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Testimonies
Read how a personal relationship with Jesus Christ has changed 1M4JC members' lives.
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When I was 7, I prayed to get saved, but with the wrong motivation. I only wanted to make mommy and daddy happy. But I was convicted of this at my church's summer camp, and got saved for the right reason there.
There's only been a huge change in my life this year, however. Before now, I'd just complain and pout when God didn't give me what I wanted, when i wanted it. Now, I know God has aplan for everyone's life. So even though I may not be able to see it all now, God has a reason for giving or not giving me things I want. For example, I liked a REALLY bad girl in 7th grade, and couldn't see why God wouldn't let me have her. Now, I look back on it and thank God he DIDN'T let me have her.
So I guess, in a nutshell, as a result of salvation, I've learned: What you see as misery and torture now might be God saving you from something HORRIBLE later. To end, here's a verse:
Pro 19:21 You can make many plans, but the LORD's purpose will prevail.
Thanking God for saving me,
Chris
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It was just this summer I became a christian.
I was a freshman, doing the normal high school kid things. I started cussing, got into a really bad realtionship with my first boyfriend, my grades started slipping when I realized I was really un-happy with my life. I was struggling. I got to the point in my life where I felt like I had no reason to get up in the morning. I was losing all my friends, I could barely keep my grades at C's when I was normally an all A one or 2 B's student, my family hit an all time low money wise. I just felt like everything was falling apart.
Then I went to church one day over that summer and the pastor was preaching as usual. Normally, I thought about other things in church like "what can I do to get out of here!" but for some reason I felt like I needed to listen this day. Then the preacher spoke the words that practically saved my life. He said "If you wait God will bring you the great things through his timing." That was it. I knew right then and there that Jesus was the way through all my problems. I started crying when i got home from church that day. I went to my room just threw my hands up in the air screaming "I'm yours now God, do what you want with me!" over and over again with tears streaming down my face. But I felt so much better after all that. I felt peace in my heart for the first time in 15 years and I knew from that moment on that I needed to become a devoted christian.
Once I accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Saviour I noticed a difference in everything in my life. Things were turning around, I stopped cussing, my grades were coming back up, all my friend choics had changed, my family was, well, still in the process, and the boys I were interested in were christians also. I was finally happy knowing that everything I do isn't for me anymore, it was all for Jesus!
Now i'm not saying my life has become a piece of cake now that i'm a christian because actually it's alot harder than it was before. But for some reason with all the troubles I face, with all the obstacles I come across, the temptations that strike me, I know that I will overcome them because i'm not alone anymore. I have Jesus by my side every hour of the day watching over me, guiding me in the right direction.
There's nothing more amazing then the feeling of Joy, which is what Jesus has brought me especially when you're only 16! I really believe that if you feel like your life is going down the drain that you should just give it to Jesus. He can handle it and he'll show you the way.
God Bless,
-Brittany
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I have so many experiences to share, that it's hard to narrow them down to a simple testimony. I am a relatively new Christian (since 1999) even though I had always believed in a "Higher Source". I just couldn't bring myself to call this source "God", much less think about Jesus as my guide and saviour.
That all changed in 1999. My father, whom I absolutely adored, passed on in his home after suffering a sudden heart attack. On the morning of his death, I had gotten up early to see my daughter off to a horse show. After making sure she would be okay, and had all her equipment and food packed for the day, I said goodbye and waved to the family she would be traveling with. Since it was very early, I crawled back into bed and promptly dozed off.
I don't know how long I had been asleep, but all of a sudden, a very bright, pinpoint of a light appeared to me. It suddenly burst into an extreme flash of white light that appeared to penetrate the walls so that I could "see" to the outside. It was as if someone took the brightest flash of the largest camera manufactured and set it off an inch from my eyes. I bolted upright in bed and tried to catch my breath.
The vision I just experienced frightened me greatly. I had read in a book written by hospice nurses about near-death experiences, where many of the dying patients described seeing a "bright light" days before their death. I searched my mind for a meaning: was I to die today, or worse yet, was my daughter in a fatal accident on the way to the horse show?
