My Testimony

I know God has a call on my life. While I was still in my mother's womb the devil tried to prevent me from being born. My parents were in a head-on accident with a drunk driver and my mother was ejected from the car. The doctors told her she was very lucky that she landed on her back or I would have been killed. When I was 3, I had spinal meningitis and was paralyzed. I made a complete recovery. When I was 5 more appendix burst. While the devil was trying to take me out, the Lord had his hand on me and wanted me to live.

I became a christian Feb 14, 1976 at a youth revival. I was 12 years old. My sister and my mom also got saved that day and a few days later we were baptized. I was ready to be used by God however my fire didn't stay burning long. A few short years later my faith was tested and I chose to walk my own path. After several deaths in the family I felt that I could no longer trust and serve God so I turned my back on Him. Praise God, He didn't turn His back on me. Luckily, my only vice was alcohol, hard alcohol. I drank all the time. My parents were having a rough time of their own so they were unaware of my problem.

Around 1988, I had enough of the way I was living. I quit drinking cold turkey and began allowing God back into my life. I decided to go away to a christian college. I packed up and moved to Ottawa Kansas and began attending Ottawa University. I was trying to be a triple major - English, Art and Business Administration. Needless to say I burned out in my third year. I returned back to California and began to look for a job. I looked and looked but could find nothing. I was overqualifed, not enough experience, etc. I know God had a hand in this because He wanted me to turn to Him. I will still trying to live my own life. I finally said "yes, Lord, You take control and show me what You would have me do. In just days I received a call and was offered a wonderful job.

I began to get active in the church and work with the youth. I was asked to go on a mission fact finding trip. I had nothing else to do and I had the time off so I went. I'd been praying "Lord, show me what You want me to do." On June 6, 1993, He answered that prayer with the following scripture: Isaiah 6:8 "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? And I said, "here am I. Send me!" He said "Go..." The whole week that I was in Mexico this was my personal study. I wrestled with it, I tried to say but NO but I knew that I had a call on my life and finally said yes. It was like a dam opening.

My whole life began to take on a new meaning. There was a hunger and thirst for more of God. In 1994 I felt God calling me to a new place. In April I heard of a bible school. I was thinking to my self "Lord, I'd like to go to a school like that." Little did I know my mom was downstairs praying that she wished she could send me to a school like that. There was something special about that school. My church thought I was nuts. I was from a Baptist Church and wanting to go to a "Pentecostal" school. Following the tug at my heart I enrolled in World Harvest Bible College in Columbus Ohio. I majored in General Bible. I learned so much more than book learning there. I learned to listen and follow the moving of the Spirit. I learned the price that comes with following God. I learned faith. I graduated in 1996 Summa Cum Laude. Most importantly, I had found God and my place in Him. I returned home with a vision of the work that I would do for God.

Yet, things didn't work like they were supposed to. I returned home eager to begin and was squashed flat by my pastor. I picked myself up and told myself, God is in control and I will leave it in his hands. If the work He has shown me to do is for now He will open the doors.

In 1997, At the age of 33 God placed a man in my life who later became my husband. I was content in my singleness and was leaving a mate up to God. If it happened, it happened. Mike and I met online and became friends. We were able to encourage and bolster each others faith. It sounds funny to say but after a while it was as if he was a part of me. I truly believe that just as Eve was a part of Adam so God has people for us like that. We were married May 25 1997. Our life together has been rocky at times but the key is that it is built upon The Rock - Jesus Christ and as long as He is in it we can survive what ever storms may come.

Mike is an ordained minister and began an outreach to over the road truckers. Its called CrossRoad Ministries. God has called him to the highways and byways. He can reach people that normally won't go into a regular church or don't have the opportunity. He is furthering his education through Sweetwater Bible College. I am still in the process of refining what God wants me to do for His kingdom. Part of the call on my life is missions but from the point of training others to go. God has placed a burden on my heart for children. We are in the process of praying about a Foster Care ministry. I want to be in His will in everything so I am learning to become a woman of prayer.

Music is "I Pledge Allegiance to the Lamb" by Ray Boltz