All things New

[4given]

I'm new here and wanted to share a little of my testimony with you all so that you could get to know me a little more.

I was brought up in a "religious" family. Went to church twice on a Sunday, was sent to Sunday School and spent every Sunday of my childhood at my grandparents house where there was strict Sunday Observance.

Was brought up in a war torn country. I was used to counting the shots being fired during the night. Listening to sirens, helicopters, used to hearing bombs go off. Was used to getting evacuated from shops. Watched my family grieve over loved ones killed. Some of my family were sent death threats written in blood. I've watched a helicopter just drop from the sky and explode before my eyes. No one ever knew what the next 24 hrs would hold.

Even tho all my activities outside of school were all church related - by the age of 13 I knew that I was not a proper Christian even though I was brought up in a "religious family". I had a penpal in Palm Springs and she asked me what my religion was and my mum told me to tell her I was a Christian. I knew that was not correct. I knew that if I died that night I would be spending the rest of my life separated from God and in Hell.

At that same time I got caught out stealing big style and told alot of lies to cover it up and during the middle of one night my mum came into my room crying as I had let her down so badly and she told me that I needed to get right with the Lord and ask for forgiveness.

I released that I had let my mum, dad and grandparents down and even more than getting right with the Lord - I needed to ask the Lord into my life and change me and make me into a different person. I did not like the person I was starting to turn into.

I went to church and sunday school and I believed in Jesus but I was not born again. I knew that Jesus shed his blood on the cross and died in my place so that I could be forgiven. Is'nt Jesus just wonderful - he paid my fine and took my punishment.

As I lay in my bed in the middle of the night, I confessed my sins to God and gave my life to Jesus. It was just not enough for me to believe in Jesus ( because even the demons believe in Him) I had to repent and place my trust in Him as my Lord and Saviour. Thats what it means to be born again.


So thats what I did that night. I don't remember dates just that I did it when I was 13.

I met my future husband at age 14. His dad was a minister - and that was the only reason my parents allowed me to spend time with him. My husband was very particular about our friendship - he would not have a relationship with someone else who was not saved. We were so young but so in love.

I ended up in my final two years of education going to a 99% catholic school in a bad area of town. So that I could do accountancy. The Lord looked after me those 2 years. I was so on fire for him and used to sit in the common room with my bible and talk to my friends - they were so used to going to confession and hearing about purgatory.

I never went into that school without praying but those were the best 2 yrs of my school life. The school teachers wanted me to go to university but I just wanted to get married. DH had already spent 4 yrs at university by this stage.

So I got a job - and had to cut all ties with my former school mates, I could not tell them where I worked as I knew that many had terrorist links in their families. I ended up in Military HQ. I could trust few and hardly anyone in the family knew where I worked. Ended up starting a bible study and prayer meeting one day a week at lunchtime there with a few christian soldiers and other staff.

I finally got married and I praise and thank the Lord for all his mercies, his grace and his guiding hand. Without Him being there for us I would not be celebrating nearly 22yrs of married life.

We've worked for an Arab missionary society for about 2 yrs and in a sense a "Messianic" type ministry - hard to describe it but it was an outreach to the Russian Jews of Belarus - but the Russian authorities would only allow us to work with the Jewish children if we had half the children Jewish and the other half Russian children. Working for the Arab Missionary society - involved arabic bibles and a "bit of travelling".

The Lord blessed us with 3 boys - who now also love the Lord. My eldest has received the Lord's calling to go into the ministry and once he has finished his degree he is starting bible college.


There have been so many trials in our lives and just now we have a major one - someday I will share it with you all but for now we cling to the Lord and remember that "For such a time as this the Lord will be with us".

I just thank the Lord that He is there to guide us through those heartbreaking times.

Being a Christian is not an easy life to follow - its the toughest you will ever get. But Jesus has been with us as a couple and as a family every step of the way guiding us and giving us wisdom. I have no fear of the future. My confidence is in Christ Jesus my Lord.

James 1 v 2 , 3 KJV "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing [this], that the trying of your faith worketh patience."

and my favourite verse of scripture:

Romans 8:28 KJV "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose"

Hebrews 13 V5b KJV "...........for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

Quote:We may not know what the future holds, but we can trust the One who holds the future

God Bless