Last Sunday, we had a wonderful service that lasted nearly two hours! What happened? Pastor Farmer ask for a few testimonies. The kind that we used to hear about how God saved you and where He has brought you from. People of all ages began sharing how God had saved them. Everytime Pastor tried to wrap it up someone else would stand to share their testimony. It was so good to hear these wonderful testimonies of how God has worked through so many people.
Many of us heard for the first time from people that we sit in the services with week after week and How God had saved them. We need so much to hear this type of testimony. It helps us know that those wonderful “saints” haven’t always been where they are today. They too had struggles and trials they had to work through (with God’s help).
I didn’t share my story that night, but I thought maybe I should do it here. So here goes….
First, I want to praise the Lord for giving me a great Christian heritage. My parents and several generations before them have been Christians and have taught us the things of God. I was in church the first Sunday after I was born and I doubt that I have missed a Sunday since. But that didn’t save me from my sin. I was a good kid, but that didn’t save me from my sin.
When I was 9 years old, I went to Holiness Camp with my family. My mother owned a Christian bookstore, and she ran the “book nook” at camp. Another family that worked with mom at the store came and we shared a cabin. We had a ball the whole week, going to the kids tabernacle for children’s services, having great fun and crafts in the afternoon and attending service in the big tabernacle each night.
There were three evangelists that year. I couldn’t tell you their names, other than my friends and I called the one “Popcorn” because of his style of preaching.
“Popcorn” was preaching on the final night of camp. His subject was “Hell-fire and Brimstone”. That is all I remember other than I knew that I was a sinner and that I was going straight to hell. I believe that my grandfather had passed away sometime that past year, so the reality of death was very real to me. I found my way to the altar that night and prayed through with my Sunday School Teacher.
Several years later, I walked the aisle again, this time with my father at my side. This time, to give my life fully and completely to God. To give him everything, to let Him be in complete control of my life. I gave Him everything, whatever He wanted me to do, I would do. From early on, I know that God had a special calling for my life. Some things He shared with me, others He did not until later. I only know that I have never regretted “Going with God”. He has given me wonderful years of ministry to children and as a pastor’s wife.
Just a funny note… my father always joked about we girls marrying the neighbor boy so that we could consolidate our farms into one large farm. I always swore I would never marry a farmer …. Others were always telling me how I would make a wonderful pastor’s wife.. I swore NOT to marry a pastor.
In 1989 I married Pastor Farmer! 
Doesn’t God have a great sense of humor?
What about you? How has God brought you to this point in your life?
P.S. Nowyou know why camp to so important to me. Camp changes lives! Want to see the camp where I found God? www.sebringcamp.org
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
