May 13, 2007
My Testimony
As I think back on the beginning of my spiritual life, I find it a little difficult to say exactly where is first begun. It could have began when my parents had me baptized into the Roman Catholic faith when I was just a baby, but although my parents intentions were good, I have trouble accepting that being baptized out of someone else’s’ choice for you, is right.
I didn’t really grow up in a religious home, even though I was baptized, so my spiritual life kind of developed in spurts and there was always one main character in my life that brought me there. As I look back on it now, it kind of seems as though God was placing these individuals in my life to lead me to Him.
But things would change and the friendships ended, but I never stopped believing in God. But because my friend, who brought me to church, was out of my life, I’d stop going to church too.
Throughout these spurts of my growing Christian life, I’d have to say that the first time I really saw and understood God, was when I went on a kind of Mission trip with my youth group when I was in grade 6 or 7 to Calgary. I did lots of volunteer work and helping others. I also saw some things that maybe I wasn’t ready to see, like poverty, people working the streets, others using the public payphones to call their drug dealers, and a beat up couch behind a building with broken needles lying around it.
Now, please don’t be frightened or concerned, when I saw these things, I was with a big group of people and the people who knew and patrolled that specific downtown area were guiding us and they didn’t bring us close to anything that would have put someone in danger. But it was at this time that I really prayed and prayed and I was so thankful for the life God had given me but at the same time, I cried for those people who didn’t know God and who lived the way I saw in downtown Calgary that night.
My next big experience in my faith was when another friend of mine invited me to his small, but growing Youth group. I was in grade 8 at the time and I found that this was a place where I discovered and accepted one of the gifts God had given me. It was the gift of singing and praising Him. I became the lead singer of my youth band and I sang every youth night and I had really felt like it fit perfectly.
Unfortunately, once again, stuff happened and I turned away from the church and my friendships with the people I went to youth with, ended.
It was 4 years after that when God placed a new person in my life to bring me back to Him. That’s how I ended up here, at Morrow Gospel, because of that friend whom I’m so thankful for. And finally once again, it feels right.
I started to keep a prayer journal soon after I started coming here and there is an entry in it I’d like to share, it shows that I have truly accepted God into my life and I needed to put it in writing so that I could look back on it whenever I needed to. The entry is this;
“Jesus said, ‘In the same way God’s angels are happy when even one person turns to him’ Luke 5:10
Dear Lord,
Tonight my friend asked me if I had made it official and asked You into my heart and life for good and I couldn’t really recall actually putting it into words, like I know that You are in my heart and life Lord, but I think that just for my sake, I’d like to put this prayer down so that I know that I have asked You into my heart and life officially and for good, so here it goes…My Lord, Jesus Christ, You are my saviour and my God and I know that You died to save me from my sins so that I could be free to live in Your way and have eternal life. I pray to You and ask You to please forgive all of my sins and forget my foolish thoughts and choices I have made in the past. Cleanse me of my old self and allow me to grow into a new pure person for You, God. Please come into my heart and life completely and be with me always. I’m reaching out to You, Lord. Please take my hand. I’m turning to You and I want to make You proud. I love You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen”
There are many passages in the bible that I love and speak to me, but the one I chose to share today is; “You will turn back to me and ask for help, and I will answer all your prayers. You will worship me with your whole heart and I’ll be with you…” Jeremiah 29:12-13.
Thank you all for listening and thank you even more for your kindness and making me feel welcome here. God bless.
My Testimony
As I think back on the beginning of my spiritual life, I find it a little difficult to say exactly where is first begun. It could have began when my parents had me baptized into the Roman Catholic faith when I was just a baby, but although my parents intentions were good, I have trouble accepting that being baptized out of someone else’s’ choice for you, is right.
I didn’t really grow up in a religious home, even though I was baptized, so my spiritual life kind of developed in spurts and there was always one main character in my life that brought me there. As I look back on it now, it kind of seems as though God was placing these individuals in my life to lead me to Him.
But things would change and the friendships ended, but I never stopped believing in God. But because my friend, who brought me to church, was out of my life, I’d stop going to church too.
Throughout these spurts of my growing Christian life, I’d have to say that the first time I really saw and understood God, was when I went on a kind of Mission trip with my youth group when I was in grade 6 or 7 to Calgary. I did lots of volunteer work and helping others. I also saw some things that maybe I wasn’t ready to see, like poverty, people working the streets, others using the public payphones to call their drug dealers, and a beat up couch behind a building with broken needles lying around it.
Now, please don’t be frightened or concerned, when I saw these things, I was with a big group of people and the people who knew and patrolled that specific downtown area were guiding us and they didn’t bring us close to anything that would have put someone in danger. But it was at this time that I really prayed and prayed and I was so thankful for the life God had given me but at the same time, I cried for those people who didn’t know God and who lived the way I saw in downtown Calgary that night.
My next big experience in my faith was when another friend of mine invited me to his small, but growing Youth group. I was in grade 8 at the time and I found that this was a place where I discovered and accepted one of the gifts God had given me. It was the gift of singing and praising Him. I became the lead singer of my youth band and I sang every youth night and I had really felt like it fit perfectly.
Unfortunately, once again, stuff happened and I turned away from the church and my friendships with the people I went to youth with, ended.
It was 4 years after that when God placed a new person in my life to bring me back to Him. That’s how I ended up here, at Morrow Gospel, because of that friend whom I’m so thankful for. And finally once again, it feels right.
I started to keep a prayer journal soon after I started coming here and there is an entry in it I’d like to share, it shows that I have truly accepted God into my life and I needed to put it in writing so that I could look back on it whenever I needed to. The entry is this;
“Jesus said, ‘In the same way God’s angels are happy when even one person turns to him’ Luke 5:10
Dear Lord,
Tonight my friend asked me if I had made it official and asked You into my heart and life for good and I couldn’t really recall actually putting it into words, like I know that You are in my heart and life Lord, but I think that just for my sake, I’d like to put this prayer down so that I know that I have asked You into my heart and life officially and for good, so here it goes…My Lord, Jesus Christ, You are my saviour and my God and I know that You died to save me from my sins so that I could be free to live in Your way and have eternal life. I pray to You and ask You to please forgive all of my sins and forget my foolish thoughts and choices I have made in the past. Cleanse me of my old self and allow me to grow into a new pure person for You, God. Please come into my heart and life completely and be with me always. I’m reaching out to You, Lord. Please take my hand. I’m turning to You and I want to make You proud. I love You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen”
There are many passages in the bible that I love and speak to me, but the one I chose to share today is; “You will turn back to me and ask for help, and I will answer all your prayers. You will worship me with your whole heart and I’ll be with you…” Jeremiah 29:12-13.
Thank you all for listening and thank you even more for your kindness and making me feel welcome here. God bless.
1 comment:
Hi Chantel, I don't think I've ever met you (I linked to your page from Chad's), but I just wanted to thank you for sharing your testimony. It was encouraging both to see how God has been working in your life as well as your honest portrayal of your journey. Thanks!
-Mark
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