# Lifestyles & Discussion > Peace Through Religion >  Your testimony?

## mosquitobite

I read many of the debates on this forum.  Debates about the meaning of a specific word in scripture.  Debates about which church denomination has a lock on being saved.  Debates about certain philosophies of religion.  People judging people.


But I searched and couldn't find a thread about YOUR testimony.

Rev 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.


Most of us agree with the first part.  I would even say a good majority are ok with the third part (rEVOLution and all). 

So....

Take this thread as an opportunity to describe, in detail if you wish (I would love it, actually) your testimony of how you came to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior.   if you'd like to go further to discuss how He has used circumstances to refine and change you, I'd love that as well!

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## mosquitobite

I am willing to share mine but wanted someone else to go first!

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## RJB

> I am willing to share mine but wanted someone else to go first!


Great thread idea.  I've been meaning to ask as well.  It would be nice to read some personal stories.  Sometimes we forget that someone came to their present belief through much prayer and studying and make assumptions of the other persons-- I admit that I've done that.  It would be nice to see where people are coming from.  It would be nice to keep debate from this thread and let it stay as sharing.  I promise not to make judgments.  I'm genuinely curious to read.  To often we try to destroy other beliefs rather than attempting to show the beauty that we see in our own.

I'll post something.  It may take a few days to think.  How can you honestly write what is beyond words in 5 minutes.

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## Christian Liberty

RJB's last sentence summed it up.  I'd like to do this as well, but not tonight.

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## mosquitobite

> It would be nice to see where people are coming from.  It would be nice to keep debate from this thread and let it stay as sharing.  I promise not to make judgments.  I'm genuinely curious to read.  To often we try to destroy other beliefs rather than attempting to show the beauty that we see in our own.


Exactly!  

Our testimonies should be something that helps non-believers see God's glory.  Let's not cut anyone's down, please.  You never know which testimony He may use to speak to someone!

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## mosquitobite

Ironically, I read this today.  I think it's a good start.  Her testimony mirrors much of mine as it was my husband who illuminated my path to Christ.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/...s.html?start=1

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## jmdrake

My testimony is this.  I am a sex addict.  Porn specifically.  I'm a part of a 12-step fellowship and through it I am learning to walk victoriously over this area of my life that has controlled me for over 3 decades.  I am realizing that to walk victoriously I need constant contact with God.  That's the message of all 12-step fellowships from Alchoholics Anonymous to Narcotics Anonymous to Sexaholics anonymous.  Personal resentments towards other people, institutions or even ideas are one of the main reasons people don't stay sober.  Fear is another sobriety killer.  I've been sober since December 3rd.  That doesn't sound like long.  And I've had longer periods of sobriety.  But I'm nailing that date down and sticking to it.  I'm not doing that by my own power.  Here is a prayer I say daily.

_Lord, I give myself to you today to build with me and do with my as you will.  Relieve me of the bondage of self that I may better serve you.  Take away my difficulties so that victory over them will bear witness to those I would help of Your love, Your power and Your way of life.  May I do your will always.  In Jesus name Amen._

Note that I can't take credit for that prayer.  It's on page 63 of the AA "big book."  Also I've found reading Psalms out loud to be particularly powerful.  The other day I was listening to Christian radio and I heard a former football player talk about how when he was in 7th grade he was so into football that his father would drop him off at the HS football weight room every day during the summer.  He would watch football films, read everything he could, and surround himself with people who were good at football.  When he became a Christian, he decided to pursue Christianity the same way.  He said he heard God say to Him "Why don't you pursue your relationship with Me with the same vigor you pursued sin?"  So he started reading everything he could.  He surrounded himself with people who were stronger Christians than he was.  He "dusted off his Bible" and started reading it regularly.  He challenged other Christians to do the same.  I've often tried "reading the Bible through" but never finish.  So this time I decided to just start reading in Psalms.  I opened up to chapter one, read outloud this time, and realized it was a powerful experience.  But as I'm typing this, I realize I'm behind on that reading.  So let me get off the internet and go back and pick up where I left off.

