I was fortunate to have a family that was Christian and very involved in church activities. Since we lived in a rural area the church was the core of our community. Aside from that my grandfather owned land surrounding the church and gave additional land to allow for church growth. My Mom had the Sunday Fried Chicken Dinner for all ministers, evangelists and missionaries who visited our church. My parent’s best friends were missionaries in Africa. I was provided with role models for Christianity.

I knew that Jesus was the Son of God and that He came to earth as a babe in the manger. He died on the cross for my sins was buried and rose the third day. I knew that he ascended to heaven and I wanted to go to heaven as well. At eight years of age I made my decision public, joined the church and was baptised in the outdoor baptismal pool located in my grandfather’s pasture.

One Sunday Night, my boyfriend and I were coming home from visiting his church in Greenville. We were involved in a very serious auto accident caused by a drunk driver. We had some serious injuries. My neck was broken and only God allowed me to survive. At times, I wondered if I would ever be able to tell someone that a year, or maybe two or three had passed since I was in a terrible accident and that I was healed. Praise the Lord, I can say this year will be 45 years since that time. During the long months of recovery I discovered a Bible verse that has helped me throughtout my life. Psalm 16:11, “Thou wilt show me the path of life, in Thy presence is fullness of joy and at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” God has allowed me to marry the “man of my dreams” (was in the accident with me) have two children, who have married Christians and we now have four grandchildren. We have worked hard, had difficult situations to deal with, had illnesses and death has taken precious friends and family members, but God is always on that Path of Life with me. When one comes close to losing life at nineteen, 64 looks great!

I was blessed to grow up in a Christian family with two wonderful parents and a great little sister. My parents had my sister and I in church every time the doors were open.
I was always a very competitive kid who wanted to make my parents proud. I spent a lot of time on the baseball field, while trying to also keep my grades up in school. My parents were so supportive and invested a lot of time in my life.

My Sunday school teachers reinforced the things my parents were teaching me at home- that God had plan for my life, a plan to prosper me and not to harm me, a plan to give me a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). At the early age of eight, I realized that I was a sinner- that I made mistakes that needed to be forgiven. I remember talking with my pastor in Plantation, Florida. Even though, I did not have a lot of biblical knowledge, I fully believed that Jesus Christ had died on a cross for my sins, had been buried, and then was raised to life on the third day. I asked Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. This was the day my life changed forever.

I have to say that God has been so good to me. Life has not been perfect since I became a Christian. There have been many storms along the way, which is only to be expected. My greatest storm happened when my father died suddenly at the age of 43. I was only 19 years old at the time, and it was so hard to lose one of my closest friends. Through it all, I have had a Heavenly Father who has carried me in the midst of each storm. He has guided my every step, eventually leading me to the precious young lady who became my wife. He has blessed us with two beautiful little girls. I am overwhelmed by His unending love and mercy toward me. Thank you Jesus for changing my life!!

I grew up in Spartanburg with both parents and 2 younger brothers. My mother would take us to church on a regular basis but we were not being raised in a Christian home. My father was a “functioning alcoholic” and I didn’t have a great relationship with him. I was very insecure and had low self-esteem going into my teenage years. At the age of 10, I had joined the church I was attending and was even baptized but was never told about having a relationship with Jesus christ. In high school, I began using alcohol and getting high. I met my future husband right after graduating and we married when I was 19. We struggled our 1st couple of years of marriage since we weren’t living for the Lord.

Clay and I had went to church occasionally at FBNS where he was a member. I was visited on a Wednesday night by 2 of the members. They asked me during the visit if I was standing before God and He asked “Why should I let you into My Heaven?” I honestly didn’t know what to say. At that moment, I realized that if I died I would spend eternity in hell. I asked Jesus into my heart that night in April of 1990. The following Sunday, I joined FBNS and professed my faith by being baptized again.

I became pregnant with our 1st daughter a month after I was baptized and God really laid Clay on my heart. He had made a decision for Christ at the age of 12, but was not living for the Lord. I wanted to bring our children up in a Christian home. After Jordan was born, we started attending church consistently. God gave both of us a desire to serve Him. We became involoved in many different areas of our church . We’ve raised all 3 of our girls in a Christian home and watched them all ask Jesus into their heart. I have a peace in every situation knowing God is in control.

I am seven years old. I have gone to Sunday School, church, Vacation Bible School, and AWANA all my life. So I have always been taught that Jesus died for my sins and rose again on the third day. (That was even one of my verses for AWANA). One day in Sunday school, my teacher taught us about the Devil. He was bad and would try to take me away from God. So I went home and asked my mom if I could ask Jesus into my heart. She and my dad were afraid that I was too little and that I didn’t know what I was doing. But I kept asking.

My family’s church attendance was sporadic throughout my childhood. We were a military family and moved often. We attended our base’s protestant services at Christmas and Easter and occasionally through the year. There were phases when we would get involved in a local church, but soon we would move again. Even though I was very young and with my family, our first move had a large impact on me. I felt alone, shy, and displaced. I don’t remember specifics, just that uncertain feeling.