Debra, my wife's, testimony

If you asked me to describe myself I would have told you I was a Christian.

Growing up when I was young we didn’t go to church but my parents got my sister and me a Children’s Bible.  I was 8 years old.  I used to enjoy looking at the pictures while my Father would read to the Bible to us.  I would say I believe in God and Jesus.

One summer when I was a teenager my Mom sent my Sister and I to Vacation Bible School. I can still remember one of the counselors teaching us about Jesus and a passage about how even the demons know of him and shudder. I began to understand the difference between knowing of God and Knowing God. 

I have spent the better part of my life until recently tormented-never sure of what would happen to me when I died.  I would worry about the end time predictions. I would think of having an underground house with stockpiles of food and water and when the Pope died how many more Popes where left before the end of the world came.

 Psalm 38 verses 4-8 describes how I often felt.

              My Guilt overwhelms me-It is a burden too heavy to bear. My words fester and stink because of my foolish sins. I am bent over and racked with pain. All day long I walk around filled with grief. A raging fever burns within me and my health is broken. I am exhausted and completely crushed. My groans come from an anguished heart.

On mother’s day after almost three years of not making it to church for one reason or another I asked my son if he wanted to go to church. My daughter was still sleeping and my husband was working. We went together. I am not confident I would have gone if I didn’t have someone to go with.  Even my 8 year old son.  He went down to Sunday school .After service I went down to get him. He wanted to stay and enjoy fellowship. I remember feeling emotionally overwhelmed and crying when people came over to talk with me and feeling foolish for crying. I was embarrassed to tell my husband I had gotten so upset.  Everyone was so nice and welcoming. They asked if we were new to Medfield.

A few months after we started all together to church as a family, Pastor Jonathon was offering a church membership class at the parsonage.  Dennis and I signed up to attend. I really needed and treasured our times together. It was a teaching and learning experience.  All of my questions Pastor had the answers in the Bible and the time to listen.  Dennis was talking to Pastor about baptism and knew he was ready and I knew I was not. I still had my old fears. Pastor asked me if I had asked Jesus to come into my life. We prayed together and I asked Jesus to please come into my life and heart and I wanted to follow Him. The next day the Holy Spirit came into my heart and my soul... I have never felt anything so beyond words and wonderful in all my life. I suddenly got it. My entire burden had been lifted off of my heart. I understood everything clearly. Everything that Jesus had come to do for me and for all of us. Jesus came to die for our sins that we may have eternal life it is nothing we can earn .It is a free gift for us to accept by the grace of God.

Psalm 34 verse 4-10 describes how I now am.

 I prayed to the Lord and He answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Those who look to Him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles. For the angel of the Lord is a Guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh the joys of those who take refuge in him! Fear the Lord, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need. Even the strong young lions sometimes go hungry. But those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.

Asking Jesus to come into my life was the best thing that has ever happened to me.

Amen