The vision disturbed me, but I laid back down and tried to get back to sleep. Exactly five minutes later, the phone rang. It was my brother. He relayed to me that Dad had a massive heart attack. His heart had stopped and the paramedics were attempting to defibrillate him as we spoke. ( My mother had attempted CPR until the paramedics came.) I didn't need anyone to tell me that the CPR would be unsuccessful, and that the moment Dad's heart stopped, he was already on his way to eternal life. The vision I experienced made complete and total sense then. God let me know, through the vision, that Dad was on his journey to heaven, with Jesus at his side. What a true gift from God!!
During the next few days, amidst bouts of painful grief, God directed me to a Christian radio station that became my number one source of comfort and inspiration (except of course for prayer). Never before in my life had I even considered listening to Christian music on the radio. To this day, it is about all I listen to.
Having the vision was like being smacked on top of the head with a baseball bat - as if God was saying "if this doesn't convince you that Jesus is real and alive, what will"?
I believe that something positive comes out of every negative experience. And as much as I miss my father, time eases the pain, and I cannot thank Jesus enough for coming into my life on that day.
Barbara Fox
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There was this girl that had never been to church and was raised in a bad part of town. I didn't know if she had accepted Christ into her life or not. I asked her if she wanted to go to church and she said sure. So we went to church and that same night she called me and we talked about how God has worked in my life and she asked me how I was always happy. I told her that with Jesus in complete control of my life I had nothing to be unhappy about. She wanted the same thing, so finally that night she accepted Christ into her life and now she's saved.
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James 1:2-4, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
I was only four or five when I “asked Jesus into my heart.” I laid in my bed as mom said, “Repeat after me.” I said a little prayer and with that I became a “Christian.” Over the next 8 years, I was active in church and my best friends were kids in my Sunday School class. I eventually went to youth group every week and never missed a youth trip. I was at home when I was at my church, my youth group was my family.
Kevin “Woody” Pasion, was my youth pastor at Community Bible Church and a man who displayed a love for bringing youth closer to Christ that I have yet to see matched. “Woody had a great influence on my grade school years. I eventually reached sixth grade and the long awaited sixth grade youth group. It was a time of maturing physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I had known Woody since second grade, but over the next two years, he began treating me like less of a child and more like a young man of God. He challenged me to dig into the Word and to make my faith my own – a challenge that I accepted.
“God has called me back home to California.” He said it just like that. It was just like any other Sunday, but it was on this Sunday that Woody stood up in front of the congregation and announced that he was leaving. I wept. I thought of James 1:2-4.
Just a few weeks later he was gone. Before he left, he pulled me aside and told me something that I've never forgotten. “You're special Taylor. You don't know it yet, but I do. You're going to be the rock of this youth group when everyone else is falling. You have no idea how God is going to use you.”
Unfortunately the board of elders in this church saw things differently on several issues. I made a couple mediocre choices and discovered the ugly side of church politics. It was just two years later that the elders informed me I couldn't go on the annual mission trip that would be leaving in two days because I would, “be a detriment to the team and the trip as a whole.” I walked out the doors of that church, away from the youth group in which I was supposed to be a rock, as an outcast. I wept. I thought of James 1:2-4.
I became involved with Antioch Christian Church. It was a little more contemporary than previous churches and its doctrine was different. I learned to not take a couple verses out of context, but to take the bible as a whole into consideration when forming my interpretation of what God's Word says. Life became less about “Are you saved? Check yes or no.” But it became about striving to be a disciple of Christ.
Within the Antioch youth group, I learned the importance of having an accountability partner and I began to develop my spiritual gift of leadership as a member of the Student Leadership Team. I even committed my life to vocational ministry during an emotional CIY service. I also learned the battles of high school dating spending nearly two and a half years with my high school sweetheart, Jaime. It was a challenging time as the two of us stood tall in the youth group as a representation of what a pure Godly relationship should look like - until we allowed sin to penetrate that relationship. Two and a half years wasted. I wept. I thought of James 1:2-4.
