My Testimony

[Ghopp]

Until my senior year of high school I had never been accepted at
church. Cliques and other social groups in the youth groups really
turned me away. I got an offer to play in a praise band at a local
small church. To be honest, I originally started to use it as an
oppurtunity to play. By getting back into church on a regular basis I
started to see God working on things in my life. I began to seek Him
more and more, really learning what faith in Him was about.

After about six months, we started a youth night that was focused on a
more contemporary worship service. On the first night of it God made
it very clear that the music ministry was what He wanted me to do.
When it came time for the invitation, a girl in the congregation that
I had come to know walked down the aisle and accepted Jesus as her
Lord and Savior. The joy I felt was so overwhelming that there was no
doubt in my mind.

About two months after the youth night had started things were
happening at the church that were told to me in an untrue way. I
ended up leaving the church for about three months. In that time my
life really started to go down hill. I knew that God was calling me
into the ministry but no oppurtunity was there for me. Mid-way
through March, my girlfriend was killed by a drunk driver. It was the
beginning of Spring Break and all of my friends were out of town,
there was no one to talk to. I turned to God for comfort and 100%
relied on His love. Never before did I feel him as strongly as I did
then.

Soon after that happened, I got back into church, just going as a
regular member. Word had spread to the pastor/worship leader that I
could play guitar and sing. He approached me and invited me to come
play with them one Sunday. I wasn't sure about the sincerity of his
offer so I didn't accept at the time. Things at home were starting to
turn bad and the Air Force was looking like the perfect plan. Both of
my parents were pushing me to go into the Air Force and make something
of myself that way. With the stress of losing my girlfriend and this
huge, life changing decision at hand, I began to feel overwhelmed.

One day at work I told my boss that I needed to take a walk around the
block. Knowing what was going on with me she said it would be alright
and to just take my time. When I was almost back to the door to the
office I was crying pretty heavily, feeling so overwhelmed. A lady I
work with that also attended my church was outside on a smoke break.
We talked about what all was going on and I had told her "I know that
God is calling me into the ministry but an oppurtunity just hasn't
come up yet and I don't know what to do." She responded by saying
"Just give it time and prayer."

After my tears had dried, I went back inside to continue working. Not
FIVE minutes after I sat down at my desk I received a call from a guy
I used to play with asking me to sing for their Christian band they
had started. I was with them for a few weeks then finally took up my
pastor's offer to play at the church.

Since the first time I played at the church, God has been molding and
changing my life every day. Back in December I went on a Ski Retreat
with the youth group of my church to lead them in praise and worship
as well as act as a counselor. Not long after that trip I was asked
to be the praise and worship leader for the youth's Wednesday night
services.

So currently I play the acoustic guitar and sing with the praise band
of our church as well as playing the acoustic guitar and singing lead
for the youth group. I plan on going into the ministry, youth, music,
or both, full time after I graduate college in some form or fassion.