Category: philosophy/religion topics
Just wondering what everyone's testamony is. How each one of you came to know the Lord. If you don't mind sharing, I would love to hear from you.
Please remember, this is not to pick on peoples faiths or beliefs, but this is the place to share when or how you decided to turn your life over to Christ.
Don't be afraid to share. We are all looking forward to hearing your wonderful story. It doesn't have to be a dromatic story, but how you excepted Christ as your personal Savior.
I have grown up in a Christian family, and have always gone to church. But I didn't know what this "god" was until I had suffered a lot with my brain tumer. My parents almost lost me when I was about two years old by a brain tumer that was growing rapidly over taking my brain. Doctors told my parents that I wasn't expected to live much longer. A long story short, I was put on Chemo Therapy which shrank my tumer 65 percent. Doctors still say to this day that they don't know how I can be still alive and have some sight. Doctors tell me that I can not see a thing, but that is not true. As I was still a young child, I realized that I had gone through a lot, and that God must have had something to do with it.
In the mean time, I had night meres, and they were really bad. I still have them, but whenever I would go to my mom for comfort, she would always pray for me. That is when I realized that I didn't have to be afraid any more. That there was someone greater that loved me so much sothat He died once and for all for our sins. Not only that, but He was going to come back for His children one day and take us all home with Him to live with Him for ever and ever.
When I was about three or four years old, I excepted Christ as my Savior. How happy I was to know that God had my name written in the Book of Life.
Here I am 19 years old, and I have seen God work in so many ways that it is hard to put it all in to words. All I can say is, that I should have not been able to live this long. I should have died nine years ago. But by the grace of God, I am alive today.
Wow, great to read that! My story's a little more... complicated.
I received Christ when I was five years old. I'd grown up in the church, but didn't really know what it meant. But a friend of mine told me how to accept Christ. I don't remember what was going through my head, but I accepted Christ right there. But then my parents divorced, and I became angry with God. I didn't go to church, read my Bible, pray, do anything like that... I didn't even think about God. Then one day my Dad dragged me to church... the sermon was about the steps to walking away from God (one of those taylor-made sermons). I was crying halfway through. I came back to God.
Unfortunately, a couple of years later I battled the temptation to take my own life. but that's another story. It's taken me a few more years to get back to where I need to be, and I'm not there yet, but I'm walking slowly but surely back. :)
God is so good! Thank you so much for sharing.
i also grew up in the church; my dad is a preacher, my mom, president of the ladies aassociation at church. my brother is a couple of years older than i am and he was attending a Christian elementary school when he came home and asked if i was saved. *i don't remember this happening, my mom told me the story as i was only 3 when it happened.* he took me to the living room and told me to repeat after him and i did and then he said i was saved...years later, when i was 11, the question of how sincere salvation as a child is came up at a Bible study i was attending and it made me realize that if i didn't remember getting saved, i probably didn't understand it. so i prayed to recieve Christ that evening. from then till now i have served the Lord by singing at churches around the Houston metro area but in all honesty it is definitely not easy. i too have stepped away from God more times than i'd like to remember but i know that He is always there to catch me when i humble myself enough to see His way. i am now the secretary of a Christian sorority here at university and my sisters help me stay in the right direction.
~bella
Well, I love reading y'all's testimonies! Mine's pretty simple--I grew up in a Christian house, accepted Him at nine, then when I was 11, I felt like I needed to renew it 'cause looking back at nine, I wasn't sure if I had understood. Then, just before I turned 13, I finally got baptized. I've been suffering a depression for over a year now; it came to me before I turned 14, and I had no idea why. I would just spiral down into this unknown abyss of depression. But then, in August 2004 and September 2004, things started happening that made my depression worse. First of all, when someone was hurting, I hurt for them also, and second of all, my friends started being jerks, and I lost a lot of them. On September 26, 2004, I attempted to hang myself. I won't say what with because I was desperate and it's just... embarrassing. OK, so there's been people who told me "I just chickened out, and I was afraid to go," but they judged me wrongly. I wanted to go. I wanted out. So when I was preparing the thing with which I would choke/hang myself, my body literally froze, and I heard... no, I can't describe it. I heard it, but I didn't, it was weird. My body had chills running through it, not unpleasant ones, I usually get those when the Spirit moves me. So anyway, I heard, or whatever you might want to call it, God say to me:
My burthday will not be the ssame again after this post. My burthday was on the 26th. On the 26th of 2003, my mom went tquatrupple bypass sergery and came out. On the 26thg of 2004, my then girlfriend broke up with me two days before, and my parrents were in the middle of a haricain. Amazing stuff.
