This morning another sister asked for testimonies of our salvation experiences. As I was writing mine it occurred to me that I had never really done that here and that perhaps it was time to do that. Here is my story, in a nutshell, feel free to ask questions after reading it. Blessings to all of you!
I had been living a lifestyle of sin in my twenties. One day I decided to read the Bible I had at age 12. I began to sense deep sorrow over the way I was living and sought God for forgiveness.
I was raised in a home that had little love in it but all the family members attended church every Sunday. The teachers at church, in Sunday School, showed me the love I didn't get at home.
At age 12 I repented from my sinfulness at day camp, but I didn't live for the Lord then. I was convicted about my sin, but allowed my emotional state to keep me in it.
I married a Catholic man, and became Catholic at age 16 to marry him when I was 18.
While in that church I began to be prompted to read the Bible that I received as a confirmation gift from the church I grew up in. when I was 12. The Lord began to show me all the things in the Catholic church that were wrong.
I believe I was saved at 12, but was too immature to live for Christ, while under the oppression of my family. They all claimed to be Christians, but didn't follow the Bible in many ways.
After the Lord got hold of me in my twenties, I began to run hard after Him. I lost the companionship of all family members on both sides. But continued to follow Him.
Then along the way God sent me friends to help me, one at a time, never more than one. Those friends have moved on and some have followed after false doctrine and we drifted away.
For one year after discovering the heresies in the Catholic church, I was completely alone, no friends, no family who loved me. Even my husband was angry at me all the time. I praise God to this day for that time. I can stand alone now, and not feel anything but joy to be with my Savior. After ten years of marriage my husband became born again too.
I know now, more than ever, that being alone is preferable to being with superficial believers who detract from our walk. I also know that all that rejection I experienced in my life trained me for the road ahead.
If we cannot boldly speak the truth without being devastated by the cruelty of others, then we will be continually beaten down and useless for the kingdom.
When I began to be rejected early on, I was frequently emotionally ravaged. It made me shrink from telling the truth at times, and even backing down when there was blasphemy spoken.
As I grew in strength through Bible reading and prayer, I acquired a kind of emotional vigor that sustained me through the rejection of others. Of course I prefer not to be rejected, but the possibility of it does not deter or rule me.
The Lord has been growing me ever since that day that He got hold of me at children's camp. I remained in sin for awhile before realizing that Christ could be all I needed and He could cleanse me.
Then is when He began to work in me in an immense way, showing me things I had never heard, even things most believers wouldn't admit to. As I grew I realized how little of the Word most believers follow and how much they ignore from God's Word.
I am no scholar, but I do desire to know Him and to follow what He tells me. When I fail, I want to know it, to correct the wrong and proceed to grow.
One thing for sure, if we desire to know Him above all else, then we will have to set aside our desire to be loved by others, and to be satisfied in being loved by Christ.
Our goal should not be to get others to like or love us, our goal is to love others so much, through Christ, that we are willing to be hated by the entire world to lead one soul out of hell and into glory.