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## Miss Annie

> My testimony is this.  I am a sex addict.  Porn specifically.  I'm a part of a 12-step fellowship and through it I am learning to walk victoriously over this area of my life that has controlled me for over 3 decades.  I am realizing that to walk victoriously I need constant contact with God.  That's the message of all 12-step fellowships from Alchoholics Anonymous to Narcotics Anonymous to Sexaholics anonymous.  Personal resentments towards other people, institutions or even ideas are one of the main reasons people don't stay sober.  Fear is another sobriety killer.  I've been sober since December 3rd.  That doesn't sound like long.  And I've had longer periods of sobriety.  But I'm nailing that date down and sticking to it.  I'm not doing that by my own power.  Here is a prayer I say daily.
> 
> _Lord, I give myself to you today to build with me and do with my as you will.  Relieve me of the bondage of self that I may better serve you.  Take away my difficulties so that victory over them will bear witness to those I would help of Your love, Your power and Your way of life.  May I do your will always.  In Jesus name Amen._
> 
> Note that I can't take credit for that prayer.  It's on page 63 of the AA "big book."  Also I've found reading Psalms out loud to be particularly powerful.  The other day I was listening to Christian radio and I heard a former football player talk about how when he was in 7th grade he was so into football that his father would drop him off at the HS football weight room every day during the summer.  He would watch football films, read everything he could, and surround himself with people who were good at football.  When he became a Christian, he decided to pursue Christianity the same way.  He said he heard God say to Him "Why don't you pursue your relationship with Me with the same vigor you pursued sin?"  So he started reading everything he could.  He surrounded himself with people who were stronger Christians than he was.  He "dusted off his Bible" and started reading it regularly.  He challenged other Christians to do the same.  I've often tried "reading the Bible through" but never finish.  So this time I decided to just start reading in Psalms.  I opened up to chapter one, read outloud this time, and realized it was a powerful experience.  But as I'm typing this, I realize I'm behind on that reading.  So let me get off the internet and go back and pick up where I left off.


God bless you!  But for the grace of God go I.   I will come back and share mine soon.  I have been thinking about it a lot........ its kind of funny actually.

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## mosquitobite

Ok.  I will share mine now so Jmdrake has company.  forgive me in advance for typos and corrections since I am on the iPad.

Also so as not to offend the easily offend-able, please know that I am fully aware that my beliefs were not based in reality so please ....they are not to be taken as an indictment of any denomination. 

I have mentioned before that I grew up Roman Catholic.  I spent 12 enjoyable years in parochial schools.  There has never been a time in my life that I haven't believed in God, but I would say for the first 25 years or so it was mostly a deist style belief system.  Sure god created the world and sent His Son and all, but none of it necessarily applied to MY LIFE.

I seemed to be a magnet for mean girls.  I suppose I was a good side-kick?  So, it wasn't much of a leap to go dating mean boys.  And then I married one.  For the sake of brevity I will just say he was verbally abusive to the point that every day was a walk on egg shells.  My brain was constant filtering what I was "supposed" to say to prevent a fight, and it still never worked!  That man probably took ten years of my life with the constant, and I do mean constant, stress.  But I couldn't get divorced!!  God wouldn't want to have anything to do with me then!  I wouldn't be able to take communion ever again!  (Not that I ever went to church during this time in my life, but that was my idiotic thought process)

But yes, I finally realized I either needed to accept my life as it was, or change it.  Seems so simple to say to people that are in my previous situation, but please know it is not that easy (even for a college graduate) to swallow.  So many people think they can change others.  I was hopelessly codependent.  I did eventually leave him and read a TON of self help books.  

Then I met my (now) husband.  He was exactly the opposite of any man I had ever dated before. He didn't need rescuing.  He had confidence.  He was chivalrous.  We would have long intelligent debates about everything, including religion. I had cancelled my eHarmony account because of the "Jesus freaks".  I met my husband on another internet site.   After we had been dating about four months, The Passion of Christ came out so we made a date to see it.   Although it was another six months before I finally chose to be baptized, it was in that movie theater that God pierced my heart.  I went to my old church, and nothing.  Then we went to his church and WOAH.  The preacher was my age...with kids!  And he was hip, funny, and made scripture become APPLICABLE for the first time in my life!  I've been attending there for over ten years now and I still hang on every word preached.  I never look at my clock to see "how much longer" like I used to do.

