Mary’s Searching Testimony

Throughout most of my early life I was a pretty consistent at attending Church. My husband and I saw to it that our children were baptized as babies and received the Sacrament of Confirmation as teenagers. Yet, I did not have a personal relationship with Jesus nor recognize God at work in my life. I had been through some trials…I had lost my dad at a young age and a sister as well. Yet still I did not hear God’s voice nor accept that Jesus was my Lord and Savior. I went my own way.

When I got breast cancer in 2000 at the age of 43 I started to think more about God. I started journaling…I wrote…”Obstacles to success exist only in your mind; stay strong in your beliefs and the external rewards will come. Slow and steady might not win the race, but it will eventually get you where you need to be.” That was my horoscope for August 8, 2000. I often read the horoscope page for direction. A few years later I began to fill my journal with more and more Scripture and thankfulness. I wrote many notes to God….I believe He was drawing me in.

I recovered from breast cancer but was still adrift. My thinking started to change though when I started going to Community Bible Study in 2004. When I really looked at the words in the Bible and connected them to my own life I started to change. I started to get a feeling for who God is and the ways He interacts and moves in the lives of others. I still wasn’t sure if I could have a close relationship with Him yet… but that would come as I befriended and studied with Christian women. As we studied the New and Old Testaments together I began to see that Jesus is the Son of God. I began to trust Him and put my faith in His promises of Truth, Peace and a Future. In John 14:6 Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” I love it that Truth is found in Jesus. I think I had been looking for truth all along. I stared attending my Church about six years ago. I love how the Church was a community of believers who were caring and kind. I loved studying Proverbs, Hebrews, Revelations, Deuteronomy and John. Up until two years ago my husband wasn’t attending with me but I prayed that day would come. And it did…he’s here tonight being baptized with me!

My relationship with Jesus has been a journey of faith. Faith in the One who took all my sins upon Him so that I could have a right relationship with God. Faith in the One who gives eternal life. Faith in the One who has come to give me life and life in abundance throughout the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Knowing Jesus as my Lord and Savior has made all the difference.

My old journals had many references to Oprah and her suggestions on making life more pleasant. Nothing compares to knowing and trusting Jesus with my life. He is my everything now…and my testimony is that I strive to follow and love HIM.

Mary – Cohasset MA 2013