my life.

On the day of one of the last landscape jobs I had scheduled, God confirmed to me again that he was in control of my life and he wanted me to be a fisher of men in the fishing world. I was driving to the job, pulling a big trailer full of landscape equipment. In the distance I saw a truck coming towards me that was coming over in my lane on the two lane road I was driving on. The truck came over in my lane all the way twice and then straightened up. That got my attention. Then about ¼ mile out the truck came over into my lane again , this time he remained in my lane. On my right there was a big drive way coming up with a huge concrete culvert. I knew it was trouble. Then it all went into slow motion, it was like a dream and I said to God, I am with you, I am with you. Then the oncoming truck swerved over a little and we collided. He caught me just behind the driver door and took the side of the truck and completely destroyed the trailer I was pulling. If he would have been over 6 inches I would have taken a head on full blow from his truck that was going better than 70mph (according to the state trooper). I walked away with just a sprained neck and some sore muscles in my back. It was clear to me that God wasn’t finished with me yet here on earth and I had a job to do for him.

All of the people I knew around the lake, other fishing guides and even my customers were going to be my mission field. It has been a growing process with God shaping and molding me along the way. It has been a journey of faith building experiences for my whole family. We have totally depended on God for everything since then. We put our trust in Him and he provides all our needs. He has blessed me with a wonderful wife and three beautiful children to support me.
God has also put me into another arena for witnessing to others besides the guide business. I had slowly been working my way up the tournament circuit ladder and then an opportunity came along to fish the FLW Tour after competing in the Stren Series events for a few years. I fished the FLW the first year with the help of some friends and a past sponsor. I won enough the first year to keep going and finish out the year. I re-qualified for the next season but did not have the means to do it. I talked with my wife about it and we just gave it up to God. We prayed for Him to provide the way if He wanted me to fish the Tour and do His Kingdom work while I was out there. And if He didn’t want me to go, we prayed for him to slam the door shut.

One week before the deposits were due for the upcoming season I got an email from a customer, he had fished with me on a guided trip here at Lake Fork a few days before. He said in his email that he was looking on the FLW website and saw where I did pretty good my first year on tour. He said that he and his wife had discussed it and that they wanted to help out and make sure that I got to fish the Tour in the upcoming season. I was speechless. God had answered my prayers and made it clear again to me on the direction he wanted me to go. I was pumped, I couldn’t wait to get out there and share what God had done in my life and tell others who crossed my path about Jesus. He is the way and the truth and the light. If you are not sure about your eternal destiny, you can be. We are not promised another day on this earth. Life is very fragile and can come to an end at any time. If you would like to have eternal life or if you are a Christian and would like to re-dedicate your life to Christ, Pray this prayer.

”Dear heavenly Father, I know I am a sinner. I ask forgiveness of my sins. Please come into my heart and give me eternal life. I give my life to you and I believe Jesus died for my sins and rose again. John 3:16 says that, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life” NIV.

If you prayed this prayer God Bless You. Find a bible based church in your area and begin your journey as a Christian. Read the bible daily, it is our rule book for life while we are here on this earth. Jesus loves you and wants the best for you. In Jeremiah 29:11-12 NIV it says “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord,” plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

You clicking on and reading this faith link is no accident or coincidence. If you feel something tugging at you right now that is the Holy Spirit ! Pray the prayer and change your life. Let God have it all. He is faithful and will deliver you from all of your troubles. Romans 6:23 sums it up for all of us. It says, “For the wages of sin is death (hell), but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (heaven) NIV. You can change it all right now!

God Bless and Good Fishing,
John and Robin Tanner