But it doesn't end there!

God has used infertility, job lay-offs, friends, and WONDERFUL coincidences in my life to all bring me closer to Him.  We'd be here all night if I told you about them all.

So I'll finish with the moment I felt closest to God.  The moment I felt the most awful, yet the most loved...all at the same time.

My brother is an addict: women, gambling, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, etcetera.  If it is an escape from reality, he will latch to it.  We found something that lead us to believe he was using again and I was on my knees in prayer for him.  We had lost a family member a few months before and I wasn't ready to lose my brother too.  So I'm praying, "Lord, if you could change X and mom (enabler) what a wonderful testimony to your power that would be!  It would be such a change that everyone else would have to see your goodness!" And it was if I heard Him speaking in that moment... "Them?  What about YOU?!  I want YOU to be a glorious testimony of what a changed life looks like to be my witness. Get the plank put of your own eye!"
Ouch.
In that moment He revealed all my sins, all of them.  And then in an instant clothed me in His grace and reminded me (yet again) what He had done for them all.
But needless to say, I was broken and humbled.  Just where He wanted me!

And then my prayers started being about HOW to seek Him and give me ears to hear and eyes to see.  It has been one wild ride!  Ask Him for yourself!  He WILL reveal!!

Our God is an awesome God.

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## Christian Liberty

> In that moment He revealed all my sins, all of them


God reveals our sins more and more over time.  I seriously doubt you are aware of all of them.  I assume you are not claiming that you no longer commit any of them?

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## mosquitobite

> God reveals our sins more and more over time.  I seriously doubt you are aware of all of them.  I assume you are not claiming that you no longer commit any of them?


Uh, absolutely not.  Notice I said I was broken and humbled?   And you jumped to assuming that I have jumped back into a Pharisee role?  FF, I will ask that you be more aware of _how_  you ask questions of others faith.  You have every right to ask questions, but the way you get interpreted by others does not often come across as a loving Christian.  An unsaved lurker sees your words as a Pharisee.   Take my constructive criticism or leave it. 

My favorite song is Casting Crowns "Jesus, Friend of Sinners".  
"I was the lost cause.  I was the outcast. But He died for sinners just like me. A grateful lover at His feet."

I hope to never lose that feeling, that feeling FROM THE HEART.

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## Christian Liberty

> Uh, absolutely not.  Notice I said I was broken and humbled?   And you jumped to assuming that I have jumped back into a Pharisee role?  FF, I will ask that you be more aware of _how_  you ask questions of others faith.  You have every right to ask questions, but the way you get interpreted by others does not often come across as a loving Christian.  An unsaved lurker sees your words as a Pharisee.   Take my constructive criticism or leave it.


You're right, I understand.  Note that I of course do not claim to be without sin either.  I sin every single day. And I am almost certain I am not aware of all of my sins




> My favorite song is Casting Crowns "Jesus, Friend of Sinners".


I love that song.  I think pretty much everyone in my family does, actually



> "I was the lost cause.  I was the outcast. But He died for sinners just like me. A grateful lover at His feet."


*thumbs up*


> I hope to never lose that feeling, that feeling FROM THE HEART.


Amen.

Just out of curiosity, how is it that you know all of your sins?  Just curious.  Personal revelation?

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## mosquitobite

> Just out of curiosity, how is it that you know all of your sins?  Just curious.  Personal revelation?


As I said, I was in prayer and HE revealed them all to me.  Think of it as one of those "life flashed before my eyes" moments.

One of my (many) coincidences was that He had lead me to a women's bible study, Nehemiah by Kelly Minter.  http://www.lifeway.com/Nehemiah-A-He...ak/c/N-1z10ero

He certainly broke my heart in that moment!!

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## ClydeCoulter

> God reveals our sins more and more over time.  I seriously doubt you are aware of all of them.  I assume you are not claiming that you no longer commit any of them?


What the hell?  I don't even believe in this stuff anymore and even I know that Jesus said "Be perfect even as your father in heaven is perfect".  If he said that, then why can't it be done?  Why attack someone you don't even know.  "Oh, You can't be perfect, everyone sins", really?