Well, I got baptized, when to Catechism, made Communion, and Confirmation, but I don't think I really understood anything until I was about 15 or 16 and we had the Billy Graham crusade over here where I live. I had went with my mom and an aunt, I guess just to see what it would be like because we heard it was a nice experience. I'm not sure I remember or really understood everything that was said at the time, just that after each time, )they had a different "show" for 4 days), Billy Graham would ask those of us who felt we were ready to accept the Loard to go forward. I really wasn't sure whether I would be, but I went anyway, every time. When the whole thing was over, I felt a calm peace come over me; it felt strange to me but very nice. Until then, for several years, I'd been acting out sexually because I had been molested by several different people I knew when I was younger. But after the experience from the crusades thing, I stopped having ugly thoughts and acting out. That only lasted for a short time, so now I realize and know that I also need to work on myself (with God's help), as I still have thoughts, even though they're not as bad as they had been before.
my family knows him, but i don't. i'm perfectly fine without him. not only do i not have time for him, but it wouldn't be satisfying if i had to live my life according to a god.
Well, I first heard about Christ when I was about 8 or 9 from two Jehovah's Witnesses, I think, missionaries. they had taken it upon themselves to visti my paternal grandparets' home, and our family jsut so happened to be visiting that day. Well, anyway, they were there and while the husband talked to the adults in the family in the kitchen, his wife stayed in the livingroom and talked to me. we never really went heavy into the doctrinal stuff, but yeah. I shortly thereafter received a small book of Bible stories, which I practically devoured in my childlike curiosity. i strayd away from Christ then for a few years until I was about 14 because I didn't realy understnad it all. Well, anyway, I rmemeber that on a particular Sunday, my paretns had this realy big fight--complete with yelling and other stuff, but I felt hollow and empty in side, but also very scared. I kew that the situation was bad, but I still was determined not to be mad at God for what was going on. So, there, crying and at my wits end, I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savor...well, sorta, I cried for Him to come into my life and He's been here ever since! So, to Him I am eternally grateful.
Oh, and I count it as a miracle that God has allowed me to come to the knowledge of the Real Jesus of the Bible, not the Jesus of the Mormons or the Jehovah's Witnesses,but that's all by His grace.
Well I was about 20 years old when our church got a new minister. Note before all of this I didn't want god in my life nor nothing to do with him. And then I started having a rough time and knew that I needed someone to help me so I turned to god. I just got baptized on may 14, 2006!
All of these testimonies are wonderful!
Troy
Your testimonies are inspiring! Before I get into my own, I must respond to all those who've struggled with adversity in your lives (I should say us.) I really like Rich Mullins' music, because it really speaks to me on many levels. One song of his that is sung often as a praise chorus is "Step by Step." In the verses of the song itself called "Sometimes by step," there's one line that I can't sing, because the tears start, (like now, while I'm writing this.) "I may falter in my steps, but never beyond your reach." As for me, I can't pin when I was saved down to a particular day, but it was an event that really put me on the path. I was a rehabilitation teacher in people's homes after they lost their eyesight. One of my clients was really depressed. We had a conversation about this. Before I talk about the conversation, I need to tellyou that I was burned out, and had a job interview the next day outside my organization. This lady was crying and telling me how she hated getting up in the morning. She asked me what drove me and motivated me every day. My response was something like: "Well, I guess people like you need people like me to help you feel worthwhile." I know that sounds errogant and patronizing, but believe me, I didn't mean it that way. In fact, I wouldn't have said it on my own, so I'm sure God made me say it. I was shocked. The next thing I knew, there was a voice telling me: "Lou, it isn't time for you to change jobs yet. When it is, I'll tell you." Next morning I canceled the interview, and have ben convinced of God's love and care for me since. That's been about 20 years ago.
I got saved last year when I was at a conference with Dare To Share. They gave us bits of paper and told us to rip them into shreds. I did, and they told us that our sins are forgiven. After that, I cried, because I was so happy to recieve God in my life. When I was little, I never really understood God. I thought he was just some stupid person that didn't care. But I know the truth now!!!!!!! I talked my other friend into it too. When he got baptized, he was saved. Now my friend and I are doing a private bible study together. Amazing what God can do in people's lives? Sure is!!!!!!!!
