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I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior in the summer of 1957 at Youth camp. It was not a tragic experience but exciting. I am amazed by the changes in my life since. Being set free from sin by Jesus is dramatic no matter what kind of story it is.I grew up in a Christian home but never fully understood the idea of being a believer until the summer of 1957 while attending a summer youth camp. It was a warm summer evening and all the youth were invited to meet at the lake for the candle light closing ceremony. It was during that evening that I felt an overwhelming inner peace that I had never experienced before. As we all sang and joined hands, I felt as if the Lord himself gave me His hand to hold. That summer I made a profession of faith on my own at the young age of 12 ! The Lord spoke to me and got my attention very clearly. I asked the Lord to forgive me and become my Savior. When Jesus convicts you of your sins he does not leave you in anguish, but leaves you with peace that same peace I felt the night I was saved !
Now if asked to give reasons why I believe in God, they would be I believe in prayer. I believe that the Bible is the true word of God, and then I would give them a list of changes in my life since I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior.
Since accepting Christ, life has not always been perfect, but through Jesus I know who I am. I know that my life is nothing without the Lord. He is faithful to His promises and to teaching me to have trust in Him. Besides the peace that has come into my heart- I have also experienced external changes in my life as well. Earlier reading the Bible had confused me, but now the Holy Spirit speaks to me through the word of God. The Bible is now my standard for everything I do.! I have also developed a deeper love for everyone ! This isn't an emotional love but a love that gives me a deep concern for the mental, physical and spiritual well being of others. Enough love that I am willing to sacrifice my time, effort and prayer for others.
Accepting Christ is just the beginning of a wonderful adventure with God ! God affects our lives each and every day, but it is our job to look for His "everyday" miracles. My life has changed dramatically because of the Lord's intervention, and still continues to change as I travel through my lifelong journey with Him. My thought patterns have changed from those of the world to those important to God, and those thoughts from my head to my heart. My goal is to have a close and sincere relationship with Him. He changed my life and now I have the desire to lead others to Him.
After reading the Bible, Matthew 24, Luke 21, Mark 13 and the book of Revelations, they tell us that the world will go through a terrible tribulation. The Bible does not tell us the day or place, but it tells us to be ready and prepared. As Christians, reading the Bible also explains a clear path of salvation and how we as followers of Christ can achieve this salvation only through Jesus.
Love is the greatest testimony that Jesus taught His disciples. Jesus said that the two greatest commandments are that we love God with all our heart, soul and mind and that we love our neighbor as ourselves. Being a practicing Christian starts with knowing Him. When we spend time with Him we become like Him. When we embrace His love it bubbles up and overflows from us to those around us. When Jesus taught the Sermon on the Mount, He taught us to love even when it is not earned. When you are filled with the love of Christ, you love like He does, and that love is unconditional. This is the true mark of a Christian that has been saved ! This is what the world looks for in those who believe in Him.
God considers your relationship with Him priority of your life. Being able to focus on God and keep your priorities on Him, take a lot of dedication and effort. I now have the burning desire and passion to know the Living God and feel His presence.
We are the hands and feet of our Savior. He works through us today just as He worked through the first disciples. He heals the sick, raises the dead, and gives hope to the hopeless and joy to those less fortunate than us. He comforts, restores, blesses and encourages. I too must be the hands and feet of our Savior. My life must be lived in service of Him who saved us ! My hope is that others will see me as a living testimony of Christ. This is my greatest desire to reflect Him in all I do. It is our duty to work together to help relieve the sufferings of those who are less fortunate.
As a believer for Christ, I feel Him pulling me, calling me to do His service. I feel particularly led to help those less fortunate in America, but also across the ocean and borders as well. My heart reaches out to those less fortunate. I have always felt sad for people who have had a life filled with sorrow, due to circumstances beyond their control. But now that I know Jesus as my Savior, I feel compelled to help them rather than just pity them. I also know that it is my responsibility to witness to them about the Lord. My firm belief is by example.
