My Testimony: Victory in Jesus!

Before I became a Christian, I was experiencing problems in my marriage, which left me feeling lonely, with low self-esteem and fear of rejection. This caused me to suffer from depression and debilitating migraines, even though being the mother of two young children was a source of great joy and fulfillment for me.

That negative relationship with my husband caused me to search for spiritual truth. A friend gave me books to read, such as Hal Lindsay's "The Late Great Planet Earth" and Clarence Larkin's "Dispensational Truth". I bought myself a Bible and researched what these authors were teaching by looking up all the verses that were referenced. Before long, I had accepted Christ as my Savior and on the advice of my friend, started attending a Bible-believing church. At this point, my heart was filled with hope and happiness due to God's unconditional love.

I was sold out for Jesus, and quit my job to start teaching in a Christian school, where my knowledge of scriptural truth grew over the years, and my faith and obedience to Christ was central to my new identity. Authenticity was key for me, and I relished learning about God and witnessing to others. Unfortunately, my husband did not share in this spirit-filled journey. He abandoned me and my children a few years later, and at that point, I was desperately clinging to God for sanity, for financial stability, and for a plan and purpose to my life. God answered all my needs and provided for me in the ensuing years in ways that I could never have foreseen. He continues to orchestrate my life's path in a very personal manner, teaching me and guiding me, continually demonstrating His everlasting love and faithfulness. I am so grateful for His mercy, His grace, and His holiness.

The Bible says, "Taste and see that the Lord is good." Once I surrendered to Jesus, I discovered that my life was transformed by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, so that the Lord is always with me, no matter what my circumstances may be. He provides me with a God-centered point of view that is not restricted to time and space, but rather looks on our planet and our life experiences with an eternal perspective. Even though I realize that I am a created being, made of flesh and bone, I also know that I am born again by the power of His Spirit, and my name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life. The great Creator of everything in existence cares for ME as one of His beloved children.

When others have come against me, the Lord has taught me to be humble, calm and teachable. He truly has given me favor so that I can bring glory to His name. In a recent situation, the school where I was working began teaching our middle school students about critical race theory and gender fluidity. It was impossible for me to teach this indoctrination and also uphold my Christian beliefs. After talking to the principal about how I believed this would undermine the moral integrity of innocent children, he agreed to allow me to remove myself from those programs, even though all the other faculty members were forced to comply. Shortly thereafter, the Lord encouraged me to leave that school, and I did so, with God arranging a new place to live and a new job. I am so thankful for His love for me, and how He counsels me and guides my steps.

The best thing of all about being a Christian is that my relationship with God is not just here and now, but for eternity. When I go to my Sunday School class, I am excited about studying the Word and learning more about the Lord, hearing others' testimonies and how the Lord is working powerfully in their lives. In church, when we praise and worship God, it is such a joy to be with people who are genuine fellow believers. We all want Him to be the center of our lives, and to acknowledge his grace and mercy. We all look forward to joining Him in heaven and seeing Him face-to-face. "Death, where is your sting? Grave, where is your victory?" Death and the grave have no power over me, because Jesus is my Savior and his promise of eternal life is true.