I wasn't raised in a Christian home. Actually, growing up as a child, our home was usually in a state of turmoil. My father was an alcoholic,and many weekends were spent trying to escape his drunken rages. Some people are crying drunks, some are silly drunks. My Dad was a mean drunk. I remember a lot of times that we had to run out of our house in the night and seek shelter elsewhere. But even way back then, God was working,shaping our lives. Through many odd twists and turns, we came to a point where we moved from our home state to another.The changes that our family made, almost overnight, were too much to handle it seemed. My father had stopped drinking, we were in a new home in a new state,and we hated it! My brothers and I became openly rebellious. Anything we could do to hurt our parents, we did. I even ran away from home. It was at this time that my parents called on the Lord and were both saved! Praise the Lord for this! But at that time, I wasn't praising anyone. I hated the world and everything in it! But God was still molding and shaping, and I didn't even know it.
I married very young, thinking this would get me out of my parents house, and I would have the freedom I thought I deserved. But let me tell you friends, there is no freedom outside of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are all locked in the prison of the adamic man, born into sin, and without the shed blood of Jesus, it is impossible to escape. But it is possible, and God sent one of his saints to show me this. A wonderful lady named Thelma,who has since gone on to be with the Lord. This lady prayed for me, witnessed to me and never gave up on me. By this time, I had a child. Believe me, I was a very young mother! I also was married to a man who was physically abusive, and who committed adultery. But still,God was working. I finally accepted Jesus one night, lying in my bed. I knew that I was a sinner. I knew I could do nothing to save myself, that if I died that night, I would go to a place called hell! I still remember the wonderful feeling of knowing that I was saved! It was the first time in 3 years that I went to sleep without a fear of the unknown in me!
I wish I could say that I have been faithful to the Lord all these years, but I can't. And for anyone out there who is saved, but living in a backslidden condition, PLEASE fall to your knees and ask God to forgive you! It is never too late to live for the Lord. It is one thing to accept Jesus, but it is totally different to truly give your heart to Him. There is no greater joy than truly serving Him! When you fall in love with the Saviour, you will know what Phillipians 4:7 is talking about! That is ".....the peace of God, which passeth all understanding..." Friends, let me tell you, there is no peace out side of the Lord God Almighty, and through the shed blood of His "...only begotten Son..", you can know this peace!
I now have daughters of my own, most of them are teenagers(pray for me!). I have raised them in the house of God most of their lives, and have trained them according to scripture. I also have sons who I have done the same with. It is my prayer that they will all be used of God!
I gave my children to the Lord many years ago, and He is faithful, I know He will keep them! |