I have always loved children from an early age. As I grew older they were still part of my life. As a teenager and older I baby-sat for my Pastors and other people. When I married my husband and I were foster grandparents for children from Thornwell Orphanage in Clinton, S. C.. We also took children in our home that were almost homeless. They were from from very dysfunctional families. We loved and introduced them to Jesus Christ by taking them to church every chance we could. Sometimes we would have nine or ten children in our home. They would call us Aunt and Uncle. Some of the parents or parent would let us keep them weeks at a time. The children would tell us over and over how much they loved us and appreciated what we done for them. They didn't get this kind of love and devotion at home. Some of them were starved for love. They were hungry, dirty, and desperately in need for clothing. We fed, clothed, and loved them as if they were our own children. In some sense they were. Five of them over the years accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. They are grown now and living in different states. A couple still live close by. Some still keep in touch and never fail to let us know what we did for them growing up and in their time of crisis. I will never forget when I was 15 years old my Pastor saying "she is a Christian filled with love far beyond her age."
Love in Christ,
Nancy Thomas
Through my recent illness, my prayer life has taken on a new meaning in the past six months. I have learned that small matters are not insignificant to God, and I find that I am closer to Him as I seek His guidance even about tiny problems. I have come to understand that God does not require us to understand His will however, he does want us to obey it, even if it seems unreasonable. I have experienced that true obedience means doing what God says. Knowing the gracious Holy Spirit resides within every believer. God will never ask His servants to do something that he will not also enable them to accomplish. This is truly awe inspiring to me. It has been one of the most exciting times in my life experiencing the beauty of God’s word, and fellowship with Him through prayer, study time, and volunteering for special services. What a friend I have in God as I call upon Him, and seek His wise counsel day by day! Out of all the billions of people in the world, God has made me feel #1, he has chosen me to exist, be special, and unique in the spiritual gifts He has given me. Praise God for His divine love, grace and mercy. When I hear the song “Amazing Grace”, I am reminded that it was sung by many during their need for mercy: By the Cherokee as a requiem on the trail of tears; by civil rights protesters during freedom marches, and on the day Martin Luther King jr. proclaimed his dream; when Nelson Mandela was freed from prison; when the Berlin Wall came down; and on September 11 in New York City. But God’s amazing grace causes a revival of the heart and creates changes: in the soul, in thoughts, behaviors and how we perceive others. What an amazing God my friend is!
Ladelle Weeks
Wayside Baptist Church Laurens SC
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. Romans 1:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 Praise and thanksgiving to our Heavenly Father, the Sovereign God. In Ephesians 1:3-14, we read of the plan God had before there was ever a world. We are chosen by the Father, purchased by the Son and sealed by the Holy Spirit. He knew way back then we would be lost in sin and need to be redeemed. My mind doesn’t fully understand this. But God is love. I accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord over 60 years ago. It has been quite a journey. I was baptized in a country church in Anderson County. I’m grateful that I became a Christian at a young age and had a Godly influence. I’m sure it kept me from straying into worldly pursuits that I may have been tempted to do. God has blessed me so many ways. He brought me a Christian husband in 1950; blessed us with a daughter, two sons, and seven grandchildren. He was there through the terrible twos; only His grace got me through the teenage years. Truly God has kept me in His hand as Jesus said in John 10:28. In John chapter 17, Jesus prays for those who believe on Him; because we are in the world and life will not always be easy. Yet, whatever happens in my life is with God’s permission. There have been mountain tops and there have been valleys. Two valleys, not so good, were the death of our daughter in 2001, and the stroke my husband had in 2005 that left him disabled. Adversity brings us to a deeper relationship with God. God has been faithful. I no longer think so much about why. I don’t ask as much about what I’m to learn from trials – even though we can grow spiritually – I only want to become what God has designed for me. God loves us so much and wants only the best for us. Psalms 34:10 says, “Those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.” Christ abides in me and I am to abide in Him. My hope is in Him. I love Him because He first loved me. I pray that I will always be found faithful to Him. “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for Thou hast created all things and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.” Rev. 4:11 I am a daughter of the King.
