I remember at age 8 my good friend, Charles Stone, went forward at the invitation and accepted Christ as his savior. That afternoon, I sat in the living room with my parents and told them that I had asked Jesus into my heart. My Dad prayed with me and after meeting with our pastor, I walked the aisle the next week.

I wish that my life since accepting Christ was one that was a great example but that would be a lie. Until the age of 16, I was a model kid. Active in RA’s, and youth groups, it seemed that life would be easy. However, looking back I realize that I was not maturing as a Christian. I began to make bad decisions about relationships, then alcohol. Because of the prior years in church, it was easy to hide this double life from everyone that I felt did not need to know. But through the end of high school and into college, even though I continued making bad decisions, I knew that everything I was doing was wrong. I also knew that I was not hiding from God. When you are in a situation like I was, you rationalize that you can continue what you are doing, fitting in with your friends, and then “get right with God” later on. I had a roommate in college that had no time for Christianity. He said that the church was full of hypocrites. I would argue the need for church and Christ, but then do everything contrary to what I was saying. I was blind to the fact that my roommate was right about how he felt about Christians because I was the perfect example of that hypocrite. A few years after college, the roommate that would argue with me about Chrisitianity died suddenly. I had not stayed in touch and still have no idea if he had accepted Christ or not. It was then that I began to recognize that how I was living was completely different from what I proclaimed was important. My guilt and shame moved me to ask God for forgiveness and to help me change the way I was living. Thank God that although I could turn my back on Him, He never did on me. My wife, Sarah, and I became more active in our church, but our real growth began when my career moved us to Spartanburg and into the family of believers at First North. God is so amazing that He can use a failure like me to teach in Adult Bible Fellowship. Paul understood this as well as anyone and the words he wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:7 speak to me like no others. He wrote, “We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all surpassing power is from God and not from us.” This jar of clay is thankful that God has chosen to save and use me and I desire to draw closer to Him each day.

My boyfriend and I just started getting worse and worse, and it wouldnt stop (It was like I was a bird shot by a hunter and I was falling to the ground with no one there to catch me or notice or even care). On the outside I pulled myself together. But I was crying for HELP. And finally I fell to my knees and asked for forgiveness and for God to give me a second chance. Because I knew that I couldnt do it on my own anymore, I finally realized that I needed help (I needed someone to catch me, and He caught me right before I hit the ground. More importantly, I needed someone who cared and noticed)! He helped me in ways no one could even see. I went to church the next sunday night; I didnt even plan on it, but I got baptized (By the way no one knew that I had rededicated my life).

My life after Christ is great. I mean I’m human and its really hard to read the Bible everyday and pray  after school and cheerleading. It gets really, though, I’m not going to lie. But I’m doing it, and I feel like I have a best friend that I can trust and is always watching over me. It gets hard, but life isn’t easy, and I’m currently still letting my ex go. Thats really hard because I fell in love with him….but God helps me. I just tell myself God has someone out there for me, and I’m not worried. I’ll find him someday…

Jackie’s mother and sister were constantly asking us to attend church with them, and we did from time to time. As our relationship grew and we began to consider marriage, we both felt the desire to find a church to attend. I totally thought this was my idea and had no inkling that this was the Lord’s hand nudging me closer to Him. We came to FBNS where we immediately loved everything about the church! I remember several times the pastor talking about how you must have a relationship with Jesus to gain salvation and that a change would take place in your life as a result of that relationship. I realized that I did not have that relationship, but I was still hesitant. One Sunday morning, I remember a special song being sung and I was so overcome by the feeling that God wanted me to surrender my life to Him that I could not stop crying and wanted to just leave. I tried to get up, but it was as if the Lord was keeping me in my seat. It was there that I made certain of my salvation by praying the Sinner’s Prayer and asking Jesus to be my Savior.

Since then, my life has changed radically. We eventually joined the church and began to attend Bible Fellowship class. I was lonely for Christian friends who had the same interests that I now had and God supplied me with so many great friends that keep me accountable in my walk with Him. I now teach Adult Bible Fellowship and am involved in many different areas of ministry in the church. It amazes me everyday that God can use even someone like me to tell others about Him and to show His love through me.

Once I started to understand and enjoy the Sunday school lessons, I became inerested in Jesus. I started talking to my dad and Pastor Doug about asking Jesus to come in to my heart. Then one night after the GIC I went into my room and prayed with my dad to ask Jesus Christ to come into my life and forgive me of my sins.

Ever since the day I asked Jesus to come into my life I have felt safe knowing that no matter what happens to me I would go to heaven. Now I enjoy going to church and singing worship to God. I have started a quiet time with God, and I have been going on church trips trying to grow more spiritually.

Being abused as a child by an uncle (an aunt’s husband) from the time I was 3 until I was 12 left me an emotional wreck. I did not talk unless it was required. I kept to myself. Books were my escape. I ran away from my mother at the age of 17 and came back here to SC to live with my Grandmother and Uncle. Freedom! Or so I thought. I was involved in staying out all night, drinking, sex. No surprise that I became pregnant. Not being married, I gave up my child. I married 6 months after the birth of my baby. I knew my husband would keep me straight. We fought a lot at times. He was not a Christian either. I began doing whatever I pleased…taking trips, coming home whenever I felt like it, etc. Severe depression set in….and I knew I needed something I did not have.

My self gratification had to stop or I was on a complete downward spiral. Linwood Harris invited me to First North. I accepted, mainly just so he would hush. Like him I am a people pleaser also. I accepted Christ into my life a couple of years ago and am a better person for it. I love coming to Church, especially the fellowship and the warmth I feel when I am around other Christians. I am better able to cope with problems. The depression had been taking it’s toll on me. I could not take medicine, because it made me worse…so I was suicidal. I praise God for His gift of unconditional love. He has shown me how to love….not just take.