This is an exercise we did at home group recently.

3 Minute Testimony

I started smoking at the age of 10 by stealing my dad’s cigarettes. So I was already an accomplished liar, cheater and thief. I found my dad’s pornography at age 12, I was hooked

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When I was 13 I had my first real experience with GOD, I was exploring an undeveloped area that had a 30 foot bluff. I walked around to the back side and out to a narrow point. I decide to go down but did not want to walk all the way back around so I started making my way down the cliff face. About half way I got stuck and could not see how to go back or keep going. I thought about lowering myself down from the ledge I was on but could not see how to get in position without falling. I called on GOD and told Him if He helped me get down I would quit smoking, cussing, lying etcetera. He did but I did not! Not long after that I got drunk for the first time.

When I was 16 I had sex with a woman. Later that year I went to my friend’s Pentecostal church to hear a Canadian evangelist. His testimony of GOD saving him and keeping him from going to prison was strong and I with everyone else went forward during the alter call. I confessed I was a sinner and asked Jesus to forgive my sins. But I was never taught what that meant and how to actually make the changes in my life. When I was 17 I was arrested with some friend for minors possession and public drunkenness, we spent the night in a small town jail.

When I was 18 I started doing drugs dropped out of school and joined the Navy. After I got out of the Navy and returned home I was running with the same people as before and got arrested for the second time in my life. After spending a night and day in jail I decided to move to Southern California where I had family.

Six months later on my 23^rd birthday I was living with an aunt and uncle. My aunt was a Christian and went to church most every Sunday. Since my birthday fell on a Sunday that year I thought I’d go to church. My aunt did not go that day but she dropped my 13 year old cousin and me off. My cousin went to her class so I sat in the church not knowing anybody or really what was going on. But! At the end of the service I felt like I belonged, like I was home so I just keep going.

By the end of a month I no longer smoked, drank, or did drugs. By the end of 3 months I understood I was a sinner saved by Grace through Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. I was water and Spirit baptized. By the end of 5 months I was married and had a 10 year old son. At 9 months I stared Bible College.

After many trials and testings here I am serving GOD and married for 41years.