Jane B. Cox
From the time I was six until about the age of ten I was moved from foster home to foster home and was put up for adoption when I was ten years old and finally I was in a foster home for what I thought would be permanent because I was there for two and a half years. I had given up on me being adopted because I was told that nobody wanted a ten year old because everybody wanted babies. Well I had always believed in God since I was little and I prayed for someone to call mom and dad. But after a while I gave up. Until one day I got a phone call from a guy that went to my church who was also a therapist for children who were put up for adoption and he was working on me and my sister’s case and told me he had to show me something. When we got to his office that day I had a feeling he was going to tell me they found a family that wanted me and my sister. I was twelve going on thirteen and I had really gotten attached to the family I was living with and very nervous. That day I got a photo album full of pictures of my new family. They told me all sorts of thing about themselves. The people that were working on my case set up a time for me and my sister to meet these people. We went to the zoo and had a great time. I moved in with my new family in August 27th, 1999 and officially was adopted on September 15th, 2000. I thank God everyday for my Mom and Dad and everything he has given to me. Even though I had given up on having a new family God didn’t give up on finding me and my sister a mom and a dad that loves us very much. Now we have a cat named Chuck and a dog named Nikki and five fish. On big happy family that is part of God’s family. I am sixteen years old now and thank God for everything. I have been with my parents for four years and in just a year and a half I will be leaving for college and it seems like I just moved in. Dad and Mom tell me all the time that they want me to go to a local college just to keep me home longer. Dad also tells me that I can’t date until I’m thirty-five and can’t get married until I’m fifty. A lot of people would say that is being over protective but I would say its love and they want to protect me from the dangers of the world. I know sometimes I hate it when they tell me those kinds of things but when I sit down and think about it I should be thanking them. I know one day when I get married I will probably be doing the same things to my kids. A lot of times I hate when Mom or Dad punishes me for something because I say I’m too old to be punished and I really am not. They only do it because they are following Gods word and they always say you are never too old to be punished. They are also doing it out of love. If I wasn’t punished I would grow up to be some little snot that nobody wants to be around. I thank God every single day for the world he has given me. I am so grateful for my Mom and Dad and yes even my little sister. I always remember that just saying thank you to God puts a smile on my face and His too. THANK YOU AGAIN GOD!!!
Janice Baker
An Unlikely Promise of Hope Found Through Suffering Genesis 3:15
When I think of serving I think of King David. David’s life is forever reminding us of the reality of suffering. His life is filled with it! His victories in life stand as beacons of hope for us, forever flashing, showing us the way home, a home free from the spiritual darkness of this present world and our own wayward spirits. The same God that protected and delivered David is the same God from whom we too must seek Deliverance. David may not have known of Jesus the man, but he must have known the promise found in Gen 3:15 of the coming of the one who would suffer and yet by suffering would overcome the power of Satan. Suffering has always been a result and part of God’s plan of redemption. I would like to conclude this chapter with a true story from my life. It was like any other morning. My restful slumber was suddenly interrupted by the unpleasant sound of my alarm clock. At that moment, another day had begun. It was out of the bed and into another day filled with uncertainties. I made my way to the bathroom just as I had a hundred times before. With a reserved heart, I faced the mirror again with the hope of making myself presentable for another day of work. From the warm house, I entered the cold world, making my way to my truck. The next 20 mins would be spent playfully seeking peace from the storms that await me. My mind is racing with thoughts of “is this all there is to my life?” and “Lord, what is your will for my life?” From the moment I disarmed the security alarm at work, I marched down the hall with a bullfighter’s frame of mind, hoping to be successful today but also fearful that the bull just might win today. For 10 hours the phone rings, the problems pile up, and victories are both won and lost. With no good stopping place in sight, a line was drawn and another day was finished. It was back to the truck and another 20 minute drive home, but now it is time to down load from the stresses of the day before meeting my family at the