It was Thanksgiving of my senior year, the day after to be specific. I got off work at 2 pm. and walked through my front door at 2:08 pm. There are certain times in our lives that we walk through a door that completely changes the rest of our lives. This was one of those doors. My mother sat me down and informed me that my father was addicted to crack cocaine. This set forth a chain of events involving rehabs, tears, estranged relationships, and yours truly having the honor of telling my father that my mother was going to leave him. I wept. I thought of James 1:2-4.
Spring of my senior year I began a relationship with a girl in my youth group named Rachel. At this point in my life, I was completely angry with God and didn't even know it. Quickly, Rachel and I began allowing the same struggles into our relationship that had caused Jaime and I to break up. Within a couple months of our relationship beginning, I attended church less and began drinking. Hardly a year after we started dating, I had given Rachel my virginity and had no relationship with Christ. I drank heavily on a regular basis and had began experimenting with marijuana. I wasn't speaking to my father, and my mother and I were arguing more than ever. I was disappointed with where my life was going, but I was so angry with God I just wasn't ready to come back to Him yet. I wept. The thoughts of James 1:2-4 were a distant memory.
In November 2006, I asked Rachel to marry me. She said yes, and we set a date of October 2007. In the back of my mind I knew that she wasn't the best for me. I was in love with her, but I also knew deep down that I could provide my children with a better, more responsible mother. I began paying off her credit card bills and other debts, signed my vehicle over to her, even signed paper on a nice little starter home which would be solely in my name due to her poor credit history.
In April 2007, 6 months before the wedding, Rachel informed me that she had recently had a friend of the opposite sex over and with alcohol involved; things had gotten out of hand. If that incident had been the sole issue in the relationship, I believe we would have been able to work it out. Unfortunately, I was discovering a much deeper issue of deceit that had apparently been running rampant for several months. I began to turn back to God as I realized how lost I really was. Rachel left me financially broke, emotionally broke, and spiritually empty. I wept. I had to look up James 1:2-4.
God began to work on my heart over the next couple months. I soon realized how far away I really had been. While I struggled getting back into a growing relationship with Christ, I was once again professing His name proudly. I accepted a position working with the high school youth as a youth coach at my church. In November, my youth pastor, Rob, surprised me by telling me he was going to be moving to Kentucky, leaving the youth group and me behind. As I sat there in tears because the greatest male influence in my life over the last 7 years was leaving, the mother of a student gave me hug stating, “You know you're the man now, Taylor.” I wept. I thought of James 1:2-4.
“You're the man now.” Those words resonated in my mind. I couldn't help but smile at the thought of being the leader of the youth. God used this opportunity to tap on my heart again, only this time I was willing to listen. He reminded me of that little commitment I forgot about. That commitment I had made to serve Him vocationally. I told my parents that I was changing majors...again; changing schools...again; moving out....again.
I announced to my youth group kids that I was going to be leaving. It was hard for some to take, as many don't have much of a family to look to as support. I left them in good hands, and my last night leading was very difficult. Part of me felt like I was abandoning them in their time of need, but I knew it was something that had to be done. It was something that was in His plan. On my last night at Antioch, I spoke on James 1:2-4. I spoke on how God had worked through me over the last couple years, and that I knew God was working through the youth that were there. I pulled out of the parking lot, feeling like I was leaving a great part of my life behind. I wept. I thought of James 1:2-4.
5 days later on Friday, January 11, 2008, I packed up my car for a whole new adventure. I drove three and a half hours south, to a college that I had only heard about. Since arriving at Central, I have met great people and begun to build friendships that will last a lifetime. God has rocked my understanding of Him. I have grown closer to Him and am excited about my ministry that is already beginning.
This summer, I'm going to have the opportunity to serve God with the youth group at West Village Christian Church in Albion, Illinois. The idea of passing on the positive influences I've been blessed to receive and to be an example to others (having learned from both my mistakes and life experiences) excites me. Though I know I'm far from 'perfect' or 'complete', I do feel I am 'enduring' and letting my 'trials' mature me. I'm a work in progress...and that I consider, 'all joy'.
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God has such a sense of humor!