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## Christian Liberty

> What the hell?  I don't even believe in this bull$#@! anymore and even I know that Jesus said "Be perfect even as your father in heaven is perfect".  If he said that, then why can't it be done?  Why attack someone you don't even know.  "Oh, You can't be perfect, everyone sins", really?


I was asking a question, not attacking.

That a command to be perfect is given in no way implies an ability to obey the command.  John 1:8 says that anyone who claims that they are sinless (Note that I realize mosquitobite is NOT claiming this, I'm simply addressing the above point) does not have God.

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## RJB

Come on, keep it to testimony.  We have 100s of other threads to fight on.  

I should have mine up either tomorrow or Weds.  I've been busy.

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## mosquitobite

Bump

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## Eagles' Wings

I loved reading your experience, mosquitobite.  When you've spent decades with the Lord, as you have, so much wisdom is gained.    BLess you!

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## shane77m

I wasn’t born in to a particularly religious household. I guess religion was tolerated as much as the next household here in the South. I had various extended family members that are Christians but the only time I ever went to church as a small child was just for stuff like Easter and what not.

I guess I was about 11 when I realized I was a sinner. I didn’t particularly have a fear of going to hell. I didn’t believe that things would magically get better if I became a Christian. I just felt like I needed to make things right with God. 

Eventually in the late teen years I drifted away as many do. Eventually somewhere in my early twenties I started going back to church. I figured I had to “get right with God.” So I spent several years trying to live up to a standard that I found I could not live up to. Eventually I got tired of that and give it up for a few years. As time went on I repeated that same situation over again. I agonized and worried quite a lot during that period of time which spanned many years.

Eventually I thought I would give “church” another chance. This time I realized that all of the trying I was doing was all for nothing. I knew I could never do enough good or be good enough to be accepted by God.  I realized all that God wanted was faith. The realization was most freeing. Now it is a daily process as He works to conform me to His image. Granted though, I am a stubborn piece of clay. 

John6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

I can’t really explain why I kept “trying.” I guess it is just the creation longing to be with the Creator or perhaps as the dreaded Calvinists/monergists call it T.U.L.I.P.

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## pcosmar

Short version,, because I type slow.

I was raised in a religious home,,  and taught "bible stories" in my youth. by my teens I had mostly rejected religion due mostly to a lot of hypocrisy I has observed.

I considered myself agnostic and had become somewhat mercenary.
In 1980 I was arrested and convicted of Armed Robbery. You have a lot of time in a jail cell to read,, and I had read everything else available.  
I started reading the bible,, since I had never actually read it. ( I argued a lot against it,, but never read it) I had heard "Bible stories" but had never read the book myself.
It came alive. Filled n the gaps of the stories I had been told,, and made sense.

I eventually gave my life to God.. and have been on that journey since.

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## VIDEODROME

> Exactly!  
> 
> Our testimonies should be something that helps non-believers see God's glory.  Let's not cut anyone's down, please.  You never know which testimony He may use to speak to someone!


That's cool.  Sharing threads like BuddyRey's youtube clip thread can be interesting.

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## mosquitobite

> Come on, keep it to testimony.  We have 100s of other threads to fight on.  
> 
> I should have mine up either tomorrow or Weds.  I've been busy.


I'll give you til New Years and then I'll bump this again!

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## I<3Liberty

Mine isn't very interesting aside from the environment I grew up in (many find it counterintuitive to a place that would promote and foster Christianity.) My family is a blend of Lutheran and United Methodist. I grew up in a super liberal northeast town with enough atheists to have their own "atheist clubs" (for lack of a better word), went to a super liberal public school, and onto a liberal public university, yet I've been United Methodist my entire life. I never questioned my faith, my parents never really talked much about the bible and didn't make me memorize scriptures and the kind of stuff some of the people I graduated high school with (many of them Catholic) were forced to do. Interestingly enough, I ended up being as or more mature, responsible, and morally developed than most of them. Some of my college friends and classmates grew up in strict Christian families down south and/or went to Catholic high school; several of these people have serious drinking issues, flunked out of school, and have had more premarital sex and drugs than their parents would care to hear about. I suppose it somewhat disproves the whole "war against Christians" and "public school anti-Christian indoctrination " I often hear right-wing nuts complain about and acquaint with public liberal schools, as well as the urban northeast.

