Aboy4Christ!
My name is Tony. I am 41 years old and married to the most wonderful woman for 14 years now. When I met her 15 years ago, I had just got out of the military. My wife and most of her family were of the Christian faith, I was raised Catholic and called myself a Christian. I thought I was! The first seven years or so of our marriage was very rocky (I do not know how my wife stayed with me). I was very foul mouthed, and listened to nothing but the hardest gangster rap that I could find. I disrespected my wife in MANY ways. Many ways! I am embarrassed and hurt at what I put her through. She stood beside me, as did her family. I drank a lot! Hung around with bad influential people! That eventually led me to drugs. Cocaine, and crank! started out small, and then increased dramatically, hiding money from my wife to support my habit. Freebasing (smoking crank)! Eventually I got to a point that I could not get the money any more, so I switched with guns blazing to alcohol (which I never had left, but was secondary to drugs). It got to where I drank every night, at least a 12pack, and I absolutely could not sleep with out it. I had insomnia, and very bad anxiety. My under arms would sweat profusely wetting all my shirts, and making me very self conscious. I could not go out to dinner, or shopping, or anything, because I would have very bad anxiety attacks and break out into a flushed sweat (even with my family). Meanwhile, my mother-in-law (Margie) unknown to me at the time, was diligently praying for me. Me and Margie were close, we had :(she passed away 5 years ago) a special bond (even though I was as far away from God as I could be). Margie, since the day that I met her was fighting Lupus. A nasty disease that attacks all the major organs. She lost her kidney, and had a transplant after years of dialysis, then that one began to fail. She was always sick, lost her hair, almost died numerous times. She spent a lot of time in the hospital. Never complained!! I was drawn to her because she was unlike anyone I had ever met. Full of Grace, humility, but above all Love. She radiated everywhere she went regardless of how she felt. One time in the hospital she got so bad .. so bad, and me and my wife went to church to ask the Lord for help, and we kept going as the Lord drew me near. Remember, that I thought I was saved! I made my communion as a catholic and was baptized. I think I may have even raised my hand before to accept Jesus (It was not with a true heart-merely words). Then, I heard a sermon! The Pastor preached that the Lord was going to say to some of us there, on the day of judgement, to get away, he never knew me. Wow! I went home and called my mother-in-law (she finally was home) to ask what he meant? She could not answer, because she didn't know the context of how he had spoke it. I started to clean up my act .... slowwwly. So now I am a self proclaimed Christian doing good works. I still had the anxiety, and the Alcohol, and the insomnia. I wanted so bad to stop drinking, but I would go days without sleep if I did not get drunk. I prayed! I put on Christian music as I slept! I tried and tried. I was a mess! I almost gave up the whole Christian thing. I was doing everything I could do to get what Margie had. Peace! We started a bible study with mostly family (small). This is where the lord ministered to me. He took me to the passage that was bothering me.
Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus said- 21. "Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22. Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord did we not prophesy on your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles? 23. Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you. Away from me, you evil doers!"
Shortly after I read this and the Lord opened my eyes and heart, alone in my home, I got on my knees and asked the Lord with a sincere heart to forgive me for my sins and to be the leader of my life. Wow! The Lord began to change me as the days went, and took away my anxiety and provided me with restful sleep without the aid of alcohol for the first time in years. HE CLEANED ME UP! He saved my marriage, and my health. Jesus gave me Peace! Peace found no where else!! Life is not always easy, but he never lets me down. What an awesome Savior! As soon as I stopped doing things myself and gave it to him, and made him 1ST in my life, he carried my burdens for me! Jesus Loves!
That's my short version and story! I would Love to have other Christians come into this Blog and give us your testimony, your story.
This BLOG is for testimony and Praise to God. Any negative comments or posts will be deleted.
Bless you all!