Renee’s Testimony
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I began my Christian journey when I was 14 years old. I was raised in a Christian church and grew up in a Christian home, but I believed because my parents believed, not because I had a real relationship with God.
In high school and college, I made some bad choices and had bad relationships. I had been through 2 different church splits and decided that God and I were great together, but that I would rather not be in church any more. So I walked away.
During that time, I met and married Brent. He was not a believer at the time. We were married and started our life together. We moved to Texas for Brent's job (so I thought) and were re-introduced to church. God had sent a friend from my home church ahead of us to prepare the way for us to go church. I was going back to church after walking away for years. Brent was starting on a journey with a personal relationship with God for the first time. People at that church in our small group started to pray.
To make a long story short, I recommitted my life to Christ. Brent became a believer through the love of our small group in Texas. I started serving in women's ministry. We moved to Iowa in 2001 for Brent's job at Rockwell Colins (so I thought). I became the director women's ministry at Antioch Christian Church shortly after. Brent and I both became heavily involved in promoting small groups.
In October 2007, Brent left his engineering job and is the discipleship minister at Antioch. I had been praying for years that God would bring a pastor to Antioch who's wife would lead women's ministry. Only God knew that I was praying for me!
I love being on God's journey...the best is yet to come! If I have learned one thing...never say never with God! He has such a great sense of humor!
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I've grown up surrounded by Christians. I was born into a Christian family, which includes my mom, dad, and my three brothers. That doesn't mean bad things haven't happened throughout my life though. When I was four years old (almost 5), my dad passed away. It's been really hard to deal with, especially as a teenager, when a girl needs to have a father's love. That's where God comes in though. He became the father that I received love from. I began to understand that more around the age of 14. He's loved and cared for me, especially through the hard times. He's brought people to me (very close friends) to help me through times of trouble. Just looking back, I probably wouldn't be here today, because I went through a deep depression in my sophomore year of high school and almost committed suicide. But God provided friends to be there - to encourage me and pray with me; to love me and talk with me. I'll always be thankful for that. God's done some amazing things in my life, even with all the bad stuff.
I'm currently a student at Nebraska Christian College, studying family life and counseling. I want to be used by God in a way that is similar to how he used others in my life. I want to be there for people who are hurting, lonely, or feeling unloved. I want to be Christ to them.
The video that goes with this just tells some of the things I am and hope to accomplish in my life through Christ.
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Never outside of God's plan
Kay’s Testimony
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Faith is believing in something you can’t see or touch, but my faith journey has a very tangible beginning. The church I grew up in has the most beautiful stained glass window I have ever seen. It depicts Jesus, standing at the door, knocking. The door of course, has no knob or handle – and from a young age, I understood that the door Jesus was knocking upon, was to my heart – and the reason there was no latch, was because it could only be opened (by me) from the inside. At the age of 12, I opened that door and invited Jesus Christ into my heart and life.
I had always been active in Sunday School and church and my decision for Christ didn’t really impact anything I wasn’t already doing. I was a good student, from a good home but my teen years found me making some poor choices that left a lifetime of regret. At age 21, I married and over the course of time, had three beautiful sons who were also raised in the church. Our family began attending a church which practiced baptism by immersion, and so in 1991 – I took the step of obedience and was baptized. It was also during that period of time, I made Jesus Christ not just my Savior – but the Lord of my life. And the forgiveness I had accepted from God, I now also accepted from myself. You can never change the past – and though you may live with its consequences, God’s mercies are new for us every day and I praise Him for that.
My life has not been free of difficulties, but I have endured them all with the strength and grace God provided me. I have sought to live at peace with others and have readily forgiven as I have been forgiven, but sometimes we are called to model forgiveness and at other times, to also model consequences. My marriage of nearly thirty years ended as a result of sin and deception. My trust in people was once again shattered, but then I realized, I was never supposed to put my trust in people… only to trust God with the people He has put in my path.