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## RJB

I was raised in a Catholic Charismatic family--  No joke there is such an animal.  I prayed a lot.  The relationship with God was personal and childlike—trying to be an adult ruined it.

I lost my faith as an adult in the Marine Corps.  I adopted a sinful life and prayer seemed empty.  I soon realized I was an atheist.  I wanted intellectual proof of God.  A church with an awesome guitar soloist, or a motivational speaking pastor didn’t convince me.  Nothing against them, a dry ritualistic service didn’t prove anything either. I wanted to see God.  I understood Doubting Thomas.  Just an aside, to an atheist, TV preachers are pretty entertaining and not in a good way (Jim and Tammy era).

For the most part I respected other religions.  I’d read the bible and other religious texts, studied eastern religion especially Taoism a lot.  Occasionally I’d be a jackass and challenge God to strike me down just to get a reaction from believers.  Thank God, he never obeyed me.  I believe he forgave me because I really didn’t believe in him nor had a clue what I was doing.

Occasionally, when I’d find myself in a church, and “pray” arrogantly, “God, if you exist, show me like you came down to Moses.”  Of course there was silence, but I would add, “Just as I thought-- nothing.”

I read the Left Behind Series because I love the ultimate bad guys and SHTF type stories.  I credit the advice in the story to sincerely ask Jesus into your heart.  I also credit the constant prayers of my mother for my soul.  I prayed a very weak, but sincere prayer.  “Jesus, I don’t believe in you, but if you are the truth show me the way.”  I prayed something like that regularly.  I didn’t notice bright lights or anything, but I did re-read the bible, and found myself praying regularly.  6 months later I was shocked that I had to admit to myself that I believed in God (however he felt very distant) and I was a Christian in the weakest sense of the word.  Although I accepted Christ, I saw nothing in my life to repent for.    I say shocked because, I took pride in being a “rational atheist” who could see through the curtain.  I started looking for a Church.

I definitely did NOT want to be a Catholic.  I wanted to go beyond what I was raised in.  However, when I’d talk to different pastors I’d tell them that I was struggling with atheism and would not mention that I was an ex-Catholic, however most of them compared themselves against the Catholic Church and distorted the actual beliefs.  I was also an argumentative ass (like I can be here  ) and was looking for a debate.  I finally visited a Catholic priest who had no desire to debate me—I later learned he could have torn me apart.  His only concern was the state of my soul rather than winning a debate or a parishioner.  When I told him I was a former Catholic, he asked when was my last confession.  I almost laughed in his face, but instead, I politely told him I’d think about it.

I went the next week.  (We can debate confession on another thread.  This is the tradition the Church adopted from the book of James where we are told to confess our sins to one another.  The priest does NOT replace Jesus as our mediator.)  I went in with a skeptical but what I tried to be a sincere heart.  I was in for some time…  but the awareness of the weight of all my sins was almost physically unbearable, yet I could feel them lifted and washed away.  I attended mass and almost cried as the meaning and reality of the Sacrifice and Resurrection hit me—I’m a pretty rough dude—I don’t like to admit to emotion.  After mass I kept trying to get up to leave, but the tangibility of the love of God beat every experience I had before.  I stayed in prayer for some time despite my usual hyperactivity.  The celebration of the Eucharist became so clear, it pained me that I couldn’t receive it then.

I went through a period of being militantly Catholic, however when I read or hear stories like Jmdrake’s testimony similar to mine as far as feeling all the weight of every sin to it being washed away, I realize I am talking to a brother, and I mean it.  Of course, I think I’m more right, it’s the arrogance we are born with, but I realize God works in ways beyond our understanding.  To anyone who doesn’t know God, try a sincere prayer.  Give your heart to Jesus, It’s real.


Sorry for being longwinded.

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## Southron

I don't have a Paulian conversion experience.  I was raised in a Christian household.  Practically everyone I grew up around was also a believer.  I became a believer at a young age.  I had about the best situation growing up that I could imagine.  I attended Quaker, Wesleyan, Southern Baptist churches when I was younger and finally a Reformed Baptist church.  So yes, I'm a Calvinist.  

