Chapter 1: The Lord is Sweet.
Lately, I have been thinking about all that the Lord has done, which is more than I can attempt to remember, yet I know the Lord is not done and that Dad will do more. As I spent time with Him today, I felt like I should write my testimony. And at first thought, it seemed overwhelming. As I stated, He really has done a lot. As I attempt to write this, I hope it encourages you and builds your faith.
Chapter 1: The LORD is sweet.
I know both my parents love me so much and both put their ALL into raising me. From preparing me for adulthood to protecting me as their child, I honor my parents for their sacrifice of love. Although they divorced when I was young, they maintained a healthy relationship and made sure my childhood was pleasant, impactful, pretty easy, and fun! Unfortunately at a young age, I was introduced to secular music and media which influenced me to equate sex to love. Although I knew of Jesus and had gone to church and seen my dad give his whole life to the Lord, I did not have my own relationship with the Lord. I didn’t know that God is love and love is God and in order to be whole, I needed Him. My first instinct was not to go to the Bible, I ended up feeling like I needed the validation of men to feel beautiful and worthy. As I mentioned earlier, I equated sex to love. In the same breath, I had enough fear of the Lord to know that sex was reserved for married people. Feeling frustrated and confused, I turned to pornography and masturbation in early high school. However, I knew it wasn’t right. I would feel bad each and every time yet was so deep in sin that I could not get myself out.
Around junior year of high school, I came across an online church that broke down God’s word about many of the things I was struggling with which helped me to turn a few more degrees to God. Yet, I wasn’t free. Fast forward to around age 18 or 19, I really wanted to find my own church. So I googled non-denominational churches in my area and Worship With Wonders Church was one of the churches that popped up. This was back at Water Place when there were only Sunday Night Services. I came 2 or 3 times, and loved it! I don’t really remember what was preached, but I do remember encountering the presence of the Holy Spirit and felt so much freedom. And the greeters were just so joyful, like the kind of joy that makes you wonder “why are they so happy?”. Anyway, after those few visits, I didn’t visit for a while. I guess you could say I was scared or running. And after a while, I felt like the Lord was telling me that was my church and that when I joined, something was waiting on me. As if the next chapter/season of my life was waiting on me to join that church and encounter the Spirit of that house. So for the next 2 ish years, I would think about the church but still didn’t come. One day while shopping with my mom, I met an older couple and during our conversation, they asked: “do you know a church on fire for God?” and I said “yes!” (Worship With Wonders immediately popped up in my mind). He asked something along the lines of if I was a part of the church, and I said no. He was confused, lol! That moment made me realize, I should go to that church.
Yet still, it wasn’t until almost a year later when I was in my mom’s kitchen, praising the Lord and hearing the words “go to that church and join the church.” And it was very clear, simple, and stern, like a Father’s voice that you do not question but just obey. That was a Wednesday. So I went to the church which was then located on Powder Springs Rd. I still remember what I was wearing too, a grey headwrap, blue dress and sweater, and a mask. As I came in, I already knew what God told me to do, so I was nervous the whole service thinking about how I would have to walk to the altar at the end. So we get to the end of the service, and I was very surprised there was no altar call. So after service, I see Pastor Myles still hanging around- and I know what God told me so I was committed. I walked up and asked him, “how do I join the church?” Caught off guard, he asked “what made you want to join?” etc, and got me connected with what was then called Culture Class which just so happened to be available the upcoming Saturday. So I signed up that night. Made arrangements to be at work later just to not miss the opportunity, and been at Worship With Wonders Church ever since.
Without a hand being laid on me and without anyone giving me a word, the Lord freed me. I am not against those things, I just know it was the Lord that did it! By His Spirit alone, I was freed from an addiction to pornography and masturbation by an encounter and a connection. And the Lord has been keeping me ever since. Of course, boundaries are a must because no one is exempt from the possibility of temptation so not watching or listening to certain things, protecting the gates of the temple of the Lord is necessary to STAY FREE, in the words of Pastor D.
Realizing how much the Lord loves me through Him saving me, and His pursuit of my soul makes me boast of His sweetness. The Lord is so sweet, and I just love Him and am grateful that He didn’t let me stay in sin and shame. But that with Himself, which is the Word, He washed me and made me new.