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| My Testimony |
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I wrote this a while back, but I have been inspired to share it on MyChurch...
I accepted Christ at the age of 17, or at least, I thought I did. I thought I knew a lot about the bible…but I didn’t. I thought just believing was enough, but it wasn’t. It was just the beginning of what could have been a wonderful life of faith, but I didn’t take it any farther. If someone would have asked I would have said, “Yes, I am a Christian”. I truly believed that was enough…that if I believed in Christ, I would be saved, no matter what I did in my life. I read the bible, and went to church on Sunday’s, but I didn’t live my faith. I went on with my life, turning to God when a problem arose, but never once did I think that I should include God on the walk of my daily life. You remember the parable of the sower, in Matthew chapter 13. I was the seed that fell along the path and the birds came and ate them up…I was also the seed that was sown along the rocky soil, and I didn’t have many roots so I withered when the sun came up. As for the seed that was sown among thorns, that was me too. Things went on like that for 20 some years, the thorns and weeds reaching up to choke me. Never once did it occur to me that I was not including the Lord in my life. I was walking blindly through life until things crashed and burned. I had done something so horrendous that I thought it would cost me my marriage. My husband and I separated and I had to face living my life alone as a result of my actions. I considered suicide as a way out of the pain I was going through. I was afraid of hurting my parents, so I never took that step, thank God, but the thought was never far from my mind. I started going to individual counseling, and Jim agreed to try marital counseling, and slowly I began to rebuild my life. But this time, I moved God to a higher place. I still wasn’t quite there yet in my faith, but I was moving along in the right direction. The growth was slow, but progress continually was being made. Jim and I began to put our marriage back together, and I believe it is stronger now for the things we went through. Then came the day when I decided that the church I had attended my whole life was just not giving me the basis for faith that I needed. I wasn’t close to anyone in the church, I didn’t take part in the church activities, and I could have gone to sleep during the services because they were so routine. Jim and I started trying a few other churches, but simply didn’t find anything we could call home…until we came to New Life Church of Christ. As soon as we were here, I felt as though I had come home. God had led us here I am sure, and my life has grown so much since I was baptized, and re-dedicated my life to Christ. I am now living my faith, walking with Christ daily, praying about everything that happens to me. I can’t imagine now, how I went through so many years without relying on God. The seed was finally sown in good soil to produce a good crop. I have a lot of growing to do spiritually, but the important thing is that I continue to walk with God while I continue to grow. If God can forgive someone like me for the things I have done, He will forgive anyone if only they ask and are truly sorry for their actions. The hardest part was forgiving myself, but I have gotten past that too. I had to learn that God doesn’t want us to hang on to those sins. That is what He sent Jesus for! Yes, I have regrets, but it is all a part of growing as a Christian, to overcome those regrets but never forget them. It was because of the mistakes I made that I was brought back to Christ. Romans 8:28- “And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose.” |
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That was awesome! Thanks for sharing!
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nancy |
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June 08, 2007 at 1:57pm |
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| That is wonderful. |
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| Thank you for sharing that, Deb! I am glad the Lord let you to put it out there, I'm sure it will minister deeply to people. Sounds like you've found some church! ~mike |
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Deb, it is awesome to be able to see my Lord just by reading your blog and testimony! Isn't God AWESOME?!? He truly is in you and working through you! :)
We are all ministers in Christ and our areas of specialty are our personal experiences in many cases. I call it the "badges" we earn in the School of Hard Knocks. Not that any of us are proud of what we have gone through in the past but rather that we can show others what God's love for us and forgiveness is all about. Even though Satan wants to remind us of those days to show us how "bad" we were, we just need to show Satan that we will use those memories to God's glory! And you have done just that right here in this blog.
Just by you sharing your testimony here, you have planted more seeds and watered existing seeds around the world. Some of those seeds are just starting to germinate and you gave them Hope, other seeds were already young vines and you have given them Strength; all the while acknowledging that it is Almighty God that provides that never ending flow of water that leads to eternal life.
God bless you and Jim and may your testimony help many in the years to come!
Dave |
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Deb;
What a wonderful testimony of God's grace. Many of us have regrets, none of us are perfect, but we are made perfect through the blood of Jesus. I am certain that if everyone were to write their testimony down many of them would be ladened full of similar experiences and regrets as yourself, me included. It is truly by God's grace that we can lay those regrets and guilt down at the foot of the cross. God is an awesome God of healing too. All things are possible through Him and we can do nothing without Him. God has worked in my life in so many amazing ways that He has poured out into areas I thought would never come to the surface and never be able to be healed. I was wrong and I am at awe of what a loving God has and continues to do everyday.
God bless you for sharing Deb.
Kelly |
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Kathy |
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June 08, 2007 at 5:36pm |
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| Thank you for sharing your story, Deb! God is faithful! |
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Deb |
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June 08, 2007 at 7:01pm |
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| Wow! Thanks to all of you for sharing comments. Pastor Dave, if I touched one person with this blog, and helped them choose God's ways, then it is worth it to bare my soul. I do belong to an awesome church, and we have an awesome pastor too, and as he says, "Our God is in the business of changing lives", and He certainly did mine. Thanks again to those that have commented. I love to hear your thoughts! |
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Amber |
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June 21, 2007 at 7:36am |
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| Thank you, Deb! Isn't it neat to feel like you belong to your Church family!?! Almost anywhere you go in Bellville you run into someone from our Church and everyone is so friendly! :) I really enjoy reading all your blogs! I can relate to a lot of them, too! |
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| Deb, thank you for sharing! I, too, spent many difficult years trying to do life my way. God was always in my life, but I didn't allow follow His lead. How fortunate I am to have a partnership with him now. I appreciate the hard times and bad decsions I've made through the years, because they enable me to see how far I've come in my faith and in my life. When I am unsure, I repeat the words "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path" and "Be still and know that I am God". |
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You know Deb, I just reread this, and in many ways it parallels my own path (as shared here and here). God bless you for finding your way to the Light and staying there, and for sharing your experiences with us!!! ~mike |
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Deb |
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June 29, 2007 at 9:54am |
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Amber, I love my church family, love living in a small town. I am so blessed!
Suzanne, those are good words to say to yourself when you are unsure...isn't it wonderful that we have a light to guide us?
Mike, thanks for the blessing...I so enjoy reading your blogs, so I had to go check out the one you plugged :) |
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| Thanks for sharing your very interesting testimony! It's always awesome to hear of the lessons we've learned along the way and what an awesome God we serve! Thanks! |
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Deb |
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November 17, 2007 at 7:13am |
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| Yahschild, thank you for your comments...We do serve an amazingly awesome God!!! |
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Deb |
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January 24, 2008 at 12:33pm |
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| restore, Amen!! |
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Deb |
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January 24, 2008 at 12:40pm |
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| woman of joy, I do praise Him every day. Where would I be without His saving grace? Where would any of us be? |
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