In my earliest years I attended protestant churches. In the mid 1950s the church I was attending had a former government agent who performed an alter call. I answered and was baptized in the Spirit. My life has not been the same since. On the way home one day I had a voice say to me you will join the Catholic church. My reaction was surprise and tucked the thought away then I dismissed it. In the late 60's I had come home from work and was going to bed. As I lay there I had the feeling I was not alone. Someone besides my wife was in the room with me. I sat up in bed and there next to the bed was a figure, all in black, no features visible. I asked what it wanted. It said nothing but pointed at me. I laid back and closed my eyes in fear. Almost immediately I heard, saw and felt the loud words in brilliant letters, glowing like nothing I have ever experienced, "DO YOU BELIEVE" I answered involuntarily "I BELIEVE". All this in brilliant, luminous marque like visible light. All of this never disturbed my dear wife sleeping next to me. After that, what was gibberish ran through my mind and was spoken. I was confused so I told my mother about what had happened. She gave several suppressed "Praise the Lords". Turns out she was part of the Charismatic movement and had been praying for me to be baptized. Shortly after that I joined the Catholic church. Imagine that! In the years that followed I quit a heavy smoking habit, Dropped a borderline alcoholic habit, cleaned up a nasty explosive temper and cursing habit among other things. That does not make me perfect. Far from it! If anything it has left me vulnerable. If you think this is all made up, I assure you it isn't. There is far more to this life than most people are willing to share. This is a tiny bit of what being a Christian means. Much of it is not fun and games but some of it is praise worthy in the end. There are tears, both of joy and sorrow, loneliness, new friendships, broken friendships, persecution, sacrifices and any other experience you could name. I have been sharing the quest to know the loving God that loves and blesses me so completely, without compromise. I pray you get to know Him in a very personal way. Next week I will try to continue sharing what he has shown me and means to me.
May the good Lord bless and keep you safe. Remember to "Always Love the Details".
Your testimony blew me away, Jim! Thanks so much for sharing your honest and personal experiences as you've grown in the Lord.
ReplyDeleteHello, my friend Jim. Your stories about God—and about how you came to receive the gift of faith—are truly fascinating.
ReplyDeleteLife has a way of surprising us; it can be genuinely inexplicable, yet that is precisely what makes it beautiful.
I was raised in a Catholic family. I have never smoked or consumed alcohol, and while I do occasionally use a swear word, it happens very rarely.
Warm regards, and have a wonderful Wednesday!
Thank you for sharing this again, my friend. I fondly recall our many conversations about our journies to and in faith. And indeed, every other we've had.
ReplyDeleteLove, hugs and prayers xoxo
Bom dia, Jim
ReplyDeleteA presença de Deus ilumina a nossa vida em todo tempo. Um forte abraço.
I missed this post Jim - what a testimony - thank you for sharing. What I love is how unique each person's experience is, in being brought to faith. God does not use a 'one size fits all' approach, rather He treats each one of us as the individuals He created us to be. What an incredible God we serve!
ReplyDeleteBlessings
Maxine