my walk of faith so far

[Damaris]

First off, I'd like to let it be know that I have never written out my testimony, or really shared it with anyone before. But last Wednesday I was asked to share my testimony, *sometime* to a youth group of 80-100 people, and that snapped me back to reality and reminded me that I'm supposed to "Always be prepared to give the reason for the hope that (I) have." So here goes....my first attempt to share my testimony. =)

When I was 4 years old, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. It was not anything that was suggested to me, it was not even mentioned to me. I just heard God asking me to let him in. And with all the innocence of a child, I knelt down by the sliding glass door in our apartment, and asked Jesus to please come into my heart.

The next four years of my life was spent in Africa. There I saw Satan's power firsthand almost every day. The medicine man would be paid to lay curses, that worked.....chicken and frog sacrifices were made, and spiritual fear was very evident in the people. I also heard about persecution second hand...saw christians who had been whipped for their faith, whose possesions had been stolen, where attempts had been made on their lives. I knew about God, and I knew I had accepted him into my life, but I was not hungrey for him. I still had a childlike trust that he was going to take care of everything.

Then when I was 9 years old, my world turned upside down. My family moved from Africa, back here to the US. Talk about culture shock. I had no friends for the first three years I was back here.....because I was an African at heart, and simply didn't fit in. If you can imagine, I would always be wearing dresses, with a strange accent, striking up a conversation with anyone who made eye contact with me.

So it all really got me depressed. God was my lifeline through that time....I knew he was there, but he wasn't making life any easier. The hope I had in him was what kept me from killing myself, even though I considered it every night as I cried myself to sleep.

Sometime in those three years, God told me he wanted me to get baptised. It was just like when I first accepted him....no one suggested it to me, there was nothing in particular that got me to thinking about it or anything like that. All I knew was that God wanted me to get baptised, and I wanted to get baptised.

After I was baptised, I had a hunger for God that would not be quenched. The more I learned about him, the more I wanted to know, and the more I knew, the more I wanted to know more. It's like when you're thirsty, and you drink salt water, it only makes you more thirsty, but half satisfies your thirst too.

When I was 13 I came down with severe broncidis and I was taken to the doc and got mdicine. But I tried to go on a tour before I was fully healed, and I got broncidis again. Over the next three years, I was never fully well. I went to numerous doctors and specialists, but no one could find the cause. I was getting progressively worse. By the end of the third year, which was three months aago...I was sleeping 18 hours a day, was too weak to walk half a mile, always had a headache, had severe pains in my chest, couldn't keep half my food down, difficulty breathing, and I would have hours when I would go blind. About three months ago I sent out an email to all of my friends, and I believe I even posted on this board, basically saying that I'll see everyone in heaven. I was dying, and I knew it.

I had accepted this sickness. I believed that God was letting me be sick because he wanted me to learn something from it. But I had a friend who believed differently. He pointed out that Jesus didn't come to earth to give us sickness in order that we may learn, he came to heal. He came and took our sicknesses on him, because "by his wounds we are healed." I began looking it up, reading through the bible, praying about it, asking God if this is true. All who came to Jesus, asking for healing and believing they would be healed, were healed. I began to believe it in spite of my doubt, I could come to no other conclusion.

One night, about two months ago, I was in a lot of pain, so I called up my friend. We prayed and talked pretty much all night. I knew if I died, I didn't want to be alone. At 3am, I noticed the pain had left. My friend says "enjoy your pain-free day tomarrow" I was skeptical. But when I woke up later in the day, I felt fine. Not just fine, but energetic! I went and ran a mile, just because I could. I ate a full meal, and kept all of it down. I had no pain whatsoever.

And yet I still didn't tell anyone. I was home alone those days, so my family was rather clueless. It wasn't until a full four days after I was healed that I finally believed it, and told anyone and everyone who would listen. I would run around the house shouting it. I was healed! God had set me free from this illness that had been killing me, and now I was completely fine!

With my healing came the realization that Jesus came so that we could have life, and that more abundantly. All we need to do is believe. Just believe.

wow that was a great testimoney!!!

Bravo! I loved it!

[Ed]

yer i remember the struggles you went thru - the fervant prayers - the cries for help - the way it knocked your energy - how you were excepting "death" and the posts saying if im not on anymore in a few days time you;ll know its cos im with my saviour i am dying. I remember the joy it all brought in your healing and the strength of testimony your faith now has is amazing! I'm still here for you Damaris as long as you want... a friend thru the thick and thin! Keep at it girl - our Lord and God is faithful.... hope home life and things with your sister are more copeable now (and i dont expect an answer if you dont want/cant)

[Damaris]

Family life....well, I pushed my mom to go to a counselor....she wanted just me to go to a counselor, because she thought I had the problem...but I said I wouldn't go unless we got family counseling. The counselor is totally on my side, but my mom doesn't like her, and just plain disagrees with her. But I am getting help.....because to be honest, my family needs help. Things aren't better when I'm at home, but God's blessed me with some amazing friends who let me come over to their house whenever I can't take it anymore. So God is good.... =)