Testimony

In 2000 I was invited by a co-worker to attend a Christian event down at the Wachovia Center.  Though I was not a Christian, I accepted the invitation.  The barrage of born-agains sporting their Jesus paraphernalia was too embarrassing. They were such Goobers, I mocked them and thought them stupid for following a religion. I mocked those that were straight edge do-gooders, because at that time I was in the darkness, angry and self-destructive and in love with sin and death.  I was completely ignorant to the thought of being saved, yet I went to this Harvest Fest, despite my animosity.  The opening night was the night for musicians – I love music - and I was secretly enjoying it, embarrassed for feeling the groove I tried not to sway or tap my foot. Towards the end of the show – they asked those who needed saving to come to the center floor – NO WAY was I gonna go! I didn’t move a muscle, but I didn’t have to, God did it for me – pulled by his force – I didn’t even have the thought in my head – I hardly recognized I was walking until I ended up in the middle of the floor.  It was then I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior.

But it takes more than saying a prayer once.  And I quickly resumed my sinful ways.  One of my favorite foolish things to do was to talk with and tempt demonic spirits. And one night I sat, bong baked with my Ouija board out eating a pizza pie when I began to choke. Not the coughing kind but the serious can’t breathe kind – And I heard laughter, and it was mean. I thought “oh my God, I’m gonna die,  at the same time I heard in my head a thought that said ‘not today’ – I should have been panicked but I was so calm – not of my own will, mind you – because to stay in that state while the food made its way down my pipes would have been impossible, I would have suffocated had it been me alone – It took this complete trust that it was God who spoke to my thoughts, he was helping me and he WILL have me breathe again.  When I took in a breath, it was a breath of new life.  And then - I vomited out all of the twisted hate that ate me and degraded me – I vomited out the demons that I had once invited in to twist and pervert my mind in exchange for magical and spiritual energies.  Hearing the demonic voice that was being ripped out from me, I screamed my horrible sins and great sorrows – I was screaming my repentance and begged God for forgiveness.  And then through a clam and peaceful flow of energy, I knew I was forgiven – it was just like being born again – my eyes were Now wide open, being so aware of sin and sensitive to it. There is a God, a God who knows me and loves me.

I never returned to that lifestyle.  I never want to serve the wrong side again.

Which brings us to today – my baptism; (that was April 2010).

I cannot deny that God has changed me; he ignited my soul and raised it from among the dead, bringing light to my inner darkness.

I am here before you to tell you that I know the power of Jesus Christ, whom I now serve. My soul burns to be with him, I so desperately want to grow in knowing Him, to link my words with my deeds, to bare fruit and to have a great unshakable faith.