MY TESTIMONY
HELLO EVERYONE, MY NAME IS SHIRLEY OR SHY FOR SHORT. I LIVE IN THE SOUTHEASTERN PART OF NORTH CAROLINA AND HAVE LIVED HERE IN A 20 MILE RADIUS ALL MY LIFE. I LOVE LIVING HERE, AND I AM PROUD OF MY STATES BEAUTY AND HERITAGE. I HAVE TWO CHILDREN, ONE SON AND MY DAUGHTER, BOTH GROWN AND OUT ON THEIR OWN. I ALSO AM PROUD TO SAY I HAVE FOUR GRANDCHILDREN, THREE BOYS AND ONE GIRL.
I SPENT THE MAJORITY OF MY LIFE AFTER BECOMING AN ADULT, PLAYING CHURCH. TAKE IT FROM ME, IT IS A MISERABLE AND UNFULFULLING EXISTENCE. I WAS SAVED AS A CHILD AND STRAYED AWAY AS MANY DO, BUT GOD NEVER LEFT MY SIDE, NOT ONCE. MY LIFE HAS HAD
MANY UPS AND DOWNS, I HAVE SUFFERED FROM CHRONIC DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY DISORDERS SINCE MY LATE TEENS. NOW I HAVE OTHER HEALTH PROBLEMS, BUT MY SAVIOR HAS BEEN WITH ME THROUGH IT ALL.
FINALLY IN OCTOBER OF 2000, I BECAME TO TIRED TO RUN ANYMORE. I WAS VISITING MY BROTHER'S CHURCH FOR A GOSPEL SING, A GROUP OF LOCAL LADIES CALLED "SERVANTS HEART" WERE GIVING SUCH AN ANNOINTED MESSAGE IN SONG. MUSIC HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PASSION OF MINE. BY GOD'S GIFT, I HAVE BEEN PLAYING PIANO AND ORGAN SINCE I WAS VERY YOUNG AND HAVE HAD VERY FEW LESSONS. SO BEAUTIFUL GOSPEL MUSIC AND THE HOLY SPIRIT CONVICTED MY HEART THAT NIGHT. I DIDN'T MAKE A MOVE THAT NIGHT, I WENT HOME STILL BURDENED.
AS THE CASE MAY BE, THE LORD ALWAYS MAKES A WAY, THE SAME CHURCH WAS HAVING REVIVAL THE FOLLOWING WEEK. I FINALLY DECIDED TO ATTEND THE SECOND NIGHTS SERVICE. I CAN HONESTLY TELL YOU, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THE SERMON WAS ABOUT, ALL I WANTED WAS FOR THE MINISTER TO GIVE THE ALTAR CALL, AND WHEN HE FINALLY DID, I BELIEVE I WAS THE FIRST ONE THERE, WITH MY BROTHER AND HIS WIFE, WHO HAD BEEN PRAYING FOR ME FOR YEARS, WERE RIGHT BEHIND ME. I FELL ON MY KNEES AND CRIED OUT TO GOD FOR FORGIVENESS OF MY MANY SINS, AND FROM THAT NIGHT OCT.5, 2000, I HAVE NOT BEEN THE SAME. I COULDN'T WAIT TO GET HOME AND CALL EVERYONE I KNEW TO TELL THEM THE GOOD NEWS. I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT I JOINED THAT CHURCH AND WAS BAPTIZED THERE, AND BEGAN TEACHING SUNDAY SCHOOL AND SINGING IN THE CHOIR AND PLAYING ORGAN FOR CHURCH SERVICES.
ABOUT A YEAR AFTERWARDS, I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH FIBROMYALGIA, AND I KEPT GOING AND ALSO CLEANED THE CHURCH UP UNTIL THIS PAST JANUARY, MY MOBILITY HAS WORSENED TO THE POINT, I HAD TO GIVE UP MY SERVICES THERE, WHICH BROKE MY HEART. BUT YOU KNOW, HOW GOOD OUR SAVIOR IS, I HAVE WRITTEN A FEW POEMS EARLIER IN MY LIFE, BUT HAVEN'T BEEN WRITING ACTIVELY UNTIL THIS YEAR. YOU KNOW WHEN ONE DOOR CLOSES FOR YOU, HE IS RIGHT THERE TO OPEN ANOTHER, AND THIS IS THE NEW DOOR THAT HAS OPENED FOR ME.
HE HAS BLESSED ME SO MUCH AND GIVEN ME THE ABILITY TO WRITE ABOUT THE THINGS I LOVE AND MY FAMILY AND MOST OF ALL ABOUT HIS GOODNESS AND LOVE. ALWAYS PUT CHRIST FIRST IN YOUR LIFE.....YOU CANNOT LOSE.
GOD BLESS YOU, SHY MAY 17, 2004
*~*~*
1 JOHN 1: 7
BUT IF WE WALK IN THE LIGHT, AS HE IS IN THE LIGHT, WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP ONE WITH ANOTHER, AND THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST HIS SON CLEANSETH US FROM ALL SIN.
|
