Current mood: thankful
Category: Life
I am extremely blessed to have this opportunity to share my testimony and I thank you for taking the time to read it. This may be long but please keep reading. I am so excited to be able to share this with you.
It all really began when my sister Holly came to know the Lord. I could see the transformation that had happened in her life but I would do nothing more than scoff at her and ridicule her. There was a time I told her to "Save it for Sunday School." I remember the empty days as they passed one by one. I would do different things to see if there would be any fulfillment but after each attempt, I would see more of my need for something I never knew existed. And that was...purpose.
It wasn't so much that I was bored and needed a new trend to pull me through another chapter of my life. Deep down, I always knew there was a God and thought I had already been given eternal life because Jesus died for my sins. I remember thinking "Well, the only reason I feel doing these things is wrong is because my sister pointed her finger at me and told me it was wrong". What a poor excuse to continue living the way I did. I would drink, swear, lie, smoke, put myself before anything else in my life and didn't care how it impacted me. In reality it was God that convicted me of my sins...not Holly.
I remember when we had the Bird Flu scare in 2006. I worried so much about what would happen if it got here. What would happen to my son? What about my family? What about me? I would spend sleepless nights pondering the thoughts of death and what happens after this life. That's all I could think about. My sister tried telling me about God even then and I refused to listen. There were many mishaps between my sister and I and to this day I regret being the way I was. However, I can't change the past but I can warn you so that you no longer make the same mistake I did. It's refusing to listen to those who share faith in Jesus.
One day, my sister called and told me that she would be visiting the upcoming weekend with her friend Angie and her 6 month old son, Abe. Holly met Angie at the Church of Acts in Waukesha, Wi. I was happy to meet Angie also. I remember the day they arrived and pulled into my driveway in Angie's van. They made plans to stay at the Holiday Inn in Neenah which is also where my wedding reception was held when it was called the Valley Inn. It was a gorgeous day on April 14th, 2006 (Good Friday). We first stopped at the hotel to unpack and then we decided to go to a waterfront park nearby. I remember that day so vividly. It was sunny, warm and breezy. Holly, Christian (our little bro), Brandon and Abe went off to play as Angie and I sat on the swings, chatting away. I was so comfortable and happy just being away from the house. Angie marveled at how cool and collected I was that day. Was rare! After the park, we went to the hotel to eat and then got ready to go swimming. It was mainly us 6 in the pool. I remember Holly and Angie talking amongst themselves about Jesus and how they anxiously await His return. We were in the big pool at this time and I was circling around them being strangely tuned into what they were discussing. I wanted to feel whatever it was they were feeling because I could sense the excitement as they spoke of Jesus' return. Christian was pretending to be a shark chasing after me, but that didn't stop me from listening to Holly and Angie. That was also quite rare for me.
When we all decided to go in to the hot tub, Angie started asking me if I thought I would go to heaven and I said I wasn't sure, probably not. I then opened up about myself, and shared concerns and questions that were brewing up inside of me. Not only that but something had clicked. I just spilled myself out basically. I mean, I have been prayed with at churches growing up and thinking I was already saved, but didn't know too much about what it meant to actually be saved (born-again). I told Angie how badly I wanted to change. I didn't want to be bitter or selfish anymore. I didn't want to fear death. I wanted to clean up my mouth and my life. I needed help! My heart was upside down.
First, I am like a fish slowly circling around some bait. Soon, I am caught and being reeled in, fighting, struggling but can't break away no matter how I tried. Suddenly, I give up and my tail flaps, flaps...stops. You can picture a fish after you catch one when you go fishing. That is how this was for me at that very moment.
Angie offered to pray with me. At this point, we are just about to get the hook out of my mouth. Angie grabbed my hands and began praying with me. The words she spoke were beautiful. Little did I know, it was God, the Holy Spirit. I remember sinking into the thick mucky dirt and the feeling of strong sturdy hands taking mine and pulling me free. I was in tears! I was calm and was feeling something deep, real, an unexplainable joy. I was saved! You may be wondering how I knew I was saved, but when you surrender your all to the Lord and accept Him as your Savior...you just know! However, it may take others longer to really see things as clearly as I did. My tears were the symbol of rain being poured onto my soul. Who knew, but our Lord Jesus, that I would be saved while in a hot tub? Brandon and I ended up staying that night at the hotel so we could visit more and we all had such a great time.