Well, in my childhood, my grandma always told me to go to church with her and to pray every evening, even though I didn't really want to. I then stopped, when I was about ten, and refused to have anything to do with god anymore until April 2005. Basically, a friend and I were sitting in a cafe and she told me how a friend of hers sent her a text message telling her that god will always be with her ... and in that moment, it seemed as if God talked to me through her words, and I wanted to get to know god again. I asked my friends to take me into their church. A girl from my class who didn't like me that much earlier suddenly was really close to me after she heard that I was now a believer. I then started praying, and I felt much more safe. And I went to church very often - and I still do. I will be forever grateful that God drew my attention back on him again. I am so grateful.
Ines
Ok all, wow those testimonies are absolutely awesome, and isn't it awesome that our God is a God of chances?
Well, here goes mine.
When I was a baby I was baptized because I was supposed to have re-constructive surgery on my face so they didn't know if I would live I was only four days old. Then I was ten and we went to church with a friend and that was when I felt peace like I'd never felt in my life, the pastor came and spoke with us and we all my family got saved. We then later got all baptized together. Well, no no it doesn't end there folks, I backslid oh and how, I even went through a short period of asking Does God exist? Of course I knew He does and did. Well, during my school years I went to many churches, and honestly during my life of and I will just say being wild I didn't pray or read the bible. I didn't hate God I just didn't read His word and didn't feel close of course because I was living a life of sin. Well, I'd say at the age of 30 I finally came back to God. Now I am not exactly well versed in scripture but I do read it and I notice that when I do I feel like I am more in tune with the Holy Spirit.
Same here, Lelia. When I read the bible (thanks to you I can read it now) I feel closer to God. And I agree: It is wonderful that our god is a god of chances and forgiveness.
It's great to know that he forgives even though we aren't perfect and that he sent his son as a sacrifice. I've been tempted a lot and have gotten into trouble, but I'll always remember that Christ will be with me during those difficult times.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!
God bless!
Macy
It was about seven years ago when a retired pastor knocked on my door and truly discussed with me what is known about Jesus. He shared with me his experiences in guatemala; pastoring a church and attending to the needs of his congregation. This old man was diabetic and was losing his vision. But the thing that truly touched me about my encounter with him was that he made time to visit me almost on a daily basis. He once invited me to accompany him to give a bible study to a single mother of three; she was extremely poor, sold tamales for a living, and her kids were headed down the wrong path. So I went along with him just to see what it would be like to enter a home and bring the gospel into a troubled woman's life. What can I say? That experience is one of the most powerful experiences I've had in my life. The young woman was crying, I mean really crying, that kind of crying that just makes you want to become as unfeeling as a rock. This old retired pastor just kept singing hymns he had memorized from childhood or something, and the words he sang in a way made the moment worse, more sentimental than I could handle. lol But yeah, he just kept talking with her and comforting her with some biblical sayings about how god would provide for her and protect her children. He just kept saying that these were god's promises for those who believe in him. When the time came for us to leave, the woman appeared to be at peace. As we left the building, he told me that he used to minister to souls in this way every day when he lived in Guatemala. I remember telling myself: Why would anybody want to do that? Why would anybody want to get involved in people's problems in such a personal way? I didn't even have to ask him. The answer came from his lips. He just said: The best therapy for a person who's suffering, who is going through hard times, is to visit someone who is going through something worse. I don't really understand this now as I didn't understand it when he told me that day. But I guess he had learned to apply this little belief of his to his own life, and, I guess that, because it had worked for him, he probably thought it would work for me too. I admit that seeing that woman go from sobbing to laughing did do something for me. It made me forget about my own problems; it made me see my own problems differently. I always think back to that experience when I feel depressed. It makes me wonder just how powerful belief in jesus and in his promises can be in a person's life. I still haven't taken that step though. lol The thing that really makes me think though is that this retired pastor, losing his vision and being very weak with age, chose to invite me. He could've asked a young man to drive him to that home. He could've just gone without me. Maybe giving in to his arguments about why I should go with him was one of the few right choices i've made in my life. Who knows? But I guess I'm glad that I went along with him that day. lol I sometimes wish people like him could always be around in times of despair and confusion. I haven't seen him in years though. That's the only testimony I have about that. Thank you.
