How did i get here? *WARNING - Private Testimony Ahead*
THERE’s a story. I began my Faith in God at a young age, about 13. I was introduced to a small school meeting called ISCF in high school. It was fun and talked about morals and a little on the Christian Faith. Friendships were formed and we’d almost become like brothers and sisters in a way that id never experienced before. I felt accepted and probably experienced one of my first ‘crushes’ too..EEK!
I was then ready to take the leap to Youth Group, and fortunately my parents were accepting enough of my curiosity to drive me and pick me up late.
I’d learnt about LOVE, a family that was interested in me and help me through the early teenage phase that so many young girls struggle with. The age old “I don’t know who i am”. I hadn’t read the bible at all... I realised that people still do, and thought that would be a good place to start in my own personal journey. Unfortunately, i found it boring, it didn’t make a whole lot of sense on my own and none of my ‘friends’ read it.. so there was no real inclination for me to even try.
Deep inside i had a yearning for a gap to be filled. This ‘gap’ i felt was being replenished every time i was in the presence of my new ‘Christian Friends’ and i felt the urge to keep that satisfied, so off i went to Church (to the surprise of my parents) “Whatever you want”, they said. Thank-you Mum.
What a whirlwind of a ride that was!
In-between the desires of a teenage worldly young lady and the need to be a ‘good Christian’ i fell somewhere in the middle most of the time. I’d attend the parties with the concoctions of the world... sleep in another mans bed, walk to church the next day like nothing happened. Other occasions, I’d do my ‘experimenting’ walking through the bushes to church and unbeknown to me what i smelt like by the time i got there...
I’d be scolded by children that i was wearing the jacket of the devil. I’d be warned by the Pastor’s wife to cover up on other days, and on the days i could fit into my sister’s size 8 mini-dress, i wore that and wondered why i had the eyes of the back-row gentlemen. (i say gentlemen lightly)
I rarely fit in. They really could have told me to leave and not come back. I am so grateful today that they had a heart for winning disciples no matter how they/ we/ i come in.
I gave my heart to God and was baptised. My friends did... why not.
We had drug dealers sitting in the row beside me. I realised this one day when my boyfriend at the time moved in with them... That’s when my views of the church at the time become un-trusting.
My boyfriend passed away, i’d quit work, regained work, moved out of home, got involved with the same shenanigans all over again. i hadn’t touched my bible in a year.
There’s a man in shining armour on the other end of a ‘Friendship website’ His name was Ben. I was broken but slowly rebuilding. He was broken, he was rebuilding. We talked for months and got to know each-other. We hit it off, we realised within a day, we knew each-other on a level that we felt we didn’t ever want to be apart. Within days of meeting face-to-face, we were dreaming of the future, we had the same ideas, we believed in the same morals, the same sense of humour, same goals...same electricity. The engagement ring was on my finger under the blessing of my dear Father. Ben’s Grandfather (Bless his soul) would have the honour of marrying his Grandchild, his last marriage, just 3 months later.
12 Years ago we met and now Still married under the oath of God. Hallelujah!
It took a good long 10 years for Ben and i to truly give our hearts completely to God. It took a special friend and a special blessing for us to realise that HE was truly on our side in this Life thing.
As an adult, i realised in the bible it says there is 1 Baptism. That’s pretty black and white. When it comes to your heart, you want it stripped of hurt, stripped of pain, stripped of all the desires of the world. And around about the time of our Blessing was put on our family. we said to God, “If this is your will, We will baptised in the water of the pool in which you give us”
The house was ours. We would both be baptised, cleansed and refreshed... And so our TRUE relationship with God was born. Our hearts had truly been refreshed, As adults, a true heartfelt decision that had changed us both in ways we never thought would come.
An example to our children.
I would not change the experience for the world. And being a 15 year old in the hands of Hypocrisy and no true grasp of what it means to be baptised, there is room to let this be a lesson to myself and my Husband to lead and preach what it really means to give your heart to God... So although the bible says; ONE Baptism, when it comes to your relationship with our Heavenly Father, i KNOW he will much rather your Soul and your true heart, than an argument about the facts of the Bible. I was baptised twice, but i truly gave my heart on the Second.
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