Any one have a good testimony of how they met the Lord?

Question

Only real christians please

Answer 1

Well, my story is a little different. I grew up in the Chicago area. I
lived most of my life around and in Cicero, IL. Cicero was heavily
concentrated with gangs. At the age of 15, I started hanging around with
gang-members and I also started increasing my drug intake (yes,I was
doing drugs before this point). By 16, I had joined the gang. Over the
next few years I did more drugs and became more violent. Gangs are a
surrogate family for lost youth. I had grown up in a divorced household
and I needed to fit somewhere. When the gang came around, it was the
perfect place for me (at least I thought so).

In 1994, I lost one of my good friends to an accidental shooting. This
hit me hard. A few months later, another member of the gang was shot and
killed. Attending both of these funerals got me thinking about
everything that was happening in my life. But I still remained in the
gang. Isn't death like that? Doesn't it always make us question
ourselves?

I continued to be absorbed by the streets. I had committed several
crimes (thank God I never shot at anyone) and by this time, I had a
felony on my record. By now, my life was spinning violently out of
control. I was at a point where I would either give my life for the gang
or back away from it.

1996 came around, and I was even deeper in the street life than ever
before. I was 20 years old, and not much to show for my life, except a
criminal history. It was in that year (March) when something happened
that would start the process of me leaving the gang life. In Cicero, the
very town I was gang-banging in, my father died of a drug overdose. This
hurt bad and it hit hard. I found myself facing a reality that I had
never faced before. After burying my father, I started to realize that
if I continued the same path, Cicero, IL would have two death
certificates with the same name on them (considering that we have the
same names). I knew my father would not want that. I knew that I had to
get out before it was too late for me.

That summer, as we were going to party in the woods, a rival gang was
waiting for us and shot at us. We all scattered in different directions.
I ran a few yards down a trail, but then something happened that I
cannot explain. I had this intense urge to go back the other way. What I
found when I returned was my friend Steve who had been shot. He was
alive (and walking!). I helped him out of the woods and to the nearest
hospital. He would be operated on, stitched up, and sent back into the
world the very next day.

Our gang decided that we needed to have a meeting to determine how we
should retaliate. To my surprise they picked me to carry out a "mission"
as they would call it. Now, what you have to understand here is this:
Not one of them, not even Steve (yes! he was there) seemed to care that
I had saved someone's life. There was no "Thank You!" or "Way to go!"
There was no sign that any of them cared for what I had done. All that
they were interested in was retaliating and seeing me "prove myself."
Funny, didn't I just do that by saving someone's life?

After the meeting, we went to drink for awhile. Inside my head I was
looking for a way out. I was with them and I felt that I just couldn't
tell them no. Fear and pressure kept me from doing this. I wanted a
chance, anything that could take me away from them, because I knew that
if I had stayed with them that day, I would have went through with what
they wanted me to do. If I did that, there would be no turning back. If
I got caught: SERIOUS JAIL TIME! I was at a position where only God
could help me, but I didn’t know Him then.

It is funny how I can look back and see God’s hand in my life way back
when I didn’t know Him. There are so many times when I know that He was
there protecting me, because He knew where I would be now. This day,
when I was drinking and getting ready to destroy my life (more than
ever), God showed up for me. As we were drinking, a squad car pulled up.
The cops got out of the car and started to question us. They knew about
the shooting the night before and when I had told them who I was, they
needed to bring me in for questioning. They took me to the station where
they asked me a few questions and then let me go.

As I left the station, I decided that the “Gang-Life” was over for me. I
would not go back. I needed anything to take me away from the group that
day, and the cops were just what I needed. I didn’t see it then, but I
am grateful for them doing there job, and I know that God sent those
cops there to protect me. Praise Jesus for loving me even when I didn’t
care about Him!

Now, one would think that once the gang-life ended the rest of the junk
would end as well. That is not how it goes. For the next 7 years, I
found myself doing more drugs, and I drank at a level that would
classify as abuse. Not even getting married in 2001 would change me. I
did stop doing drugs, but my drinking got worse. I was an alcoholic. I
needed to drink wherever I was-daily! In 2004 I decided that I needed to
do “The college thing” I felt that I needed something more in my life,
and so I enrolled myself into the college I am at now. I did not
understand that I was trying to fill the emptiness that resided in my
heart that only God could fill.

