TOM'S TESTIMONY

I was born in southwest Indiana in 1939. I had a very good childhood and my parents were very involved in scouting with my brother and I. We occasionally went to Church, but not on a regular basis.

I graduated from High School, went on to college, then Medical School and 2 years in the U.S. Navy. I eventually settled in south central Iowa , and entered into private practice as a partner. I attended church every week, sang in the choir and occasionally taught Sunday School, which at that time, I thought it was worthless.

My life was consumed with self. I was only interested in doing what I wanted, when I wanted. I was focused on money and owning the big house, driving the latest car, and amassing possessions. We ran in the social circuit with alcohol on a regular basis.  

However, no matter what I did, I was never satisfied. I ended up getting a divorce. I believed in God, and during the separation went to our Church chapel almost every night and prayed. One night, while lying in bed, I heard a voice as clear as if it was standing beside me. The voice said, "everything will be alright."  I was so shaken that I got up, told my wife and the another couple involved. I understood the voice to mean God approved of what I was doing. I reasoned that if God spoke to me, I must be His.

Shortly after the divorce, I remarried and moved to Washington , Indiana . My kids had moved back to Indiana earlier. My life remained consumed with the same desires as before. I felt that as long as I provided financially for my family then I was doing my job. I was still attending Church regularly and occasionally I prayed.

Eventually, I was divorced a second time, and shortly remarried again. We moved to southeast Georgia . We still attended Church every week, sang in the choir, ordained as an Elder, and sat on the board of directors of the church.  I continued to live life the same way as before, still finding that I was never satisfied. Our family started to feel something missing in our lives, so we decided to look for a different Church.

My stepson was "saved" at a youth rally and had joined the Baptist Church . So, as a family, we joined him there. Within a few months, we wanted to join the Church, but this Baptist Church required one to be immersed before they could join. My wife had been immersed, but I had been sprinkled. On the day we were to join, we walked the isle and both told the pastor we were saved. The next week, I was to be baptized.

At every baptism in our church, the pastor reminds the audience that baptism is an outward sign of a decision of the heart to make Jesus Lord and Savior of your life. This time, however, the pastor did not do this. He went through the entire plan of salvation and -- standing in the water -- I silently gave my life to the Lord. That was July 12, 1992. In September of that year, my wife was born again and in November my oldest daughter was born again.

Since that time, everything in my daily life has been different. I am at peace with myself. No longer do I center my life around myself, but on the Lord and secondly, my wife and family. When I truly realized what Jesus had done for me, I told Him that I would do anything He wanted, say anything He wanted, and go anywhere He wanted. I do that to this day.

My life continues to change on a regular basis as He remakes me to be more like Him. Some of the changes are hard to do, but they are very rewarding. . After salvation, I no longer hate going to work on Monday morning. Eighteen months after salvation, He made me Sunday School director (that is a whole different testimony).

Sometimes when one is saved, the Lord performs a miracle in the person's life. I used to cuss every other word, but after salvation that did not happen any more. Before salvation, I was a rude, arrogant, and loud fool. There was such a dramatic change in my life, it was obvious to everyone that something was different. That gave me the chance to do a lot of witnessing.

As I look back on things, I do not remember ever hearing the plan of salvation in any of the Church's we attended. No one ever witnessed to me or presented the plan of salvation. To a saved person, looking at my life, it was obvious I was not saved no matter what I said. But no one ever said anything to me or questioned me. Since all my children are born again and we are still praying for some spouses.

If you are born again and know someone like me before I was born again, go to that person and witness to them.

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