door. From the kids, the questions begin. But this is the best part of the day--- the next 2 hours alone with my family before going to bed and starting over. On this night, my son asked “Dad, can I watch a movie?” With a passing thought, I gave him a children's version of the life of Christ, and he and his sister disappeared down the hall. Then, 30 minutes later it happened. As I sat in my recliner, I heard an unnerving sound and as my attention found its way to the hallway, I saw a puzzling sight. It was my son running toward me. He ran past his mother and jumped into my arms. His face looking as if it was frozen in time, as he attempted not to cry. All I could say was “ Son, what happened and are you choking?” At the sound of these words, he began to cry like I had never seen before. Within seconds, my shirt was drenched in tears. I pulled him close to me, awaiting a response. The response that was voiced was one not anticipated, but life changing nonetheless. The only words he could say were “Daddy, they killed Jesus!!!!” At that moment, I sat speechless, unsure of what to say or how to say it. I looked at his mother and she too was speechless. Then it hit me. It was that movie he had been watching, and for the first time, my son had begun to understand the sufferings of Christ. My next words were to say, “Son we are going to watch the rest of the story.” I carried my son in my arms as I did when he was a baby and as I entered the room there was Jesus hanging on the cross, but I knew something that my son did not: there was more to this story. My son and I sat in the floor and watched the rest of the story together. We watched as they were placing Jesus’ body in the tomb, and then the rolling of the stone away. Then, finally, we saw His ascent into the heavens. We spent the next 20 mins talking about Christ and why he had to die. It was the best 20 minuets I had experienced all day, all week, and all year. The next thought that came to mind was “Lord please help him see it was not “just” they that killed Jesus, but we.” This is the personalization that all believers must make. It is by His sufferings that we are healed. It is by his sufferings that we go free. For the same reasons they cried out, “Give us Barabbas," many today cry out," We have no need for Christ in our lives, schools, government, or Christmas celebrations." It is a cry of a heart that seeks to remove Christ from sight in an attempt to remove Him from the conscience. It is not ironic that the first promise recorded in Scripture deals with two great realities, realities that exist even if we don’t believe! In Genesis 3:15 we read two promises given from God by His own will: 1) The suffering of Christ, and the victory found in his death and resurrection. These words are the beginnings of the gospel we have today. It is the basic promise that mankind’s hope is found in Christ’s suffering, victory over sin and death. It seems odd that such eternal hope could come through so much suffering, but once inside the door of salvation looking back it can be seen more clearly (I Corinthians 13:12). Still to the world it makes no sense!! The sin that entered the world of Adam in Genesis chapter 3 is quickly followed by the greatest promise of all times. New life will come through suffering, but not just any suffering, the suffering and victory of the only one who could bring new life to mankind. In time, it is my prayer that my son will understand the “We” in Christ’s suffering because it is along that path that true life is found. A life only found in Christ. In Adam all dies, but all “in Christ” live. From Genesis 3:15 forward, the Bible progressively unfolds God’s plans for His people. It reads, And I will put enmity between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel” NASB. In the above passage, we read the subtle reference to victory, but not just any victory—victory through suffering. No wonder the world attempts so frankly to remove Christ from our society. They see His sufferings only as unrealistic and pointless. Maybe today, we all will take Christ’s advice and come to Him as a child. To my 6-year-old son they killed Jesus, and it broke his heart. As adults, does it still break our hearts to see Christ on the cross, or does it “Just” make us want to remove any image of the fact? To those of us who know Christ, we know that there is more to his suffering and to the story. From Genesis to Revelation, the rest of the story can be found. From His birth to this glorification, let us keep it all before the eyes of our nation, and may we begin by never forgetting that true victory comes through sufferings. Our eternal hope came by way of Christ’s suffering, and eternal rewards await all who follow in his footsteps. David understood God as his only source of deliverance. He understood that sins were costly, and forgiveness and deliverance required a price that he could not pay. Great victories would come through great sufferings. Let us never forget our hope came through the suffering of another.
Rev. Scott Brewington Laurens, SC