God is so good! My Testimony (or at least one of them)

God is so good! My Testimony (or at least one of them)

I remember a long time ago… sitting in church and some band was playing… they were comprised of Native Americans… with a message…

I was about 15. God had been working on my heart a bit… he had sent a young youth pastor into my life who began ministering to me about how Jesus died for my sins… I was resistant… yet drawn.

I was invited to the concert by this youth pastor… I promised him I would come and that I would sit through the whole thing… I arrived a bit… drunk…

As I listened I was impressed with the music… not that churchy stuff I thought it would be… the guitarist even played the guitar behind his neck! Then it happened… they began to “preach”. He spoke of Jesus and His love for me…

At a young age I lost my father. He was not a good man. He was a drunk… a womanizer… the night he died I was around 2, at home with my mom… my father’s wife… while he was out drinking with his buddies… and his girlfriend. He died in a drunk driving accident…

I listened knowing that I was heading down a bad road… I remember telling a teacher who was concerned about the road I was going down… I told him, “I did not want to make any more friends as I was afraid I would be a bad influence on them”. I meant that.

The Youth pastor had told me before the concert about Jesus… how he died on the cross…He told me about forgiveness… I told him, “I never knew my father, I know my mom, but I am sure my father is in hell and I am going to hell to be with my father”

The man spoke from the stage, “Whatever you are going through, drugs, sex, alcohol…God can turn your life around.. He can set you free from these things. Just give your life to Him.”

It hit my heart. I told God, “If you can keep me sober tonight, I will see what I can do for you…” Funny huh? Like I could do anything for God… yet be that as it was… my sinner’s prayer of faith.

I was totally sober… I felt a load lifted from me… and I know something had happened… I was scared and relieved at the same time.

I was to meet my friends after the concert to party… They even tried to come during the concert to get me to leave early. Yet, Jesus had other plans.

I went outside… to get in my car… and… I had no gas… I was going to drive around to find my friends to party… yet, Jesus had other plans… I drove home… and went to bed… sober.

I have a suit case I have had for years… in it prayers are written … You see my father had stayed for a time with some Pentecostals down in Texas… and from the prayers and scriptures… they had shown great love for my father… love he had never really had from his own parents. In that suitcase was hope… Hope that Jesus had other plans…. For my father… as messed up as he was.

I never heard of that group again… yet the Seed of the message was placed in my heart.

I was changed… I was forgiven… then Jesus began to teach me what I could “do” for Him… but that is another story…

Blessings,
iggy