I remember going home and everything being different which was really strange to me at the time. I received a card in the mail from Angie the following week. I remember questioning things, perhaps the enemy was trying to get at me but he lost. I was won over by the grace of God. It took prayer and patience to understand the Bible. I went through trials to discover where God wanted me but I grew through it all. I was baptised in the Bark River in Waukesha through the Church of Acts on June 11th 2006. I am so blessed to be where I am in life and thank God daily for all the blessings He has given to me.
Here are some Bible verses I find to be very special and close to my heart along with all of God's Holy and precious Word:
Jesus says in Matthew 18:20 "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them". The three that were gathered that day were Holly, Angie and I. God's presence was made known. How faithful His word is!
In Matthew 4:19 And Jesus saith unto them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men". Just how real is this verse? Just like a fish I was caught and slowly reeled in putting up a struggle but finally giving in.
John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." I love this verse and wanted to share it.
Also, I was seeking for purpose in this world. When I was faced with Jesus through the conversation Holly and Angie were having, I wanted to know more. Luke 11:9-10 says "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened."
I was scared of death during the Bird Flu scare. Proverbs 1:33 says But whoever listens to Me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil. I came home no longer having that fear of the Bird Flu and the fear of death.
When I went home, everything was different to me. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold all things are made new.
Some people say that Holly and I have no peace in our lives because of the ways we can be sometimes. Jesus says in John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives do I give to you." The Bible speaks clearly and I can testify to that. We have a peace and joy that those who have not accepted Christ, do not know.
The Bible isn't just some book you can pick up and read. It is a tool that God uses to show us our wrong and He gently helps us and corrects us. Hebrews 4:12 states For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Into verse 13, And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we will give an account to.
The Bible is even more than that because it also warns us of things to come. The Bible is God's way to communicate with us. God's Word stands forever!
If you want to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, take a moment to review the 10 Commandments.
"And God spoke all these words, saying: 'I am the LORD your God…
ONE: 'You shall have no other gods before Me.'
TWO: 'You shall not make for yourself a carved image--any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.'
THREE: 'You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.' Have you ever used God's name to express anger or filth? God says he will hold no one guiltless who mis-uses His name.
FOUR: 'Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.'
FIVE: 'Honor your father and your mother.'
SIX: 'You shall not murder.' God says that hate and anger are equivalent to murder.
SEVEN: 'You shall not commit adultery.' Lusting after someone is considered adultery - in the heart.
EIGHT: 'You shall not steal.' It doesn't matter how long ago you stole something (regardless of it's value), you are considered a thief before God.
NINE: 'You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.'
TEN: 'You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.
Be honest with yourself and before God. You most likely broken one or all of these commandments, but even so, if you break even one, you are guilty of breaking them all. You will stand before a Holy God and give an account for these things and if you don't receive God's forgiveness and accept Him as your Savior, there is no hope for you and your blood remains on your own hands. If you died right now in your sins, God talks about a place for those who rejected Him and it is called Hell (a place of eternal darkness and torment). Jesus died on the cross for you so that you can be forgiven. Now that you know the truth, don't let another day go by without accepting it. "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32. If you accept the truth and surrender your life to God, you can have that blessed assurance of entering His kingdom in Heaven. Your time on earth will eventually come to an end. What we do now is making an impact on eternity.
Pray this prayer to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior right now, but know this:
Saying the sinner's prayer is simply a way of declaring to God that you are relying on Jesus Christ as your Savior. There are no "magical" words that result in salvation. It is only faith in Jesus' death and resurrection that can save us. If you understand that you are a sinner and in need of salvation through Jesus Christ, here is a sinner's prayer you can pray to God: "God, I know that I am a sinner. I know that I deserve the consequences of my sin. However, I am trusting in Jesus Christ as my Savior. I believe that His death and resurrection provided for my forgiveness. I trust in Jesus and Jesus alone as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you Lord, for saving me and forgiving me! Amen!"
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