Testimony given by Emma at Goldings Church on 10th June 2007

I was asked by Barbara to share with you something of God's grace. It is such a privilege to stand here and declare to you something of the faithfulness and grace of God, and the power of a praying family.

I was brought up in a Christian home. My parents gave their all to the Church, and were serving God. My Grandparents were also Christians, my Granddad was an Elder of a brethren assembly and my Nan a gentle, loving women of faith.

I knew all about Church, but I didn't know the Jesus of the Church.
I knew all about singing songs , all about Sundays, but I didn't know the Saviour.

My parents managed to get me into a Christian School.
Not long after starting Secondary School, I no longer wanted to go to Church.
The friends I chose to hang around with were not interested in God.

It was all about image, the latest clothes, the latest music and being popular was everything. I became obsessed with body image. I became a thief and a liar. I did not respect my parents.
I thought I knew better than them, I thought I could make it on my own. I wanted to do things my way.

At the age of thirteen, I ran away from home, I lived on the street, in squats, and then I ended up in voluntary care. My life grew from bad to worse. I used to hang about others on the streets drinking and causing trouble. From the age of fourteen, I was going to underground house parties, taking drugs and binge drinking was a normal part of life. Partying was everything. Friends were everything. But I soon learned that you couldn't trust friends, they let you down. I soon learned that getting drunk and using drugs caused shame and disgrace.
I hated myself, what I had become. I had done things that I could never forgive myself for, and these thoughts plagued me, day and night. I was so ashamed of myself. The worse I felt, the more I would drink. The thing was that even though I was surrounded by loads of people I was so lonely.

I met a couple when I was about eighteen, and though they were into some strange things they believed the Bible was true. We would speak about Jesus and the coming judgement.
I decided one day that I must buy a Bible and find out all about the coming Judgement.
I must read what Jesus said.

As I read Jesus' teaching I wanted to change, I didn't want to sin, I wanted to obey Jesus.
I didn't want to go to hell. Nobody had shared the gospel with me, but I was coming under conviction for my sin. I tried and I tried to stop sinning, but I couldn't. There was a struggle going on within me - a struggle between following God and loving sin.
The more I tried to obey God's word the more temptation came into my life. It was crazy!

Then one day I was in my bedroom, and something like a dark cloud came over me, and the weight of my wickedness became too much. I started to despair and something in my mind was saying, end it, go on nobody cares about you, you're a lost cause, you'll never be free.

When I was in hospital after this event I began to see that something was against me following after God. I became more convinced that there had to be truth in the Bible because there was a real battle going on. Then one night as I was in my bedroom, I flicked on the television. There was a man saying, "If you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and confess with your mouth, you shall be saved". I thought to myself I, believe that!! I must be saved. Then He led a prayer of commitment to following Christ and it was then that God showed me all my sin, everything I had ever done. He showed me all the hurt I had suffered at the hands of others, and said to me, "If you forgive them , I will forgive you all your sin".
I said " Yes Lord, I forgive, please forgive me". Then something thing like a heavy weight was lifted off my shoulders. I was filled with joy and a love for everyone.

Where there was hate -
There was love
Where there was shame
I was filled with peace.
I had joy!
I felt like a new person.
The world even looked different.

I am so thankful to God for sending Jesus Christ to die in my place, for His great love and not giving up on me, though I was rejected by all, He never rejected me.

I am so grateful for my Nan and Granddad and for all those who were instrumental in praying for me. My Grandparents prayed faithfully every day for ten years, for my salvation.
I want to encourage you if you have loved ones’ who are away from God, don't give up praying for them. Don't grow weary/ don't be discouraged. God is faithful. He hears the cries of the righteous. There is no-one too far away fro God that he cannot reach them, save them, heal them and restore them. This is the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The power to transform lives. We are all trophy's of His amazing grace.