That's an awesome testimony! Praise God!!!
i was two when my parents made me accept jesue christ, but at first i wouldnt say the words that they bagged me to say, finally i did, and some kind of peace came over me then, and i stood there and cried, i spent the next ten years of my life going to church, reading my bible, and all that stuff, then for a year i was kind of nuetral, i still did stuff, but i didnt have that passion for god anymore, and then one thing led to another, and... this is really hard for me to tell anyone, but i started to cut myself, i was so depressed, and scared, and i just wanted to cut the vein once and for all, and then as i held that blade my hands started to shake, and i started to cry, and i just lay on the floor and cried for what seemed like hours, because i realized what i'd done to my life, how i was ruining what god had given me, and i just asked him over and over again to forgive me forgive me, and he did, and i grew out of that depression, and i know the lord again, honestly and truly, and the people that dont know god are really missing out, because i might not be here if it werent for him
Well, I was a little abnoxious kid about six, right? Okay, what do kids do in elementary school? Yes, they don't listen, but wait... What happens when you tell a little kid they could possiblly go to hell? They are dead scared. So, here it comes...
Okay, I was about six and I was as per usually not really listening to the message. I only went to church because I had to. I hated church. So, I suddenly heard this or at least something similar, "Go to hell where you would burn up for eternalty." Of course, I was dead scared, and rather nervous. So, I resorted to listen up. I certainly didn't want to go to hell, and the last thing I'd want is to burn up. So, I heard about getting saved and finding them after church. I was really thinking and thinking about it. Over and over again. Finally when a lot of the people had left I asked some other kid around me to take me to the teacher. So, I frightfully asked to be saved. So, we went to another room, and I did the salvation prayer. You know, because you must, so I must abide, so I did. Then I was given some candy and a sheep.
I wonder why your teacher gave you candy?
I got babtized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of all my sins and recieved the Holy Ghost a year and 5 months ago. It was on the 30th of December. I was really depressed and God Changed my life completely. I am learning more and more about the Lord Jesus Christ. I love serving him by singing, worship, his word, prayer, and soul winning.
that's great.
wow. all these testemonies are great. mine is just basicly this:
my parents are christians so we have always been to church. i went to sunday school and enjoyed listening to the bible stories. I don't really know the exact date that i was saved, but i do remember praying a lot when i was small, for god's help in day to day things-silly things, that adults might not have thought important but some how I knew god would.
I was 12 when i was baptised. I can remember the night when I thought i should be baptised-i had just finished having a massive argument with my mum and just suddenly felt so bad and like "i shouldn't be doing this". so i really asked for forgiveness and straight after that prayer i thought i really really should be baptised. i felt so pieceful after that thought that i knew it was gods will.
so i was baptised and since then, have enjoyed singing hymns and learning about the lord, and sharing my testemony with churches round the country. god blessed me with a wonderful family, and a wonderful church. he has given me some very dear christian friends too.
I have gone far far away and back slidden badly. but he has always bought me back to him. even when i have felt like i can't reach him. he has always bought me back, he always will. he has forgiven my sins, and saved me.
"from sinking sand, he lifted me. with tender hand, he lifted me. from shades of night, to plains of light, o praise his name, he lifted me!"
believe me, i know life sucks sometimes, right now for example, but god is there for us. even if its hard to know his will sometimes. what would we do with out him?
keep the testemonies coming!
Well in 2001 a lot of events hppened at once. Let's just say God got y attention. My parents moved to Tx for the next 5 years, I had a number of ealth issues, my cousin died unexpectedly and then 911 happened. All these things happened in a few months. Needless to say I wnt through 2 years of depression and suicidal thoughts until one day in 2003. I had a dream one night. In this dream there was a rock star I idolized. He was on his knees washing cars so I got down on my knees to talk to him. I told him I needed him. He said "no you don'tneed me." pulled a gun to my head and said if he didn't nee me then I'd kill myself. He tol me to put the gun own so I did. Then he put his arms around me looked at me or should I say looked into my eyes and said "you don't need me, you need God." So the next sunday I gave my life to Christ in October of that year. Ever since the night I gave my life to Him, all my ugly thoughts instantly went away. I still have my down days but nothing like before. To God be the glory!