CABL Forum - Testimony

As I sit here, rained out on a scheduled planned outage to relocate two power supplies, I look back on my walk with Christ, how my life has changed, and where it began, and thought I should share with you my testimony, in hopes that it may help lead someone to Christ and His unconditional love, bringing about the same life changing relationship with Him that it brought myself, and millions of others througout the ages.

I grew up in a priveleged home, in southern Calif, during the 60's and 70's, going to Catholic School through the 8th grade, then to public High School. I was taught about Jesus and what He did for me. Made my first communion and confirmation, but the whole time never was taught the Bible, but Catholicism and the rules governing the "religion". I did receive an outstanding education, and had my first revelations of God presented to me through it all.

I was pretty much sheltered from the drug culture while in Catholic school, but as soon as I started public High School, the story changed. This was mid 70's southern Calif, mind you, so you can imagine the scene. Needless to say, I made some very bad decisions and ended up in the wrong crowds doing the wrong things. My heart turned from God and to the world and what it had to offer. I still hung on to prayer, and knew inside it wasn't right, but continued to live an ungodly life, filled with drugs and sexual immorality.

I got into cable at the age of 18, and that culture fit the lifestyle I had chosen just fine. I grew up around a grandfather who had a ranch, working with horses, hogs, cattle, sheep, goats, rabbits, game birds, you name it, so when not in school was working my butt off at the ranch, so I did learn a good work ethic that carried into my employment years. So with a strong desire to work hard and party even harder, I LOVED the cable industry that had exploded with new franchises all over southern Cal. I tried to hang on to a belief in God, even continuing to go to mass occassionally and even to confession once in a while to clean the slate so I could start a new list if you will. I can tell you from first hand knowledge, you can not walk with a foot on each side and find true happiness in your life.

Well, after two broken marriages, bouncing all over the states, chasing after the mighty dollar, I finally ended up in northern Kentucky, in the late 90's, where I met my current wife on an upgrade there. We ended up marrying in 2003, and I continued living out of God's will for another several years, before her and I accepted an invitation from my brother-in-law to attend a couple's retreat with his church, an independent Baptist church located in Cold Spring, KY.

After a weekend of powerful preaching, the Spirit began dealing with my heart, making it quite clear that I needed to change my life, and seek the truth. I hadn't hit rock bottom, nor was there any dire trials or tribulations taking place in my life. Only the conviction that I needed to find the Truth and turn my heart back to God, but with so many different doctrines, and religions ALL stating their way was the way, I was confused as to just what the truth was. That is when I hit my knees, asked God to reveal Himself to me, and lead me to be the man He had created me to be.

It started with recommitting myself to God. My wife had been saved as a southern Baptist as a teen and had backslidden as well, and we both received the calling back to God at the same time and agreed to turn our hearts back to Him together, making that aspect of it a lot smoother than had we each been on a different page going in different directions.

Next, I needed to discover exactly what was truth, and began reading as much literature as I could find that related to spiritual ideas. We started going to my brother in-law's church regularly and through the preaching, and MUCH studying, realized I never had a true relationship with Jesus Christ and hadn't understood the plan of salvation at all. I made a profession of faith, was baptized, and my life truly was transformed at that moment. My life took a 180 turn and no longer did I desire the things I had done for the better part of my adult life. I quit drinking and haven't had a drop since, nor the slightest desire for any of it, drugs included, and that has been going on 5 years now.

I had a peace within me like nothing I have ever felt and a true trust in the Lord. I gave it all to Him and when I did, started seeing Him work in my life. I no longer held on to bitterness over situations I couldn't change. I slowly learned to quite worrying about whether there was going to be enough work from one week to the next, knowing the Lord has always provided for my family and I, and even started having a better relationship with my superiors at work. The relationship between my wife and kids changed and I have watched the Lord do amazing things in all of our lives.

Don't get me wrong, we still face issues, and have trials and tribulations, but it is how we deal with them and the growth that they produce that is different now. We still stumble and sin, as we are still flesh and have the sin nature, dealing with our old natures, but as we grow in God's Word, and as he continues to reveal Himself to us in different ways, we continue to be transformed to a new nature that is slowly conquering the old. We no longer chase after material things, but have learned to be content with what He provides, and live a life of thanksgiving instead of constantly wanting more or seeking happiness in materialism.

We belong to a body of believers that we fellowship with, worship with, divide God's word with, comfort as well as receive comfort when needed, and can depend on when times are tough. I wouldn't trade my life for anything. I have more fun doing what we do now than I had in all the close to 30 years prior. The peace, hope, and love in having a relationship with Jesus Christ is something I wish I would have grasped a long time ago, but thank God that I do have that relationship now.

You too can have that relationship if you will just turn your heart to God and ask Him to reveal Himself to you and truly seek the truth. You'll find it, and when you do, and repent of your sins, accept what Jesus Christ did for you, and accept Him as your Lord and Savior, you will find that same peace, hope, and love that we, as well as millions over the ages, have found.

God bless you.

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