God has blessed me abundantly. I am now remarried, with a beautiful blended family and we are active and serving at a wonderful evangelistic church. As I look back on my life, I know that there have been times when I have been outside of God’s will, but I have never been outside of His plan. He knows every choice we make (even before we make it) and I believe His perfect plan allows for them. He has taken my darkest times, and turned them around to be used for His glory… and it is my prayer that I live the rest of my life in obedience and to honor Him.
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Born Again Birthday...
Dan’s Testimony
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Every year, we all have a birthday, whether we want to or not :-) For me, that day falls in May, but there is a day that holds even greater celebration for me. On March 3, 2001 I accepted Jesus as my lord and savior so I like to refer to that date as my “born again” birthday…
While growing up, my family attended church most every Sunday, I went to Sunday school, when I was in 7th and 8th grade I went thru confirmation classes, and was confirmed… during most of my adult life I attended church most Sundays, I sang in the choirs, I took communion… I was a good person, I did good things… If you would have asked me if I was going to go to heaven I would have said, well, I hope so, I’m a good person, I think I’m going to heaven… If you would have asked me what the Bible was, I would have said it’s a good book, with good stories in it, but you can’t take it literally…. But the truth is, I just didn’t get it…
It was Friday January 19, 2001, a friend of mine had been trying for a few weeks to get me to read some books based on the Bible… now I remember that date because it is my daughters birthday, she was going to spend the weekend at her mothers so after I dropped her off I went and I bought that book… I read the entire book that weekend and then several other books over the next few weeks, and during that process I started reading the book behind the books, the Bible… and I realized that this isn’t just a book of good stories, but the 100% true, inspired word of God!
Now, that 1st weekend of March of 2001 I was in St. Louis Mo. My oldest son, who was a senior at Coe College and on the baseball team at that time, was playing there in a beginning of the season tournament… After watching the games that Saturday I was in my motel room that night… I was reading a study guide on the book of Revelation that I had started reading a week or two before… at the end of every few chapters it would ask if you had accepted Jesus as your personal savior and if not then why not now… I would think, hmmmm, that sounds like a good thing, I should do that someday, but I’m not ready for that now, and I would go on to the next chapter… but as I got to the end of a chapter that night, with tears in my eyes I could hardly read the words on the page… I knelt down next to my bed, and I gave my life to Jesus, I asked him into my heart and to be my savior… The tears that night were tears of joy but also tears of shame, as I was ashamed that it took me so long to realize the truth, that being a Christian is not about being a good person and doing good things… but being a Christian is about having a relationship with God… and I am so glad that we have a patient God that would wait over 45 years for me to make that decision… Now I in no way pretend to say that I no longer struggle with temptations and yes, I admit to fail God in some way every day that I live… but I do strive to be obedient to the God who created all that is, knowing that he has and will forgive me when I come to him and ask for his forgiveness when I fail, through his son and my savior, Jesus Christ…
So I ask you, if you have not made the decision to accept Jesus as your personal savior why not, and why not now…? who or what has God put into your life to help you open your eyes and understand the truth our God puts before us in his word…? it is never too late to have a birthday that really matters.
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I officially accepted Christ when I was 14 years old. It was during the summer of starting high school as a freshman. I was attending a Baptist Church at the time. Well we were on a youth conference trip in Indiana and I remember going forward during the invitation towards the end when the speaker asked us if we were assured that if we died that day, that we would be in heaven. When he asked us this I really wasn't all that sure. I mean at this time in my life I knew that I loved God and that I wanted to live my life the way that he wanted me to but I had never confessed my sins and told God that I believed that His Son was my Savior. As I was walking forward one of the college students that were helping out at the conference had her bible with me and we sat down. She started to explain Jesus Christ dying on the cross as a gift. She told me to think of it this way: When it's your birthday you many gifts from friends and family who love you. "The gift that you receive costs them something but costs you nothing." These were her exact words. And then this young lady went on to talk about how it is the same thing with Jesus Christ. He died on a cross and paid all of MY debt. He had none at all. She told me that Jesus loved me SO MUCH that he would DIE for ME. It was then that I began to weep because of how much He loved me. I couldn't believe that someone would love me enough to give their life for me. That night I asked God into my life, that night I accepted Christ.
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