My testimony

[Jon-Marc]

When I was 16 (way back in the dark ages), I met a 15-year-old Christian boy. Being shy and withdrawn because of an abusive dad I had no friends and was desperate for one--so desperate that I was even willing to be friends with a Christian , and a "fanatic" at that. He actually witnessed to people on the street!

He invited me to church, and I remember thinking that if I said no he wouldn't want to be my friend, and so I reluctantly said yes. My first Sunday morning there they had me on my knees after the service and said to me, "Repeat these words after me." The words meant nothing to me, but I was too shy to say so. I was used to doing as I was told with my dad, and so I repeated the words that were meaningless to me.

When I went home my dad jokingly asked, "Well, did you get saved?" I replied, "Yes, I did, but I don't know what from", and we all laughed. However, I found everything at that church that I wasn't getting from my dad--love, encouragement, and acceptance--and I kept going and got very involved in the music and found that I had a talent for singing.

I loved the attention and praise I got from everyone on my singing, and my already large head swelled up even bigger. Some time during the next year I started to "believe". At least I believed things I hadn't before. Nearly one year later I was reading in the New Testament where it said that we must repent and believe in order to be saved, and I thought back to that day nearly a year earlier and realized that I had done neither.

All during that year there had been a struggle going on in me and doubts about my being saved, because somewhere along the line I started thinking I was a Christian. Finally, the Holy Spirit got through to me that I was lost and had never been saved. Saying the "right words" means nothing if there is no repentance or belief, and there had been none on my part.

All of a sudden great fear like I had never experienced before came over me, and I realized that I would be in hell if I died! I was too terrified to wait until Sunday morning. What if I stepped in front of a car and was killed!? I couldn't take the chance, and I called on the Lord to forgive and save me. Suddenly I literally felt a great load being lifted off of my shoulders as He took my load of sin upon Himself! Oh what a peace came over me--replacing the fear I had just felt!

I was re-baptized since I wasn't saved the first time. In the 45 years since that day on May 18, 1963 I've served in every capacity in churches except that of pastor. My first love is music and singing, and I've served faithfully in that capacity for all this time--even going to Bible college and studying music and taking voice lessons to improve the talent God gave me so that I can better use it to His honor and glory. This has been the Readers Digest version of 45 years of being a child of God.

[gibby]

That's awesome, Jon-marc! Thanks for sharing. I pray for that fear over all the unsaved that have heard the message of grace.

[canny]

Thank you Jon Marc for sharing with us that is a wonderful testimony

[Wabco]

Great testimony.


Like you said, saying the right words means nothing if it is not from the heart too. thanks for sharing.

[GloryB]

I really enjoyed reading your testimony Jon Marc. This explains why you are the good balanced stable Christian we all know and love. Do you have the computer capacity to put any of your singing online?

I think many kids say the salvation prayer. If they don't have a Christian family or church background, they may not realize the decision they are making. I think it is a good idea for them to repeat it later once they do have a firm grasp on the meaning of salvation.

[Jon-Marc]

Originally Posted by GloryB

Do you have the computer capacity to put any of your singing online?

I would have no idea how to do that. Someone put one of my poems to music for me, and if I can get a recorded copy of it I can sing it. Well, I do have a recorded copy of it with him singing it, but he sounds nothing like me. He played it on his guitar, and it's just a rough copy of what it should sound like with his whole band. However, I don't know how to post it online. Remember the book "The Computer for Dummies"? Well, I wasn't able to understand that either.

How many remember Goner Pile played by Jim Nabors on Mayberry with Andy Griffith and on his own show? I was shocked to hear such a rich, deep baritone voice come out of him. I thought it was dubbed in until I found out that it was actually him singing. My voice is similar to his but a little higher. Although he had a beautiful voice, I could tell it wasn't trained. With a little training, he could have done wonders with that voice. I've had voice training, which certainly helped.

I only gave you the highlights of how I was eventually brought to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. It doesn't take in a lot of what makes me the way I am--good and bad. An abusing father, loving mother, abusive half-brothers, rejected by peers, two failed marriages, and so much mental anguish that it's only by the grace of God that I turned out halfway normal--whatever normal is.

[GloryB]

I don't know what normal is either. However, if God can use an ass on a bridge, I guess He can use me.

Does your church make videos of their services or tapes? You can upload those fairly easy.

[GloryB]

I don't know what normal is either. However, if God can use an ass on a bridge, I guess He can use me.

Does your church make videos of their services or tapes? You can upload those fairly easy.

[Frederick]

Originally Posted by Jon-Marc

When I was 16 (way back in the dark ages), I met a 15-year-old Christian boy. Being shy and withdrawn because of an abusive dad I had no friends and was desperate for one--so desperate that I was even willing to be friends with a Christian , and a "fanatic" at that. He actually witnessed to people on the street!

He invited me to church, and I remember thinking that if I said no he wouldn't want to be my friend, and so I reluctantly said yes. My first Sunday morning there they had me on my knees after the service and said to me, "Repeat these words after me." The words meant nothing to me, but I was too shy to say so. I was used to doing as I was told with my dad, and so I repeated the words that were meaningless to me.

When I went home my dad jokingly asked, "Well, did you get saved?" I replied, "Yes, I did, but I don't know what from", and we all laughed. However, I found everything at that church that I wasn't getting from my dad--love, encouragement, and acceptance--and I kept going and got very involved in the music and found that I had a talent for singing.

I loved the attention and praise I got from everyone on my singing, and my already large head swelled up even bigger. Some time during the next year I started to "believe". At least I believed things I hadn't before. Nearly one year later I was reading in the New Testament where it said that we must repent and believe in order to be saved, and I thought back to that day nearly a year earlier and realized that I had done neither.

All during that year there had been a struggle going on in me and doubts about my being saved, because somewhere along the line I started thinking I was a Christian. Finally, the Holy Spirit got through to me that I was lost and had never been saved. Saying the "right words" means nothing if there is no repentance or belief, and there had been none on my part.

All of a sudden great fear like I had never experienced before came over me, and I realized that I would be in hell if I died! I was too terrified to wait until Sunday morning. What if I stepped in front of a car and was killed!? I couldn't take the chance, and I called on the Lord to forgive and save me. Suddenly I literally felt a great load being lifted off of my shoulders as He took my load of sin upon Himself! Oh what a peace came over me--replacing the fear I had just felt!

I was re-baptized since I wasn't saved the first time. In the 45 years since that day on May 18, 1963 I've served in every capacity in churches except that of pastor. My first love is music and singing, and I've served faithfully in that capacity for all this time--even going to Bible college and studying music and taking voice lessons to improve the talent God gave me so that I can better use it to His honor and glory. This has been the Readers Digest version of 45 years of being a child of God.

As Jesus says in Matthew 7: "Not everybody who calls me Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of Heaven."
Jesus doesn't want lip service - empty words are just that. Thank you for sharing that with us.

[Jon-Marc]

Originally Posted by GloryB

I don't know what normal is either. However, if God can use an ass on a bridge, I guess He can use me.

Does your church make videos of their services or tapes? You can upload those fairly easy.

I'm not sure but I think they do record the services.