

lethislightshine says: Short testimony, I was raised Southern Baptist/ Church of Christ/ Episcopalian.... Yeah it was a confusing time in the Bible belt. I was mainly raised Southern Baptist though.



I was sent to private Christian schools as a young child, and Christ was pretty much the primary focus of my life from the time of 5-11, and honestly the only other religion I knew was Hindu (The private school I was sent to was the best in the city if not one of the best in the State. Many Indian's and Asians would send their kids there even if they weren't Christian.)



When I entered public school it was the first time I encountered atheism. It was kind of funny because the first time that someone told me that they didn't believe in Jesus the also hit me with the "I bet you believe in Santa too!" I was crushed.



I officially accepted Jesus as my savior at 14, but it was more through fear then anything else. By 16 I was into drinking, drugs, sex, rock and roll and hip hop. I still told family I was Christian, but I was really just agnostic. I didn't understand how a God could love and condemn, and I didn't understand how good people weren't good. Pretty much your average spiritual person who wants everyone to win.



It wasn't until my mid 20s that I finally understood Christ, and I got baptized and rededicated my life to him. It was through a true reading of his word, asking questions, and searching for signs of Christ in my own life that I figured out his realness.



Some experiences as a Christian. Well for one I have experiences love from complete strangers. I have had people from around the world start a prayer chain for me just out of love. Just to think that people who have never even uttered my name before are thinking of me at one time is just amazing.



I don't believe in the good old prosper gospel that people like Joel Olsteen and others preach about, however there was one time that I received a miracle. I was going through my divorce, and I was broke as a joke. I had absolutely no money to pay the bills. I had to pay a lawyer and then make some deposits that just killed me.



My church was very supportive of people in need, and they knew I was in need and they took up a love offering for me. When my preacher came to my house I was in the middle of paying my bills. I was honestly crying and praying trying to figure it all out. My preacher dropped off the money said a prayer for me, and told me that if I needed anything to call him. He didn't tell me how much money was in the envelope, but it just had words on it that said "with love"



I opened it up, counted it out, and it was $50.00 more then what I needed to pay my monthly bills. About $2400, I was so excited and so thankful. I got in my truck to go deposit the money before the bank closed and I looked down and my gas light started dinging at me. It took $50 to fill up the truck. God gave me just enough, nothing more, nothing less, and he used his people to do it. Thats one out of many ways God has blessed me.



Christianity also means blessing others, so how have I tried to experience being a blessing to people? Serve in the Church as much as I can. Serve outside the church as well, food banks, I always donate old unused things and I try not to trash anything. I don't ask for tax credit either. I also try to help here as well. By talking online we are possibly exposing many people around the world to Christ, and that is just simply amazing.



