|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
Print One person can make a difference. Had my friend not been bold and told me what she believed, I would not be living for God today. Don’t be ashamed of what God has done for you. Be a light to your friends and co-workers. Tell them what you know. I was raised an Army brat, so my family moved every couple of years. As a result, we did not go to church. My dad’s parents were Presbyterian ministers who always sent me religious gifts, which I loved. I always told myself that when I turned 18, I would go to church because then no one could stop me. I would sometimes spend the night with friends on Saturday so that I could go to church with them the next morning. I went to Catholic, Presbyterian, Charismatic, and non-denominational churches. I enjoyed all of them. Sherri belonged to a United Pentecostal Church. Because she was my best friend, we were always together. She and her family had a constant influence on me. When we went to middle school, she introduced me to a friend of hers from church. Her name was Robin, and she became part of our group. In eighth grade Robin and I had almost every class together. One weekend she invited me to stay overnight at her house, and, of course, we talked about school and boys and stuff that teenage girls talk about. We started talking about A Tale of Two Cities, which we were studying in English class. She mentioned how it reminded her of how the end times were going to be. (Her dad was a huge prophecy guy.) I was confused, so I asked her about it. She began to tell me about the end times. I responded that I wanted to go to church with her, so we made plans for the next weekend. I knew that I wanted to live for God, and I also knew what her church believed. So that week I bought more skirts and got my hair cut one last time. At the end of my first service I was crying. When my friends asked me why, I said I didn’t know. That was the first Sunday in November, 1991, and I was in church every Sunday after that. It took some time for my parents to allow me to go to youth group meetings. I was asked to join the youth choir, and that enabled me to go to church on Sunday nights. My parents let me because they knew how much I loved music, and the youth choir could be asked to sing at any time. So, by February, 1992, I was going to church twice on Sunday and on both Thursday and Friday nights. All this time I was still seeking the Holy Ghost. I had already told my parents that I was not going to do certain things anymore. After six months, on the last Sunday night in April, I received the Holy Ghost. I will always remember that moment. My pastor said it was time for me to get the Holy Ghost, and he asked the whole youth group to gather around me and pray. We prayed for a while and then the last thing I remember is hearing the altar music of “Our God Is an Awesome God.” When I came back to reality, I was speaking in tongues and had received the Holy Ghost. The next Sunday I was baptized. I have been living for God for over 12 years now. I admit that there were times when I wanted to give up. There have also been tough trials that I did not think I would make it through, but God always made a way. I have been very blessed and I can’t even begin to imagine where I would be now without God. The thing I do know is that my worst day in the church is still much, much better than my best day in the world.
ninetyandnine.com © 2004, Lyn St. John --------- Lyn St. John is studying music education at a local community college. Her long-term goal is to work in the mission field. When she is not study or practicing the piano, she enjoys time with her family and friends. Lyn has also been known to break out into song over a word simply mentioned in a conversation. |
|
contact information: |
