this week when i read connies' story of her conversion, it made me realize that i have never even written out my own story.
i mean i was just too shy of doing so i guess...well just too cowardly.
now constance has given me the courage to just tell it!
mom and dad golden were married in 1947.
at that time they never went to church anywhere.
betty was born in april/48 and by the year 1952, there were four little golden children.
dad golden joined the air force and with the move to trenton, mom golden was invited out to gospel meetings at the lorne avenue gospel hall and that is when the christians started to pick us children up for sunday school where we heard all about the love of god for sinners.
1n the early 60's we moved to my beloved manitoba and there we attended the wheatland baptist church where we continued to hear the good word and where i continued not to hear it..too young,..lots of time to decide later. ...one of the devil's biggest lie to keep people from coming to the lord!
a year later, the christians from brandon took upon themselves the responsibly of taking the family to brandon gospel hall
this was a 66 mile round trip twice on a sunday.
by now there was 8 little goldens!
hearing the good gospel again for several years.
in high school there, i was in contact too every day with chrisitan kids that attended the pentecostal church,
and although i thought i was pretty smart that i went to so many gospel meetings and was a good girl[ha!..NOT!], i saw that these kids had a peace and happiness that i sure didn't!
when we moved to ottawa in 1967, life went on as usual for mom and her by then nine kids.
sunday school, prayer meeting and gospel meetings....still none of us saved.
well in june 1967 there came special gospel meetings and every night we were driven by the christians to these meetings.
one night when the preacher was speaking, he was telling us that we were all born sinners. i had heard this before of course..he said that we had all a rebellious nature and i thought to myself..that's me for sure. seventeen i was and wanting my own way and giving mom golden a hard time already....here i thought i was a christian and i was not!
i stayed behind that night to talk to the preacher and when i left i was still as blind as a bat.
for a couple of days at home, i tried and tried to believe but oh it was too hard.
i said to god...."you are just too far away and i can't find you. i will just have to go to hell because THAT is where i deserve to be"!
i got up from my knees and started to read luke 15 about the prodigal son and there as i read luke 15:20, i saw it.
Luke 15:20
And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
just like a bright light, it shined on my heart....here is how i saw this verse........And he arose and came to his father, But when HE was yet a great way off......god wasn't the one that was far off at all. he was near all the time just waiting...it was ME who was afar off. I was the lost one and that is who exactly that jesus died for!
oh my sins were all gone, the wall of sins that separated me from god was smashed down by jesus, the precious son of god who died for me.
finally i had the peace that i saw in those high school christian friends that i had.
as i lay on my bed just feeling so happy and relieved, i noticed all of the moths and june bugs at my window,
it was a hot summer night and already dark...my light was on and as i heard the thumps of those insects bouncing on the window, trying their hardest to get at the inside light, it dawned on my mind....and i said to those bugs...."oh you silly guys....don't you realize the glass wall that is separating you from the light. you are just helpless to get to it...SOMEONE has to smash down that wall before you can enter!"....oh! that is just like me....i was helpless....only jesus could break that wall of sin between god and me to let me in.....
i am sorry that i was so long winded but you must remember...this is the very first time that i have written this down and it is all because of connie that i was encouraged to do so.....
ps..mom golden and betty were saved about a week later....
11 comments:
Dear Terry,
A wonderful, Terry-like testimony.
You are writing so honest right from your heart and blessing everybody reading this.
You are so good and straightforward, as I've told you, in many ways similar to my mother's bestest, Magnhild.
All your readers will know that your testimony is genuine and 5o karat solid.
Even though I cannot in every way be like you, I'm blessed to be your friend.
From Felisol
dear felisol what do you mean.
i have admired your godliness and that is the truth.
from the very first time i wrote to you for help, i appreciated your answer to me. you told me that you would pray about it first and then you would let me know.
two days later you agreed and you did not let the grass grow under your feet either. you got the task done.
do you remember?
me? i usually plunge in head first and without even thinking let alone praying and get into big messes and then i regret it.
no...you are an inspiration to me my bestest friend....love terry
Tank you so sharing Terry.
God works in such miraculous ways - He knows how to call His children to Himself.
O happy day that fixed my choice
and
Heavens came down and glory filled my soul.
These 2 songs come to mind.
Hug to you Terry
Terry, thank you for this beautiful testimony! I sent it to two friends who I know will like to read it, too.
Love you!
Terry, this is a wonderful testimony! You are a blessing to sooooooo many, including me. Thank you.
You know, it is strange about you finding that one scripture, about the prodical son returning and the immediate acceptance by the father, that spoke to you saying that God is your heavenly father and will accept you just the same way if you will only come to him.
My scripture was different but it just spoke to me that day like this one did you. I am sure we both had heard them a lot of times before.
This is why someone who doesn't believe or is hurting should keep on reading his or her Bible. There will be scripture in there just for the occasion even if it has been read and heard many times before. God listens.
..;
oh thank you sioux!
how is that turtle doing?
i was just telling mr. jim that i will be getting adi to round the cats and dogs all up and fly them over here for a visit.
sioux did you ever visit crown of beauty?
she is such a nice lady and she is letting me borrow her sammy and patches..two doggies ....there is going to be quite a crowd.
did you find jake yet?
thanks so much for sending them to your friends sioux...love terry
dear mr. jim...yes it is strange...so many people getting saved and through differnt ways of it happening and yet we all found the right way...the lord himself!
love terry
Your testimony is so honest and straight from your heart, Terry.
Our stories may all be different, yet the ending's the same...Jesus saves us, loves us and keeps us.
He alone is worthy of our Praise!
Love,
trish
Dear Terry,
How I thank God for saving you, as only He could! How I love the way you share your heart, not mincing words but just telling it as it is. Pure and unadulterated.
That makes your blog so special. It is written straight from your heart.
I have come to appreciate you more as I read your testimony.
Wow, you are a big family! And I do admire Mom and Dad Golden for taking good care of you all.
I also want to thank you for your beautiful comment on my two recent posts. You are faithful blog friend, Terry.
May God continue to be real to you.
Yes, I am crown of beauty, I want to reflect the beauty of My God and King to the whole world that cares to read and hear the life stories I write on my blog.
My daughter in law, First Born's wife, I have called her God Given.
Love
Lidj
That is a really interesting account of how you came to Faith Terry.....it is so important to speak about it and I am glad you have done so....
Hi Terry.
Your testimony is a blessing to all who read it and it blessed my heart much ! I'm certainly glad that GOD is calling on you to spread His Love all around, You do it so well !
Blessings to you and Bernie !
Grandpaw Ron.
Ps -- tell Dad and Mom Golden I wish them a blessed Lords Day !
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