As a youg girl I had great Christian parents who were always in chruch . There was no other place to be. During revial all my friends were being saved so I thought I would be like the rest and walk the aisle and ask Jesus into my heart. Years went by, and I got married and had a family. I still thought I was the best person around because I always was doing good things for others. Then God started dealing with me. I couldn’t sleep and couldn’t think and I was always scared. I talk with my daughter and son-in-law about this. We prayed about this problem. I was in my late forties and I realized I was not saved. I asked Jesus into my heart and was baptized. I thought everthing was going great but there was Satan on a roll. I started going to doctors getting perscription meds like crazy. I would talk my way into a hospital and even had surgeries I really didn’t need. God was put on the back burner once again. I knew down deep this was wrong, but didn’t really care. I could play church with anyone. I sang in the choir, taught Sunday School and took my pills. I was hooked on drugs bigtime. Finally one day after God giving me another chance and almost dying, there was an intervention in my life. My daughter said, “Enough is enough.” I told her I had no problem, that she did. But God had other plans. Between my daughter and a good friend the next thing I knew I was in a rehab in Greenwood. I thought, “I am too old for this.” But it was there that I found out that God had let me hit the bottom so I would have to look up to Him and not to drugs. All this time his hands were held out but I just wouldn’t take them. I am so happy God didn’t give up on me. I keep my eyes on the cross and keep looking and hold to His hands. I didn’t know life could be so good. I want to tell everyone how much God loves them and he is always there for you if you just ask. Now I can teach Sunday School and sing in the choir and I can’t get enough of God’s Word. God IS GOOD!!!!!!

I grew up in a Christian home and attended church every time the doors were open. My parents were wonderful examples of Christian parents. I was surrounded by extended family who loved God and desired to serve Him. When I was 8 years old, I realized that I did not have a personal relationship with God. I knew all about Him, but knew that He did not live in my life.

One Sunday night in February, 1979, I realized that I was missing something in my life. I was overwhelmed by the fact that I did not have a relationship with Jesus Christ. During the Invitation, I walked down to the pastor and told him I wanted to ask Jesus to come live in my heart. I met with the pastor later so he could make sure I understood my decision. One thing that I have never forgotten is that he gave me a coin as a gift and said, “This coin represents Christ’s gift to you. He has given you eternal life. Once you take it, it is yours to keep forever.” I knew from then on, Christ lived in me and I wanted to live a life pleasing to Him.

There have been ups and downs and I have not been perfect. But through-out my life, Jesus has always been an active part. When life is hard, I know I can lean on Him to get me through. With a wonderful Christian husband at my side, we try to live a life to please God and influence others to serve Him.

I had a wonderful life as a child. My mother was a Christian and my dad was not. We did not have a lot when I was growing up, but we did have love. I always knew my parents loved me. In my early childhood years my mother did not attend church with me. I would go with my grandpa. We went to Sunday School and worship most every Sunday. I loved going to church and learning about Jesus.

I grew up in a Christian home. I was baptized as a young girl when I was 6 years old. I have spent all of my adult life trying to do what is right. For the past ten years, I have been heavily involved in church including bible studes, sunday school, missions trips and choir. I have always wanted to know Jesus intimately but never felt like I could get there.

Back in June, our church was beginning its summer program with a guest evangelist. His name is Dennis Nunn, and he was leading us in a program called “Every Believer a Witness.” The purpose was to develop a boldness in sharing Christ. Along with that, our church was promoting a new website called itellthestory.com. We, as individuals, were to post our testimonies for others to read–another evangelism tool. I was compelled, or rather challenged, to write my story and put it on the website along with others in our Sunday School class. I began struggling with what I needed to say. I have always disliked writing my testimony because there is really no defining moment of coming to know the Lord. I believed in Jesus from a very young age as I learned about Him in Sunday School. I was baptized as an infant, and again upon changing membership to a Baptist church. I was again baptized along with my husband in a river in Michigan. None of these instances stand out to me as the moment I decided to follow Christ. I struggled for three days with the weight of this burden. I couldn’t breathe. I asked my husband what I needed to do. His only reply was, “Hope, do you trust God?” Not exactly what I wanted to hear. How could I have lived the life of a Christian (yet still a sinner), and at 32 years old be doubting my salvation?