I was born into sin just like everyone else, but by God’s mercy and grace He placed me in a wonderful family that allowed me to have the testimony I have!
My dad was raised in a Pentecostal church and my mom was part of a Methodist church before they were married. My father and mother began going to the church I was raised in when I was about five years old. During my childhood years, I remember going to vacation bible school most of my summer while I was out of school. It didn’t matter if the church was Baptist, Methodist, or Seventh Day Adventist, I loved vacation bible school. This, along with a family vacation for a week during the summer, was what my summers consisted of. The Word of God was instilled in me from my youth, and I am still learning from His Word!
Growing up to pre-teen years, I moved from bible schools to youth camps. For the most part, I was the only young person in my church that went to youth camp. This didn’t bother me, for you see I am a lot like my dad and hardly ever meet a stranger. From the age of 12 until I graduated high school, I attended the same youth camp. In fact, my kids now attend this camp, and I am now 38 years old! I made friends during this time that I still consider to be friends today.
During my teenage years, of course I made mistakes. I have never tasted alcohol, tried drugs, smoked, partied on weekends, but I still was tempted with other things and even fell at times! Even through the mistakes, I knew what had been instilled in me through the teaching of God’s Word and the example that my mom and dad had given me. Please don’t misunderstand me and think I feel like I lead the “perfect life” as a teenager. I failed many times and had to ask for forgiveness for different things, but I never ventured very far away from my upbringing.
There were many things I learned in life because my mom and dad didn’t hide me from ” the issues” of church and life, and I feel this has made me to become the woman I am today. I have been married for 17 years to a great man that loves God and others, and we have three wonderful kids. We attend a Pentecostal church where my husband was raised from his childhood. It amazes me at times when I sit and think just how good God has been to me; to place me in the family he did, and then join me with a man that had the same beliefs I was raised with!
As I write this, I think of those that may not have been raised in church. I would never want to make someone feel like they are lesser because of that. For the Word of God tells us in Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” We are all born into sin and all need a Savior. But I am also reminded, now that I have kids, that the bible also says in Proverbs 22:6 ” Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” I do believe the reason why I have the faith and understanding that I do today is because of the family and church that God so graciously placed me in.
I could go on and on about miracles, divine deliverances, and personal experiences I have had during my life, but as I end I would like to remind you that you are loved, no matter what your background is. You may have tried a lot of things to find happiness and those things have failed you. But I am a living testimony that if you will just remember your roots, you can live a life for God and he can and will use you wherever you are.
FOR WE ARE ALL CREATED IN THE LIKENESS AND IMAGE OF GOD! Your roots are in HIM!
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