One day in March of 2004, I went to the store and bought a 6-pack. I
drank a few of them one night when I was sitting at the computer in a
chat room. One of the men in the chat room was talking about his
girlfriend. I, being the caring person I am, decided to give him some
advice. Now, I guess that I must have given him some Godly advice
because what he said next was something that would get me thinking. He
asked me, “Why are you giving me advice like this? You are not a godly
man!”

That question made me question myself and who I was. I began to think
about religion and Jesus. I started to ponder over the things that my
sister had told me about Jesus. She is a wonderful Christian woman, and
I praise her for taking the time to tell me about Christ. I remembered
that she said that I needed Jesus and all that I had to do, was ask Him
into my heart and He would forgive me. That night I did just that. I
asked Christ into my heart. I didn’t know the right thing to say, but I
said what I needed to. His presence began to pump into my heart. He
began to fill me with everything that I needed-everything that I had
searched for my whole life.

My family started going to church and a few weeks later, my wife
accepted Christ. We were then baptized and we also joined a local
church. We found ourselves no longer needing alcohol or things like
that. Remember the six-pack? I had the rest of it in the fridge and it
sat there forever. I do not know if you have ever drank before, but let
me explain it to you. Drinking is a choice. But the urge that you get-
the desire to have a drink-isn’t. You can choose whether or not you
drink, but you cannot choose the urge. It is like having to go the
bathroom. You can choose where to go; you just can’t choose when you
have to go. The urge comes naturally. This is exactly how my drinking
was. The urge was always there, and based on this urge, I would then
choose to drink.

What happened to me after Christ was Jesus took that urge away from me.
No longer did I desire to drink. No longer did I need to pick up a
bottle. He freed me from it forever. It has been two years since I drank
last, and I give him all the credit for it. I am even at a point in my
life where I cannot even stand to see people buy alcohol. It disgusts
me! It is a destructive thing and Satan just loves to see people drink.
Just think about all of the good things that happen when people drink:
Death, Rape, murder, fights, depression, suicide, premarital sex, etc.
Oh! By the way, these are all bad things. I was being sarcastic.

God has changed my heart and has given me meaning. He has shown me who
He is right now in my life, who He was before, and who He will be in the
future. I have experienced His grace and forgiveness at a level that
drives me to tell others about Him. I want others to know that God can
and will forgive them no matter what they had done. He is my rock, my
shelter, my love, my all, my Savior. I praise Him and I thank him for
everything that He as done, is doing, and will do. People say that
miracles don’t happen, but those that say that must be blind because: I
AM A MIRALCE! Every time someone accepts Christ: A miracle has taken
place.

Right now, I am in my third year of “Community” college. I attend a
Baptist church. I am married to a beautiful lady whom I don’t deserve
(This is God’s grace: He always blesses us with the things we don’t
deserve). I have four kids (3 girls, 1 son) whom I love dearly. I lead
Campus Crusade for Christ here at a local college. I am a youth leader for
both the JV and high school kids. I love God’s work and I eagerly follow
Him, waiting for Him to show me what to do next. I feel him calling me
into full-time ministry (probably working with Youth and gang members).
God is good-All the time. His grace and mercy never stop flowing in my
life. He is truly a wonderful and amazing God. Praise Jesus!

I hope that I have let you know what you wanted to know about me. I love
to write: that is the reason for the long answer. If you have more
questions, let me know. Also, if it would help, print this up and let
others read it. If my testimony can help-please use it. I will be praying you.

Answer 2

I became a Christian when I was so young I don't rightly recall it. My mom told stories at various places using the Child Evangelism Fellowship material and took, of course, her own very small children along. I accepted Jesus as my Savior at one of those story sessions. A few years later, when I 'went forward,' I wondered why nothing happened. (Later, I found out it was because I was already His!) I went forward a couple more times, trying -- through human effort -- to make it real. Of course, it never worked. I knew He'd promised He'd accept whosoever came to Him, so I trusted that He'd accepted me, but I didn't feel any different.

