The second of my testimonies
My desire was to get to a church, I didn't know which one, all I knew was that I hungered for Gods house. I asked my friend Justine to accompany me but she had not been to church here as she also was new to the town so wasn't sure which would be the best one for me.
We had met in a womans refuge and befriended each other then moved into our flats, mine upstairs and hers down, but she agreed that it was time for both of us to enter into Gods house.
Justine decided to check out the local churches so on Sunday morning off she went. As I awoke I could hear Justine's front door opening then closing, that was my cue , up I jumped running to the window but instead of seeing her coming up the stairs to my flat she was walking up the street away from me. Well here I was in my pyjamas , I certainly couldn't go out like this so I hung out of my window calling to her but she walked so fast she just could not hear me. I can remember crying and saying to God why has she gone without me why oh why. This was the first time I had actually acknowledged that God could hear my cries, I waited but I never heard any reply.
Justine returned and I was furious, I was yelling at her how dare you go to church without me, I even at one point told her she had just made the biggest mistake in her life going without me. Oh boy I was desperate. Justine and I often look back at that day and it still brings tears to our eyes.
She told me that she had gone to the Penticostal church and thought that it might of been a bit too radical for me but on her way home she had spotted a little church and had felt led by God to go that evening, so this we agreed to do. This is something we also look back on and have a good old giggle, too radical indeed , I dont think God could make me any more radical if He tried.
My friends little boy aged 10yrs. had come to stay that day as he wasnt very well and his mother needed a rest, so Justine and her 7yrs old daughter, myself and young Christopher all went swimming then made our way to the little church.
What an amazing evening that was, as we entered the service was already in progress but to our astonishment everything stopped. I can remember some one handing us a praise song book then some one else led us to our seats, it was really strange as there was only four seats vacant, and just four of us. In the row in front a sweet little old lady turned and bid us all welcome, she looked so angelic and she glowed oh so much, As I sat down she looked at me and smiled, I got the feeling that I knew her but this was not possible as I said I was new to this town. This sweet little lady was to become my mother in Isreal.
The preacher had taken his stand on the platform but he seemed quite content and patiently waited for us to organise ourselves. He opened with a prayer and I felt a warm sensation all over my body, it was The Lords Prayer the very one I had said the night God visited me. I glanced at Justine , she was smiling and her countenance was radiant, this I didnt fully understand at the time but I knew she looked good. The sermon preached was the top of the iceberg as they say, yes you got it Psalm 23 the very same words I called out to God .Everything the preacher said I could relate to and he mentioned many things that I had thought on the last week and the experiences I had felt and witnessed he seemed to know all about them as if he had been with me. I was amazed at they way he knew things but also somewhat dumbfounded, how could this guy who I had never met know of me.
Then oh Praise God, I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit all around me , and then the thick mist came back but this time I was not afraid. I was engulfed by the presence of God just like a mighty rushing wind, my whole body was shaking, warm and getting hotter, I was loving the presence of my God , it was awesome. Here I was giving praise to God in this little Apostolic church as if I had been here all my life. This was the moment that I knew that This Is Were I Belong and Glory to God I am still there now eleven years on. Thank you Jesus.
"PRAISE GOD"
My desire was to get to a church, I didn't know which one, all I knew was that I hungered for Gods house. I asked my friend Justine to accompany me but she had not been to church here as she also was new to the town so wasn't sure which would be the best one for me.
We had met in a womans refuge and befriended each other then moved into our flats, mine upstairs and hers down, but she agreed that it was time for both of us to enter into Gods house.
Justine decided to check out the local churches so on Sunday morning off she went. As I awoke I could hear Justine's front door opening then closing, that was my cue , up I jumped running to the window but instead of seeing her coming up the stairs to my flat she was walking up the street away from me. Well here I was in my pyjamas , I certainly couldn't go out like this so I hung out of my window calling to her but she walked so fast she just could not hear me. I can remember crying and saying to God why has she gone without me why oh why. This was the first time I had actually acknowledged that God could hear my cries, I waited but I never heard any reply.
Justine returned and I was furious, I was yelling at her how dare you go to church without me, I even at one point told her she had just made the biggest mistake in her life going without me. Oh boy I was desperate. Justine and I often look back at that day and it still brings tears to our eyes.
She told me that she had gone to the Penticostal church and thought that it might of been a bit too radical for me but on her way home she had spotted a little church and had felt led by God to go that evening, so this we agreed to do. This is something we also look back on and have a good old giggle, too radical indeed , I dont think God could make me any more radical if He tried.
My friends little boy aged 10yrs. had come to stay that day as he wasnt very well and his mother needed a rest, so Justine and her 7yrs old daughter, myself and young Christopher all went swimming then made our way to the little church.
What an amazing evening that was, as we entered the service was already in progress but to our astonishment everything stopped. I can remember some one handing us a praise song book then some one else led us to our seats, it was really strange as there was only four seats vacant, and just four of us. In the row in front a sweet little old lady turned and bid us all welcome, she looked so angelic and she glowed oh so much, As I sat down she looked at me and smiled, I got the feeling that I knew her but this was not possible as I said I was new to this town. This sweet little lady was to become my mother in Isreal.
The preacher had taken his stand on the platform but he seemed quite content and patiently waited for us to organise ourselves. He opened with a prayer and I felt a warm sensation all over my body, it was The Lords Prayer the very one I had said the night God visited me. I glanced at Justine , she was smiling and her countenance was radiant, this I didnt fully understand at the time but I knew she looked good. The sermon preached was the top of the iceberg as they say, yes you got it Psalm 23 the very same words I called out to God .Everything the preacher said I could relate to and he mentioned many things that I had thought on the last week and the experiences I had felt and witnessed he seemed to know all about them as if he had been with me. I was amazed at they way he knew things but also somewhat dumbfounded, how could this guy who I had never met know of me.
Then oh Praise God, I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit all around me , and then the thick mist came back but this time I was not afraid. I was engulfed by the presence of God just like a mighty rushing wind, my whole body was shaking, warm and getting hotter, I was loving the presence of my God , it was awesome. Here I was giving praise to God in this little Apostolic church as if I had been here all my life. This was the moment that I knew that This Is Were I Belong and Glory to God I am still there now eleven years on. Thank you Jesus.
"PRAISE GOD"
