I am a very new Christian. I had lost my faith in God at a very young age, I think I was maybe around 12 or 13. Around the age of 15 or 16 I became interested in witchcraft, so I started looking into it. Around that time I had also started smoking marijuana. I was Pagan for 15 years (Wiccan to be exact, but now I know it's all the same... pure evil) and my life was a complete wreck. As an adult I was drinking, smoking marijuana and cigarettes, practicing witchcraft (which I honestly thought that I was only doing good), communing with the dead, and practicing divination. In 2007 I had made friends with a guy who was (and still is) very heavily into the Pagan lifestyle and vampirism. Intrigued by the subject of vampirism, I started getting into it myself. I didn't actually drink blood of others that I can recall, but I did what's called "psychic vampirism". Needless to say, I was going through a lot of spiritual warfare at that time.
In early 2008 I had moved to Joplin, Missouri and met my then husband (we are going through a divorce right now), and we both entered the marriage as unbelievers, though we were married by a pastor at his mother and grandmother's insistence. Before the marriage actually happened, I did something that I never thought I would ever do to anyone. I cheated on him once. I felt terrible about that, and never did it again. Some time after we were married, I told him about the sin I had commited against him. Our marriage ended up being very toxic. We were both drinking heavily, and we often said things unintentionally that would hurt the other.
On May 22, 2011 our world was turned upside down. I'm sure many of you have heard about the tornado that happened that day, as it was a natural disaster. My house was one of the ones that got destroyed by that tornado. It amazed me to see all of the volunteers, all from churches from all over the country, doing what they did not out of a selfish obligation, but because they wanted others to feel the love of God working through them. As my house was rebuilt, I met many wonderful people even though I can't remember their names right now. I'm terrible with names.
In early-mid 2012, one of my best friends had given their life to Jesus and we had many discussions about God. At the time I still considered myself Pagan, but was very interested in hearing the word of God to better understand why the volunteers would help people they didn't know. I wasn't ready to accept Jesus into my heart at that point because I still placed more value in the flesh, rather than in our Heavenly Father. I was still drinking, and my life was still a wreck, even though my house had been rebuilt by followers of Christ.
Later on that year, I started to really take a look at my life as it was in that moment. I started putting the pieces together and realized that my life was not good like I thought it was. I was not the person I had imagined myself growing into when I was younger. I was a shell, hollow inside. That was the moment I had decided to give myself to Jesus because I obviously had no control over my life and I needed help.
Then, early this year, my husband had admitted to me that he committed adultery against me at the beginning of this year and I had questioned my faith. I moved back in with my parents until I could get back on my feet, and I quickly started to revert to my old ways of smoking marijuana (I had quit while I was married). I had very bitter and unforgiving feelings toward my husband at first, but then I placed myself in his shoes. I had done the same thing to him before we were married, so why should I not forgive him?
I went to my sister's house with my mom and step dad for Christmas this year (the first Christmas I had been able to spend with my family in five years), and I honestly think my sister saved my life. She made me realize just how much I was questioning my faith, and she helped me to restore it. Now I live with her and her sons (ages 7 years through 7 months), and we talk about God on a daily basis, I read the Bible every day, go to church every Sunday, and sing my praises to Jesus daily. My life isn't perfect, but I think I am finally starting to live the life that God wants me to live, and I couldn't be happier!
So, that's my testimonial.
In early 2008 I had moved to Joplin, Missouri and met my then husband (we are going through a divorce right now), and we both entered the marriage as unbelievers, though we were married by a pastor at his mother and grandmother's insistence. Before the marriage actually happened, I did something that I never thought I would ever do to anyone. I cheated on him once. I felt terrible about that, and never did it again. Some time after we were married, I told him about the sin I had commited against him. Our marriage ended up being very toxic. We were both drinking heavily, and we often said things unintentionally that would hurt the other.
On May 22, 2011 our world was turned upside down. I'm sure many of you have heard about the tornado that happened that day, as it was a natural disaster. My house was one of the ones that got destroyed by that tornado. It amazed me to see all of the volunteers, all from churches from all over the country, doing what they did not out of a selfish obligation, but because they wanted others to feel the love of God working through them. As my house was rebuilt, I met many wonderful people even though I can't remember their names right now. I'm terrible with names.
In early-mid 2012, one of my best friends had given their life to Jesus and we had many discussions about God. At the time I still considered myself Pagan, but was very interested in hearing the word of God to better understand why the volunteers would help people they didn't know. I wasn't ready to accept Jesus into my heart at that point because I still placed more value in the flesh, rather than in our Heavenly Father. I was still drinking, and my life was still a wreck, even though my house had been rebuilt by followers of Christ.
Later on that year, I started to really take a look at my life as it was in that moment. I started putting the pieces together and realized that my life was not good like I thought it was. I was not the person I had imagined myself growing into when I was younger. I was a shell, hollow inside. That was the moment I had decided to give myself to Jesus because I obviously had no control over my life and I needed help.
Then, early this year, my husband had admitted to me that he committed adultery against me at the beginning of this year and I had questioned my faith. I moved back in with my parents until I could get back on my feet, and I quickly started to revert to my old ways of smoking marijuana (I had quit while I was married). I had very bitter and unforgiving feelings toward my husband at first, but then I placed myself in his shoes. I had done the same thing to him before we were married, so why should I not forgive him?
I went to my sister's house with my mom and step dad for Christmas this year (the first Christmas I had been able to spend with my family in five years), and I honestly think my sister saved my life. She made me realize just how much I was questioning my faith, and she helped me to restore it. Now I live with her and her sons (ages 7 years through 7 months), and we talk about God on a daily basis, I read the Bible every day, go to church every Sunday, and sing my praises to Jesus daily. My life isn't perfect, but I think I am finally starting to live the life that God wants me to live, and I couldn't be happier!
So, that's my testimonial.
Keep up the good work