I cannot remember a time in my life without involvement in church. I was raised on the stories and songs of God. In school I was known as the “preacher/singer” who was always preaching and singing about God. My life before I made Jesus my Lord and Savior was pleasant. I was not involved with the wrong crowd and did not do the things they did. (Although I did get into some negative things later in life, but God delivered me.) Growing up in church, I had always seen people go down the aisle at the end of the service. One Sunday I did that, not having a clue what I was doing. My life really did not change.
I was in the tenth grade when God began to make clear to me that I had never accepted him as my Savior. A guest speaker said, “Some of you are like the baseball player who hit a homerun and was called out when you got to home plate. When questioned, the umpire simply said, ‘You did not touch first base.’” I knew immediately that was me. I knew how to act like a Christian, but I was not one because I had not surrendered my life to Him.
Since that time God has richly blessed my life. I have had the opportunity to serve Him and spread His word in over twenty-three states and two foreign countries. He allowed me to teach 6th grade science and history, all the while being a missionary to the students and faculty. He has blessed me with an amazing wife and two incredible children. And now I serve him as a staff member and worship leader at First Baptist North Spartanburg. There have been difficult times, but God’s grace has sustained me. He will do the same for you if you will place your trust in him.
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I was raised a PK and I was at chuch at least 3 times a week and sometimes more. It never bothered me because I enjoyed the people. At a very young age I gave my life to God. I served him with all my little heart and would always invite people to church. One Sunday in a Wesleyan Church in Akron, Ohio my Dad had a special service to see who brought the most people. I had 35 people and one of those ladies that came got saved and served God till she died. I always had a gift for bringing people to church.
During my teen years I rebeled and went on with life without God. I started drinking and thought it was cool. Two marriges and 35years later I was getting a 2nd divorce with no money and no one to help me. I started going to the Nazarene church where I gave my life back to Christ. Things have been changing in my life ever since. One day on my way to church I saw a sign that said Mike Huckabee ws coming to speak at First Baptist North Spartanbur. My car made a left turn right into the parking lot, and I have been coming here ever since. God has given me a home that I love. My Mom now lives with me. We both trust in him and pray, and when things go wrong Mom and I pray. When two people pray in God’s will and agree on it, it will happen.
It is now a joy to get up and start a new day because I know that God will be with me. The life I left behind was a terrible place, but through Jesus Christ I will aways live the new life for him. I am glad that Jesus died on the cross so that one day I will be in heaven with my dad and family. I’m proud to tell the world that I’m going to serve him everyday of my life.
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My story begins as a child who attended church and listened and one day got the message that God died for me and loved me. For some reason this was important to me, but I did not understand it much until a Sunday School teacher made it clear.
My teacher, Bill B. Brown, taught us that we need to accept Christ as our Savior and that if we didn’t we would not go to heaven. He did not try to scare us but lovingly taught us. Through his teaching and my conviction that I needed Christ, I accepted Jesus when I was 11 or 12 years old. But this was just the start of the journey.
As I got older I knew I was not doing what God wanted me to do. After I graduated from high school I drifted away from God and fell out of fellowship with Him. I was not happy and knew I needed God, but the world was very enticing. A friend of mine invited me to a small church, and I actually went. Through His fellowship and God’s grace I have found peace and happiness ever since.
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I was brought up in a Christian home. We went to church Sunday morning, night, & Wednesday.
When I was in middle school, I went to a retreat with the youth at my parents church. That was when I asked Christ to come into my heart.
I have a good & loving husband who is a Christian. If it wasn’t for God, I probably wouldn’t have gotten Alan. I just finally left it up to Him to send Alan to me. I have good Christian friends also.
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I grew up in a Christian home and attended church regularly. My parents taught me about God in many different ways, but as a young child I realized that while I knew a lot about God, I didn’t really know Him personally. I began asking more and more questions about salvation, Heaven, and Jesus.
I knew that God was speaking to me about becoming a Christian. After many conversations with my Mother, I knelt down in my bedroom and prayed for God’s forgiveness and surrendered my life to Him. I was very young - only 5 years old, but I knew that God had heard my prayer.
I am so thankful for my relationship with Christ. Though I still struggle with sin, I have the power of Christ in my life and He is changing me daily to become more like Himself. Even in tough circumstances I know that my life has purpose and meaning. Most of all, I now have a personal relationship with God - I know Him! Phillipians 2:1-16 is my prayer for my life “…holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may have cause to glory because I did not run in vain or toil in vain.” (v.16)
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