| Biographical Non-Fiction posted July 8, 2024 |
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It has been a difficult journey.
My Faith Journey
by patcelaw
As a child, my family seldom went to church. The most I can remember, we only went to church, was either on Christmas or Easter. At nine years of age, at either Christmas or Easter service (I don't remember which) my twin brother and I both made professions of faith in Jesus Christ during the children's Sunday school hour. I do not remember anything about the profession and I don't know that I understood it at all. But I believe that God saved my soul that very day.
Now fast-forward to......
Early in 1957, as a 18-year-old, I joined the US women's army. I was stationed at Fort McClellan in Anniston, Alabama to do my basic training.
Eight weeks into the basic training I was to go on a double date with another girl in my unit and her date. On the date, the young man, I was with, put something in my drink. I do not remember anything about what happened after I drank the drink. I do not even remember how I get back to our quarters.
A couple of weeks later while I was standing in line for morning inspection, I passed out. I was taken to the base infirmary where I was examined. After the examination the doctor said, "because of your symptoms, I would say that you are pregnant."
I said, "that is impossible as I have not done anything to become pregnant."
The doctor ordered a pregnancy test. In three days the test came back and I indeed was pregnant.
I was discharged from the army and had to go back home. When I got home, my family wanted me to have an abortion. I asked what an abortion was and when I was told, I said, "I will not have an abortion as I will not answer to God for murder." This caused some upset with my mother, and she even tried to take my life twice in a couple of weeks, since I had refused to have an abortion.
As days passed, decisions were being made to send me to the Salvation Army home for unwed mothers in St. Louis Missouri, where I was to give birth to my child. Not only was I to give birth. I was also to relinquish that child for adoption.
It was at this home I begin to understand my condition as far as my spiritual part was concerned. We were doing a Bible study in the book of Acts. In the study as I was reading about the apostle Paul and his conversion.
Since I had several troubled teenage years and had done many things wrong, I was getting messages that I had done so many things so wrong as a teenager, that I could never be saved. There was no way God wanted me, I was just trash. And yet, as I looked at the apostle Paul's story I saw Paul had even killed Christians and done some horrendous things and yet God chose to save him so,I begin to think, just maybe there was a possibility God could save me as well.
After my husband and I married, we began going to church together. For six weeks God was moving in my life, explaining to me that I needed to come to Him and let Him change me, that I was not going to be able to change myself.
During the invitation time that Sunday, as the choir was singing, 'Just as I Am', when they got to the second verse where it says, just as I am and waiting not to rid my soul of one dark blot, it dawned on me that God wanted me to come to Him just like I was, and He would take care of changing my life. And change my life He did. I have not always follow Him as closely as I should have and I have had to ask for forgiveness many times, but He has always been faithful to forgive me and bless my life in spite of my disobedience at times.
Nonfiction Writing Contest contest entry
As a child, my family seldom went to church. The most I can remember, we only went to church, was either on Christmas or Easter. At nine years of age, at either Christmas or Easter service (I don't remember which) my twin brother and I both made professions of faith in Jesus Christ during the children's Sunday school hour. I do not remember anything about the profession and I don't know that I understood it at all. But I believe that God saved my soul that very day.
Now fast-forward to......
Early in 1957, as a 18-year-old, I joined the US women's army. I was stationed at Fort McClellan in Anniston, Alabama to do my basic training.
Eight weeks into the basic training I was to go on a double date with another girl in my unit and her date. On the date, the young man, I was with, put something in my drink. I do not remember anything about what happened after I drank the drink. I do not even remember how I get back to our quarters.
A couple of weeks later while I was standing in line for morning inspection, I passed out. I was taken to the base infirmary where I was examined. After the examination the doctor said, "because of your symptoms, I would say that you are pregnant."
I said, "that is impossible as I have not done anything to become pregnant."
The doctor ordered a pregnancy test. In three days the test came back and I indeed was pregnant.
I was discharged from the army and had to go back home. When I got home, my family wanted me to have an abortion. I asked what an abortion was and when I was told, I said, "I will not have an abortion as I will not answer to God for murder." This caused some upset with my mother, and she even tried to take my life twice in a couple of weeks, since I had refused to have an abortion.
As days passed, decisions were being made to send me to the Salvation Army home for unwed mothers in St. Louis Missouri, where I was to give birth to my child. Not only was I to give birth. I was also to relinquish that child for adoption.
It was at this home I begin to understand my condition as far as my spiritual part was concerned. We were doing a Bible study in the book of Acts. In the study as I was reading about the apostle Paul and his conversion.
Since I had several troubled teenage years and had done many things wrong, I was getting messages that I had done so many things so wrong as a teenager, that I could never be saved. There was no way God wanted me, I was just trash. And yet, as I looked at the apostle Paul's story I saw Paul had even killed Christians and done some horrendous things and yet God chose to save him so,I begin to think, just maybe there was a possibility God could save me as well.
After my husband and I married, we began going to church together. For six weeks God was moving in my life, explaining to me that I needed to come to Him and let Him change me, that I was not going to be able to change myself.
During the invitation time that Sunday, as the choir was singing, 'Just as I Am', when they got to the second verse where it says, just as I am and waiting not to rid my soul of one dark blot, it dawned on me that God wanted me to come to Him just like I was, and He would take care of changing my life. And change my life He did. I have not always follow Him as closely as I should have and I have had to ask for forgiveness many times, but He has always been faithful to forgive me and bless my life in spite of my disobedience at times.
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