I grew up as a small boy in Spartanburg, S.C. with two loving Christian parents who saw fit to take us to church every time the doors were open. I was involved in all the youth activites along with playing on football, softball, and baseball teams as young man. I knew there was something missing in my life. That was Jesus, whom I had heard about at church as well at home.

Although I was baptized at 9, I didn’t understand what it meant to be saved. I only remember walking down the isle because I was supposed to. As I grew into my late teens I began to live two very different lives. I had my church life where everyone thought I was a good person and I had my other life where I thought I could do whatever I wanted and still be OK. I looked for fulfillment in friends and sports and did not think there was anything wrong with going to nightclubs and drinking. When I would get home and lay in my bed, wondering how I got there, it never occurred to me that God had a plan for my life.

One night at a party, I passed out and woke up in a very bad place. It was then I realized that the double life I had been living was sinful. I realized that I needed God to help me turn away from the sinful life I had been living. I asked Jesus to come into my heart and immediately I felt like a great weight had been lifted off of me. I finally understood what my parents had been trying to teach me, that Jesus was God’s Son who came to earth to live a sinless life and die on a cross for me, and so believing, I can have eternal life after death and a rewarding life while on earth.

After I gave my heart to Jesus I was able to stop living that double life. God has blessed me with a beautiful family, a good job and many opportunities to serve Him through worship, teaching, coaching and missions. God even gave me the courage to go through Believers Baptism. I still struggle with sin but now I find my fulfillment in Him and my family and I no longer have to hide a different life.

At 8 years of age Jesus came to me in a dream.  He was a man in a white robe.  All I can remember is that this man was loving and compassionate.  Confused, I told my Mother about it and we talked with our minister.  He prayed with me. I asked Jesus to come into my heart, and I was baptized.  My childhood was unhappy.  Alcohol impacted us greatly.  My parents argued alot.  We attended church as a family only for short intervals.  My sister & I often went with our grandparents to church.  As teens we went with our friends.  I was a backslider.  I wanted a way out. Pregnant & married at 16, a mother at 17, my life took a different path.Â

Sin continued to affect me. I wanted to do the right thing.  I went to church.  I believed in the Gospel.  My marriage ended after 20 years by my choice.  Sex, alcohol, & drugs were the culprits.  I had an 8 year relationship which was emotionally & physically abusive.  I got out, sought counseling, and began attending a small church where my aunt and uncle served.  During this time I reached a point where I knew I had to do things God’s way, and I prayed for Jesus to help me.  He had been in my heart.  I had chosen to ignore Him.  Through my counseling, family, friends, church and precious pastor I was able to heal and by God’s grace I was forgiven.Â
 

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.

Drinking, smoking, strife, and a partying atmosphere typified my home life as I was growing up. My parents were very young when they married and within four years of marrying, they had three small children to take care of. I was the youngest. We were often subjected to their weekend intoxication, quarrels, and aggression. During this time, I dealt with the up and down emotions of an inconsistent and insecure home life. There were moments of laughter and gaiety in our home, but more often than not, unhappiness, fear, and anxiety were the norm.

In spite of all this, my parents saw the need of going to church and we would attend sporadically. When they did not go, they would send us by ourselves. It was at church, and the Christian influence of my grandparents, that I knew there was something more to life than the example that my parents displayed. After our family moved to another state when I was a young teenager, we started attending a Baptist church. It was here, as a result of a stirring message from the pastor, that I realized that I needed to ask God to forgive me of my sins and accept Christ as my Savior. I believed that He was the son of God, that he died on the cross for my sins, and that he rose again after three days, having victory over sin and death.

Since accepting Christ, my life has not been perfect. I’ve not always been fully committed to Him like I should. I’ve had to deal with resentment and ill feelings toward my parents, but God has shown me that I am to love them regardless. I have also done things that I am not proud of and have grieved the Holy Spirit. But I know that He has forgiven me and continues to walk with me daily. He has given me peace, security, a desire to do His will and to know Him better.