I have lived in this community my entire life and I grew up attending a small Southern Baptist church. My dad was a deacon in the church and both my parents were very involved. I was exposed to the right things in this church as a child and at the age of 8, I decided I needed to ask Jesus to come into my heart. I was baptized a short time later and began my walk down the right path, squarely in the middle.

When I was about 12, something began to happen in our family. We no longer attended church regularly and after a couple of years, my parents were divorced. I was left as a 14 year old living with one parent and a whole lot more freedom on my hands. I began to express this freedom in many ways that I shouldn’t have and it wasn’t long until I was a long way from that path that I began walking on just a few years earlier. I continued on this new path of selfishness for the next several years. Life was great. It was all about me, and yet I still found myself searching for something more. Even in the midst of this, God allowed me to meet and eventually marry a wonderful young lady. Both me and my wife came from broken homes and it was our #1 priority that things would be different in our marriage and that our children would have two parents making sure they had the best we could offer.

My wife and I bought a house and everything was headed in the right direction, and yet I still felt like something was missing in my life. I thought that a career, marriage, and home would bring me a whole lot more satisfaction than it did. Around the same time, I began to hear about some amazing things that were happening at FBNS through my wife’s younger brother. I wondered what could possibly be going on there that would make a teenager want to spend so much time in church. We decided to check it out and we really enjoyed the experience and we came back. All of this culminated in a Commitment Sunday about 15 years ago. As the song “Thank You for Giving to the Lord” was sang, I caught a glimpse of the path that I began on so many years ago and I saw just how far away from that path that I was. I realized that moment what was missing, what I had been looking for and was unable to find. I turned to tell my wife that we needed to go down front and she was almost already in the aisle.

Both of us totally rededicated our lives that day and have been on the right path ever since. God has done some truly amazing things in our lives since that time. He has blessed us with two beautiful children and has allowed us to be involved in the Preschool and Childrens ministries along with Adult Bible Fellowship at FBNS. I no longer have that empty feeling since that amazing Sunday and it is very rewarding to be able to share that with others each week . My priorities have completely changed and my appraoach to each day has changed because of the confidence I have in eternal life through Christ.

I went to church most Sundays and I was there every Wednesday night and I did what all the other kids were doing. I memorized my Bible verses but they didn’t mean anything to me. They were just words. I mean I knew Jesus had died for me but it didn’t really stick. I had been going to a Christian school since I was 3. My parents were good people trying to teach their little girl right.

One day I was sitting in my 2nd grade classroom doing a Bible lesson. I had never heard it taught the way my teacher taught. It really hit me that I was a sinner and I was nothing without God. I realized without Jesus I was going to get death and hell. So she asked if anyone wanted to ask Jesus into their heart. I knew that’s what I needed. So a couple of other kids and myself did it. I was so happy I ran home told my parents. My dad was thrilled he cried and my mom was so happy for me. Since that day I have been a different person.

From then on I knew whatever I needed, God could provide for me like nobody else could. Then 2 yrs. ago something happened that tore my world apart. My parents got a divorce. It hurt me so bad. My mom was the one to walk out on us so I was with my dad and still am. He has been here for me like nobody else. It hurt me so bad to know when I woke up every morning I wasn’t going to have my mom there with me. But the best thing is I grew so close to God through it. I would pray all the time and I could always feel his arms around me telling me everything was going to be ok. That’s when I really knew I couldn’t live without him. I had already been saved but I re-dedicated my life in chapel one day. That’s when it really changed. So now I am positive I will be with my God forever in heaven and that’s the best feeling you will ever have.

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.

I’ve been in church for as long as I can remember. I went to Sunday School and heard about Jesus. I almost never got in trouble. I didn’t really think about the things I heard in church. It didn’t mean anything to me.

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