Praise

My Testimony
Prior to 2003, I grew up going to church, going to revivals, bible schools, and being surrounded by grandparents, aunts and uncles,and parents who were believers and hristians. My mother, was always being led to find the "The True Church". So being taken in and out of churches, always meeting different people, and never really feeling accepted by any one church, not to mention, being at that age when peer pressure was at my highest, being in the "in" crowd meant everything. Finding social acceptance was my quest Dating and experiencing life was a daily routine. Going into the workforce as a teenager and having to deal with responsiblity at an early age...Life for me, was sometimes more of a chore, than me building memories I could look back on.
In 2003...I was living my life, for what I thought was the life I was meant to live. Living with my kids and their mother, being the sole earner of our home. Working two jobs so I could provide for them. Helping my Father run his Construction Company. All the while,
not going to church, not hearing the Word, no religion in my life, nothing. But when things went wrong, when I hurt, when I was sick...then and only then did I want to know God. That's when I wanted to know where God was. But when things turned around for the better, when I wasn't hurting or sick, I forgot who God was. I was always getting opportunities, but always taking it for granted, thinking somehow...I made it happen, thinking without me, nothing could be done. "I" was the man. "I" was "it", If I wasn't involved, it wasn't important. Little did I know,...I knew very little.
I found myself after time, the woman who I thought would never leave me, left. I left the job I deeply cared about because of inner turmoil, with my brother and Father. I was on the verge of my world collapsing in front of my eyes, and not knowing how it would all end.
One day, I was feeding my kids dinner and my son, for some reason came in from outside, and said, "Dad, theres a real bad storm coming and it looks bad outside, you should come see it". I went to the door, and when I opened it there was a sight I had never seen before or since then. The clouds were a dark grayish black, and they were churning violently in a circular motion. There was this howling sound stirring about. The first thing that came to mind was, "This has to be God and this has to be his wrath pointed in my direction", as I gathered my thoughts and my composure I found myself walking towards the front of my lawn, and kneeling down in the rain, looking up towards heaven, and shouting, "My God...I'm not scared...Do whatever it is your going to do to me, what else can you do to me...I know I call on you when I need you, and then when I don't, I don't need you anymore,... I know I'm going in the wrong direction...show me the way...Come into my life... no matter what happens...what you do to me...I promise to always include you in my life...I promise if I fall, I'll come right back to you, and always call on your name...I'll be your servant... You'll be my God...Just show me the way". Upon saying that, the winds stopped. the clouds suddenly broke apart, and the rain stopped falling. I looked around, and I picked myself up wiping the tears from my eyes. I was amazed at what just happened, and shocked, maybe even dazed somehow.
God has always been good to me...He's always provided for me, even when I didn't acknowledge it. But after that day, things were different. He led me to a church that taught me amazing things about God. He showed me what fellowship with christian men was.
He gave me an awesome Bible study teacher, an awesome Pastor, and a christian group who I called family for a year and a half. I was going to make a move out of state, and so, I brought it up before the Lord, for his blessing and asked him if it wasn't his will,
then to stop it somehow. I'm now living out of state and have been for 6 years. Upon arriving to this new state, I found a job in construction making an unheard of amount of money, and in a few months, promoted to foreman. 3 years later, with the economy
failing, I found myself without a job. 3 weeks later, when no one was hiring (especially in construction), I landed a job. making a few dollars less an hour, but the overtime and prevailing wage jobs I was working more than made up for the cut in pay. I was asked to
join the union so that I could go to other jobs when needed to. I joined the union, and if I'm not working prevailing wage jobs, I'm working union scale jobs which pay pretty good also. I'm now at this place over a year, and I am asked to work more than people that have been here for years. Monday a new door is opening for me at work. My God is good!
The first of 2010, I encountered the Daily Audio Bible, while on itunes. (thank you Brian, and God Bless you for your hard work), I've also started to listen to other Pastors and christian podcasts daily. I'm continuosly in prayer, I love talking about Jesus, God's
word, salvation, God's grace, and giving my testimony to others. (there is so much more I can testify to, as God has shown me, taught me, and brought me closer to him), I pray for each of you with prayer requests. I pray for my good friend John, who is a brother in Christ, where I work. I struggle sometimes, I fall down, I think bad things, I say things I'm not suppose to, I'm human, I know I'm not perfect, but I've learned this week, that in my weakness, I can be strong. I've learned I'm alot like the prodigal son. I've learned God's unconditional love for me is something I cannot even begin to fathom, after all the things I've done in my life. I've learned God is Hope. I've learned God's Word and Promises are TRUE, and never changeing.
I hold on to Matthew 6 :26, Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? That verse says volumes to me...And I know, I am more valuable.
Everytime a bad storm passes through, a harsh winter passes, a terrible heat wave comes and goes, and I see a bird in the air, and God sustains him once again, then I know, God will sustain me, no matter what comes my way.
Praises and Glory be to God, God Bless each and every one of You in your walk with the Almighty. Pray for me, Let's pray for each other. I Love You...

cal-texan 12/04/2010 20:50

Replies:
Estrellita 01/01/2011 16:54
Thanks for sharing your testimony.
I praise God you love Him so much.

GBY
Joyce 01/01/2011 18:55
Great testimony, thanks for sharing it with us.
Sharilynbuckmaster 01/01/2011 20:23
Wow Jerry. You have a great testimony. Thanks for sharing with us. I am praying for you. God is faithful.

Ps 89:8
8 Who is like you, LORD God Almighty?
You, LORD, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.


cal-texan 01/02/2011 00:23
Thank you Estrellita, Joyce and Sharilynbuckmaster, for the kind words. I've been looking around the DAB forums and see quite a nice community here. Thanks for your prayers and I will continue to pray for you as well as everyone here. Isn't it great how our Father in Heaven works? I like watching him work and love how he amazes me when I least expect it. (sigh)
Kelley 01/02/2011 02:34
Thank you for sharing this with us! I just praise God that he doesn't give up through our years of rebellion, indifference, and insolence toward His loving gestures! Glad he reached you and glad you are here! -Kelley
Teressa 01/12/2011 20:19
Yes, praising God with and for you. And yes, I will pray for you :)
Leslie 01/18/2011 19:40
Your testimony is incredible. I really enjoyed it and my spirit is in agreement...I love watching Him work and love how He always amazes me too! He is truly who He says He is..and loves us so much...

I love that the clouds broke and the rain stopped~ Amazing!!
:)
cal-texan 01/18/2011 21:52
Words can't even really describe actually being there...one thing I forgot to mention..the day after noone I talked to saw or heard what I did. The storm they saw was the kind that passes through normally every rainy season.