A word from my mother - her personal testimony

As a response to the post asking for your testimonies, I finally have a response from my very own mother!


-----Original Message-----
From: Loretta
Sent: Tuesday, October 10, 2006 9:15 PM
To: Alison
Subject: my testimony

I was saved at the age of 7. I had been living with my grandparents since before my mother's death, so I was being reared in a "Christian home." I knew right from wrong but did not recognize I needed to confess my sins and ask Jesus into my heart. The night of my salvation was one of the nights during revival at Taylors First Baptist Church. I remember Pastor Nanny presenting the plan of salvation in very clear terms and I realized I was a sinner bound for hell. I went forward during the invitation and prayed the sinner's prayer asking God to forgive me and to save me. He did! How simple and childlike that all seems these many years later. I will never forget that night and I can say I have never doubted my salvation in all these years. Don't get me wrong, there are too many times to count when I have not kept that close walk with my Lord, nothing due to anything He did or didn't do but because of my own selfish sinful ways.

During my early teen years I came to a point where I realized my life was not in sync with the Lord. I was not fully dedicated to Him as Lord of my life, so I "rededicated" my life to God. What a renewal of spirit that was for me. My whole life began to take on a new outlook. I made better choices in friends and the decision to attend Bob Jones was from God's leading during that time.

How blessed I have been over the years, that God sent certain people into my life (Mr. & Mrs. Dean , the Homshers and so many sweet Christian young ladies who are now my mature peers even today) to help guide and direct me when I did not have that guidance from a mother. How I had longed for that, but God chose to use these many others to influence my life and help mentor me for Christ. Even as God lead me to the man of my dreams, I was not always as trusting that God's will should be my will. How headstrong and willful I have been! But what a loving and forgiving God I have. He has blessed me beyond my wildest imagination. When He blessed me with my Godly husband who is my best friend, the father of my children, my heart almost burst open. And to think I got the most loving and Godly in-laws anyone could ever hope to have to boot in the deal!! What peace and joy I now know that God has been in control the entire time. Yes, in control, maybe too many times I've walked in His "permissive will" versus His "perfect will" for my life, but how thankful I am to Him for His faithfulness. He has blessed my little family with two lovely daughters who love Him and who want to serve Him. In addition, He has now blessed our family with our first son in law...a Godly man who loves our eldest daughter....my heart overflows. Now I just wait to see His miracle unfold in our "blue eyed baby girl's" life as He brings her life's mate to our family. (Hint, I think we're almost there!!)

My entire life is testimony of God's faithfulness. His strength, His grace, His love continues to pour out on my life. My prayers will always be one of thanksgiving and one that is still yearning to be what He wants me to be for His glory.