Years later, as an adult, I was playing the role of a staunch non-Christian. I could not let His light show at all for this character, so I had to do something. Others who'd done this role in our company had actually asked God to leave them for a couple of hours so they could do the role properly. I couldn't bear that idea, so I asked Him to 'scooch over' and make Himself really small and not show. (He knew it was so I could present an unbeliever as a real person in a Christian play, to help train people in evangelism.) He did move over and become very small, leaving a huge gaping hole in my spirit that actually hurt. (When I felt that huge empty spot inside, I suddenly understood why people drink. If I had that empty spot all the time, I'd do anything I could to get away from it,too.) I had never been without Him before, and knew then that I had had Him all along -- or at least from about 2 or 3 years of age. That's when I put 2 and 2 together and recalled knowing Him from such a young age.

Answer 3

I was saved two years ago in a very odd situation,I had been living in India studying eastern religions and being a very lost and confused person,my life was in shambles I was experiencing demonic attacks on a daily basis,and one night it was late,and I was all alone,suddenly I felt like I needed to go to a nearby church,now mind you I had avoided all bible preaching churches because I did not believe nor want to hear that Jesus was the only way to heaven or to be saved.I prepared to go,just to be with Godly people but had no plan to convert,i had plenty of arguments,religious and spiritual debate material in my mind.I just remember standing outside of this church,i don't even know how I got there,i must have walked,but I don't have any memory of it.I stood out there a long time,rethinking whether I should go in or approach it.A heavyset and fairly tall man with long hair saw me and asked if he could help me,I just sort of mumbled um mm is this where they have bible study?He looked at me scrutiny up and down,and asked...are you a Christian?I paused for a few moments.My answer was very mystical,I just said i don't necessarily believe there is one road to spiritual truth.To make a long story short I ended up praying the salvation prayer,something in me just told me to do it,I obeyed this voice within.I was very sceptically when I got home,but three days later the Lords pr essence came upon me,I was nearly floored,its a good thing I WAS ON my bed because I couldn't move from that spot,i started repenting and calling out to the lord,i stretched my arms up and felt the lord actually embrace me,tears started streaming down my eyes,and for the first time in many years i felt completely at peace,safe and loved..That was the beginning,I'm still a work in process..Ive thrown out my idols,and false religions from my life,i stumble sometimes,but I always know the true Lord is there with me. It just so happened that the man I ran into was one of the preachers at church,it wasn't even his scheduled time to be there,it was the lords doing entirely.I got baptised in that very same church it was a beautiful and touching experience,I totally changed from the inside.....i started growing so much spiritually...it truly was wonderful.... PRAISE THE LORD!

Answer 4

When I came to Christ I was not expecting it, as a matter of fact I was preparing my speech to reject Christ in my heart.

My dad had accepted Christ maybe 5 months before and I was accompanying him in the prayer services he had at home. As my uncle (who was preaching) was making the invitation to come to Christ, i was preparing my speech, thinking, ok when he asks me I'm going to say " no thanks, I don't feel this is the time for me, but please pray for me".

Well all of a sudden one fo the sisters felt in the spirit to come speak to me, she asked " Do you feel anything" I said, not really, I feel sentimental but it goes away, so nothing. Then She put her hand on my shoulder (she told me later becuase I dont remember it) and all of a sudden I got up from the chair and walked up front! (my uncle never invited me) I came to Christ, Crying, regreting everything I had gone trhough in the past few year before that time, I kept repeating " Forgive me lord, and I could not stop crying, I was on my knees sobbing like, if I was hurting, but honestly I was very happy, knowing what I was doing. I didnt see anybody else, I just felt an embrace and made me feel free.

My dad tells me that everysingle person that was there cried overwhelmed with the Holy Spirit. I dont remember actually making the decision " Ok I'm goign to accept" i just stood up, the holy Spririt carried me, and transformed me in that moment, I changed immediately.

I stopped cursing, listeing to regular music, and little by little i left my habits, stopped wearing pants, make up jewelry and began my walk with Christ.

Its been a year and I could not be happier with the decision, I cannot imagin my life without Christ, I cannot imagine my life without the people who are now my brothers and sisters in Christ, I went from not having many friends of trust to having a truck load of people I felt confortable with and trust.

Answer 5

I was an Antichrist, I had never been to church or even new the story of Jesus... Jesus came and took me by the hand, until every thing I was saying to condemn Him was turn around to make me believe and finally pick up the Bible.