SID: And I have to ask you this, could you have survived this trauma, this ordeal you went through, without being so built up in your spirit from praying and supernatural languages in tongues? Could you have?
LINDA: No, I don’t think so. I believe I had been prepared, my heart was prepared, my spirit was prepared, it was built up, it was enabled, and it was empowered at that moment that I needed it. And then because I had that power and because I had that grace, I was able to move on.
SID: It says, we pray mysteries in the spirit.
LINDA: Yes.
SID: You prayed all of this into being for such a divine purpose. After 24 years in prison, Linda and her husband picked Ray up when he was released. Ray will be with us when we return.
We’ll be right back to It’s Supernatural.
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We now return to It’s Supernatural.
SID: Now when this program ends, we have a special extended segment that I know you’re going to want to see. So at the end of the program, just log on to the website to watch because this extended segment, it will be life-changing for you.
SID: Now I’m here with Linda Markowitz and with Ray Ciaramaglia. And Ray was in prison, it was a drug-related crime for murdering your daughter. The grace of God came on you to become his mother.
SID: I have to ask you, even before you went to prison, after this drug-related crime occurred, you wanted to commit suicide. What did you do?
RAY: I put a loaded .45 in my mouth. Not once, but three times. It wouldn’t fire. I tried to fire it. I pulled it out and it fired. I put in my mouth, it wouldn’t fire.
SID: Excuse me, when you fired it in your mouth, it wouldn’t fire. And then you’d take that same gun and put it toward the ground and pulled the trigger and it fires?
RAY: It fired.
SID: Three times?
Ray Ciaramaglia: Three times. Three times it fired. I thought, “This is impossible.” How can I… I kept hearing, “No, no, no.” I said, “Yes, it’s going to happen. If I don’t do it myself, I’ll commit suicide by a cop. I’ll pull a gun on a cop and let him shoot me to death.” God said, “No.”
Ray Ciaramaglia: I said, “Yeah, it’s going to happen.” But it didn’t happen because towards the end, when the cops were coming and the officer pulled in in his cruiser, I took the gun and stuck it underneath my shirt, but there was no bullets in the gun. I already threw those in the creek. I already got rid of anything—
SID: So you were really going to commit suicide another way?
RAY: Yes.
LINDA: One way or the other.
RAY: Yes. One way or the other, I was going to be dead.
LINDA: Right.
RAY: I deserved it.
LINDA: Right.
RAY: But God said, “No. I have a different plan for you. I have a plan that you can’t even imagine. You’ll touch many lives. I’ll touch many lives through you if you’re willing to be the instrument of my love.” And that’s what it was. Pure, straight love.
SID: Now this happened on Mother’s Day, remember? And Linda, do you remember? Was going home and pulled into a little convenience store. Didn’t have a need to. She just pulled in and prayed in tongues.
LINDA: Right.
SID: That was the same time he could not commit suicide.
LINDA: Exactly. And we’ve talked about this. Apparently, it is the exact same convenience store where he turned himself into the police. Yeah. Yeah. He turned himself into the police there.
SID: I’ll tell you, I could just sit in the presence of God coming out of both of you right now. Can you guys feel what I feel?
LINDA: Absolutely. Absolutely.
SID: Now, Linda’s letter that went to you initially and Linda’s contact with you over those 24 years, what difference did it make in reference to your salvation?
RAY: It was like Jesus was talking through her. Like Jesus wrote that letter to me and I cried the whole way through the letter. I cried every time I read it. I’m sorry I gave it to my attorney because she never gave it back.
RAY: I would carry that letter in my pocket for the rest of my life if I had it. But I have it in my heart because I know what Mom said. She’s every bit my mom as if she gave birth to me and I’m so grateful.
RAY: But that letter changed my life because I wouldn’t have accepted Christ. I wouldn’t have. It wouldn’t have happened, but he was showing me, “I’m right here”. It was like he had his hands around me. He was holding me. He said, “I have you. You’re safe. I love you. Come to me. Come to me.” And I did. And it was the best thing I ever did. And he has done nothing but widen and lengthen and heighten my life in ways I still can’t… I’m thrilled and I’m grateful. I’m truly grateful.
