Today is Billy Graham's 95th Birthday. On this day he will be sharing with America the message of HOPE.....Jesus Christ Crucified and Risen....for YOU!!
I was asked awhile back to share my personal testimony, not necessarily here....but I will. I do not think I have ever written it out, other than when we were applying for adoption grants. And then it wasn't really complete!
So....I was not born into a practicing religious family. I actually don't even know how my parents were raised as far as spirituality and religion goes. I have no idea if they went to church. I do know my father's family has a Catholic background and my mother's was Protestant...either Methodist or Baptist or both.
When I was 3 or 4 I was sent to church with neighbors. I went to the Chardon Baptist Church. I can totally remember being in the building and I have the little Bible I was given. This, I believe was the FOUNDATION for my spiritual walk AND probably the foundation for my passion for preschool ministry.
Then we moved to the house my parents still live in today. That ended me going to church.
I then started asking my mother why I didn't go to church anymore. I think I was probably as annoying and persistent as a preschooler as I am today. She began taking me to the Chardon United Methodist Church.
By the time I was in kindergarten or 1st grade, I had asked enough times why my father didn't go with us to church that our whole family was attending.
When I was 8, my brother and I were baptized and my parents joined the Methodist Church. That is where I was until I graduated from high school.
BUT...it is not where I came to Christ!
During that time my mother's sister married a man who WAS from an evangelical Christian family.
They attended Leroy Community Chapel. I often went with my older cousin to events at HER church. It was there I learned the gospel message. I remember going to Stoney Glen and seeing people being baptized in the lake. I learned it took more than being a "good person and doing good things" to be a follower of Christ.
When I was 13 years old I made a personal decision for Christ.
As a teenager I was able to attend evangelical outreach programs because, my mother had taken a church secretary position at a church that was not Methodist. I was very active in the Methodist church I grew up in. I participated in mission trips and local activities.
I need to stress that my time in the Methodist Church was one of good works....but not one of good works for Christ. I was taught if I was a good person and did good things....then I was good to go. I understand this will be unique to all churches. And certainly even Methodist Churches....and even the individual ministers. This was *my* experience.
When I graduated from high school I left the Methodist Church and have not returned.
Ron and I began attending the church we are currently at the year we got married. I was baptized the year we had Mitchell.
My parents have been very active in their church and definitely modeled a servants heart attitude toward the church.
Ron comes from parents who have been *amazing* examples of Christ-followers. So we have had a pretty good blueprint put before us of what we want as goals for our family.
I know we hear often "that particular church may not openly preach the gospel but I KNOW there are Christians there." I guess that isn't good enough for me. If the place is a church then we are *commanded* we are *commissioned* to be sharing and preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Denominational "rules" or traditions should not be limiting us.
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