My Testimony*

I believe that I asked Jesus into my heart as a young child of about 5 or 6 years old. I was raised in church all my growing up years. Even in my teen years and into young adulthood I remember being in church. In my late 20's I developed a bad attitude towards church and Christians in general. For about 4 years I didn't step inside the door of a church. I felt at that time most Christians were hypocrites. In the fall of 1983, I went up into the woods on a logging road intending to end it all. God if you care, if you really care send someone to help me, I cried out. I never could pull the trigger and come down off that mountain about the same. I was out of work, got laid off from the best job I ever had. My first marriage was a nightmare. I felt unloved and unwanted. On the first Sunday of January 1984, my Father-in-law asked me to bring his daughter up to a revival to sing. I told him I would and I did. It was a small church and maybe there were 5 people in the congregation that night. I was sitting in the back behind everyone else. I had thought to myself before going, I can sit thru another church service, no big deal. The preliminaries were over and a minister by the name of Mike Mathis got up to preach. He was the current Pastor at the church where I use to attend and where my wife at that time was attending.  He got behind the pulpit and his words were something like this: "Leon, someday you will stand before God to give an account for your life. God is not going to ask who hurt you, who did this or that to you. God is simply going to ask what have you done with Jesus." I broke down in tears and repented of my sins at the altar in that little church in Burlington Washington. My life has not been perfect since that night. I have been thru 4 divorces since that time. But it seemed each time God had me at a place where I received support for whatever I was going thru. Leading up to that time I felt like God had been talking to me. I felt like God had been saying things like, Leon, if you think it is so easy being a Christian why don't you show them how it is done. I've been trying ever since that night in January of 1984. One time God showed me how self-righteous I was. Other times I struggle with sin in my life. During periods of being single, I did have sexual relationships outside of marriage. Many are the words I wish I could pull back.  But since that night in January of 1984, I have continued walking and seeking God for my life. I made many foolish decisions and suffered for them, but God never left me and helped me thru every divorce, every personal struggle I faced.  I have never regretting accepting Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. Its been a good 29.5 years since that night. I have faced many hurts and difficulties since that night, but never alone. I would recommend Jesus to anyone who will listen. I guarantee you'll never be sorry.  Every body's walk is different, everyone's relationship with God is personal and does not have to look like mine or anyone else. He can be your Daddy, your best friend, whatever you need. God is awesome. My life has not been perfect, but overall it has been good since I accepted Jesus into my heart and life. Find a church home to be fed from God's word and to fellowship with other Christians. You will not find a perfect church, they are all made up of imperfect people like me.  But ask God to direct you to a church and he will. God bless, LVZ.