I grew up in Anderson, S.C. There were five little girls in my family and I was the third one. I really never liked myself. I wanted to be a boy so I could do the things my dad did, praise God I am a girl. Also, I was not as pretty as the other girls and not as smart. I was mean. I did not like the world, did not like people or trust them. If you are not trustworthy you don’t trust others. I was a chronic liar. Yet, all my life my family went to church and my mother always took us. In our youth group I would pray aloud and answer all the right things.

After the births of two great children, my husband and I decided to start back to church so our children could decide for themselves what they wanted to believe. My husband and I believed that God was the love that all man should have for each other and Jesus was just a story that man had made up so everyone could do what they wanted to, say they were sorry and all was well. We lived next door to a couple that had three children an appeared happy from the outside, but my friend was very negative. One summer she went to a retreat at and when she came back she was different. She drove me crazy, all she could talk about was Jesus, she did not complain anymore and she was joyful. One night she came over, with tears running down her face and said Pam do you realize one day I am going to heaven and you are going to hell. I did not react to her, but it did bother me. I began to read some of those little books my friend gave me. One morning I woke up and I knew that I was a sinner and that Jesus was the son of God and I needed Him I was so very sorry for all that I had done. I knew he lived a perfect life , was crucified, died , buried and then rose from the dead.

That was 37 years ago. While God in His patience works with me, He has given to me a wonderful present. He has allowed me to lead so many in the sinner’s prayer. It is amazing. You see we always have an opportunity to share His good news. The gospel has to be in your story or it has no power. Praise God it was in my story. But now, I will think about it just that way. God had given that to me before. I guess that is why He could use me over and over again. I have prayed with an elementary principal in his office , bunches of youth at our other church, riding student on a horse , a man in the Spartanburg Auditorium, The last two right now I will say are two girls this summer at our camps at our home. It is great realizing some of how God uses you in His big Picture. Isn’t God good??!!!!!!!

My life before Christ is hard to explain. I was 6 years old when I accepted Christ as my Savior and Lord. Prior to that I practically lived at the church. My mother worked at the church we attended as a church secretary. My father was a deacon and was active in the church bus ministry. So the church was like my second home. I was blessed with Christian parents and generations of Christians in my life. However, in spite of these blessings, I strayed from the Lord at the age of 18. I continued to be very active in church and was faithful in reading my Bible, but I began to explore in the area of sexual immorality. The practice of immorality in my life lead to health problems and eventually depression. One night I was so depressed over the way I had messed up my life, attempting to live 2 different lives (one for God and one not for God) that I attempted suicide. I placed a gun to my head, and as I did something told me to check the bullets. My dad had always told me to leave the gun revolver on an empty slot so that if I ever dropped the gun it would not go off and hurt someone. So I knew that if I was going to kill myself that I had to make sure the gun was not on the empty slot. However, when I checked the gun for the bullets, all the bullets were gone! I frantically searched my nightstand for the missing bullets, but there were no bullets to be found. I cried myself to sleep that night. Soon after this incident I asked the Lord to forgive me for my sins and for the way I had been living my life. I rededicated my life to the Lord and I enrolled in several Bible studies at church allowing the Holy Spirit to heal me. Through His healing power my life was changed.

Before I came to know Christ my life was one filled with complete emptiness. I had an addiction to the lust of the flesh. My addiction was fueled by the internet and allowed me to carry on till I was 27 years old. I spent who knows how much money and hours upon hours of wasted time looking for something to fulfill my addiction, but I was always left with guilt and emptiness. I carried on like this day after day for many years.I was introduced to a man named Rex Blanton through First North who encouraged me to take a class he was teaching. During the  Self-Confrontation class I still had my addiction, but with the help of Rex, the class and the Bible I began wondering if I was really saved and if I was how come no amount of prayer would free me from my addiction? On Jan. 28, 2007 I heard a testimony of a man talking about knowing about Jesus but not ever really accepting Jesus. When I heard this I was shaken. I trembled where I sat and I wept. I was scared and did not give my life to Christ during that service, but I went back that evening and gave my life to Christ.

I did not grow up in Christian home but I did know about Jesus from attending VBS and attending church with friends. When I was 14 at a church service my friends were going down to talk to the pastor and I went, but I never felt any different and soon stopped attending church at all. I went through my teenage years trying not to think of God, thinking that if I ignored Him he would leave me alone.

In my twenties I got married and things were going well and a few years later I was expecting our first child. When I was 8 months pregnant we were transferred 4 hours from our home to a place where I didn’t know anyone. My husband was working 14 hour days and I had a new baby and my marriage was in trouble. During this time God was reaching out to me and He intervened in my life. My husband received a job offer in Enoree, SC. With the move we had a company house next door to a Baptist parsonage. I knew that this was not a coincidence. We starting attending church and each week I was under conviction so bad that I felt like the people around me could see me shaking , I was absolutely miserable. I knew that I needed Jesus to come into my life. After about a month of this I let go of the pew and the next thing I knew I was telling the pastor I wanted to accept Jesus.

Accepting Jesus has made a tremendous difference in my life, from the moment that I accepted Him he lifted the burden of the sin and shame that I had carried for years. Jesus has always been there for me through the years when difficulties came and He has given me a confidence that nothing else can.

When I was growing up, my parents took me to church regularly. It was a very positive influence on my life. As a teenager, I grew rebellious and made bad choices. I did things I am ashamed of today. At twenty, I married a beautiful young woman and thought I had it all together. I was working toward a degree and law school. I even started going to church sometimes. But I could find no satisfaction in anything. I felt guilty over the double life I was living. I did not know where I would go if I died and that nagging doubt robbed me of peace in my life. Then, in the summer of my 21^st year, something happened that changed my life forever.

My church had a revival with a famous evangelist. He was entertaining so I went every night. As he preached, I realized I was a sinner and that, if I died, I would go to hell. Each night I wanted to commit my life to Christ but my pride would not let me. The night before the last service, I dreamed that Jesus had returned and taken all believers to heaven and I was left behind for judgment. The next night, the evangelist preached a sermon about the return of Christ. I knew it was for me. After the service, I found the pastor and the evangelist. I bowed on my knees and asked Jesus to come into my life and to give me salvation.

As we got up, a peace flooded my life that remains to this day. I had made the most important decision of my life. God changed me and others noticed immediately. He changed my behavior, language and desires. I got baptized and began to grow as a new Christian. For nearly 30 years, I have followed Christ. It has not always been easy. I have my struggles but Jesus is always there. I am not perfect but I am not what I used to be. Jesus changed my life for the better. I have enjoyed life the way God meant it to be. I never worry about eternity because I know that, if I were to die right now, I would go to heaven.