I believe in the sovereignty of God over all things.  I have been humbled more than I ever thought I could be.  I'm the wretch John Newton wrote about.  I now realize that any good thing I do is because He enables me to do so.  I owe everything to Him.

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## mosquitobite

I can give an example of God revealing Himself.

I had prayed asking for change.  HOW do I change?  What do I need to do?  And the next day I was in a mommy's group at church.  One of the verses mentioned in that video was Ezek 36:26: I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

I just laughed!  There He was, reminding me that it wasn't about what *I* could do, but that HE would do it.  I considered it an answered prayer.  So we did a craft that day and I cut out a heart and wrote that verse on it.  I taped it to my mirror in my bedroom.

The next night, my husband and I took the kids out to get froyo.  We went to the Christian place instead of the normal place we go.  They had Christian radio on in there and after we grabbed our yummies we sat down to eat.  The songs stop for a moment and the DJ starts reading Scripture.  Guess which verse?  Yup.  Ezek 36:26.  I stop my husband and point up to the speaker and ask "did you hear that?  did you hear the verse he just said?"  He said "was that the one you just wrote down?"    He never did believe in my "coincidences" (or God winks) before and FINALLY he had to laugh with me and realize how inconceivably small the odds of that happening had to be.

I can tell when I am out of sorts, or have grieved the Holy Spirit because the coincidences don't happen as often.  

Perhaps I need to heed RJB's advice and confess aloud.

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## mosquitobite

Just feeling lead to bump this thread.

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## Terry1

..

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## eduardo89

> I went the next week.  (We can debate confession on another thread.  This is the tradition the Church adopted from the book of James where we are told to confess our sins to one another.  The priest does NOT replace Jesus as our mediator.)  I went in with a skeptical but what I tried to be a sincere heart.  I was in for some time…  but the awareness of the weight of all my sins was almost physically unbearable, yet I could feel them lifted and washed away.  I attended mass and almost cried as the meaning and reality of the Sacrifice and Resurrection hit me—I’m a pretty rough dude—I don’t like to admit to emotion.  After mass I kept trying to get up to leave, but the tangibility of the love of God beat every experience I had before.  I stayed in prayer for some time despite my usual hyperactivity.  The celebration of the Eucharist became so clear, it pained me that I couldn’t receive it then.


I can definitely relate to this. My first real confession was about 3 and a half years ago. I told the priest I really wasn't sure how to do it, but he guided me the whole time. The feeling of finally admitting to myself, and more importantly to God (even though he already knew it all) of my weaknesses, of my lustfulness, of my inadequacy of His love was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. But the knowledge that He loves me, He wishes for me to seek Him, and that He would forgive me if I sought him and asked for His forgiveness with a contrite heart was more than I could deal with. I cried my whole Confession, and at the end when the priest said 



> Dominus noster Jesus Christus te absolvat; et ego auctoritate ipsius te absolvo ab omni vinculo excommunicationis (suspensionis) et interdicti in quantum possum et tu indiges. Deinde, ego te absolvo a peccatis tuis in nomine Patris, et Filii, + et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.


I felt so relieved, so happy, just so overwhelmed with emotion that I basically ran out of the church and almost passed out on the steps! This was perhaps the most powerful experience I have ever felt in my entire life. 

I attended Mass after and I cried again knowing I was in the presence of God and would receive Him. Not just some symbol of Him, but His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity would be present and that I would receive Him! 

I have to admit, I still cry (or at least tear up) every time I go to Mass.

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## heavenlyboy34

Nice thread.   I'll contribute when I have time.  I reckon it's going to be on the long-ish side.

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## mosquitobite

Bump, because now I'm curious as to some of the Calvinist testimony.  At what point did you realize you became "the elect"?  Share your testimony.  

Rev 12:10-11
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:

“Now have come the salvation and the power
    and the kingdom of our God,
    and the authority of his Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,
    who accuses them before our God day and night,
    has been hurled down.
11 They triumphed over him
*by the blood of the Lamb
    and by the word of their testimony*;
they did not love their lives so much
    as to shrink from death.”

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## Miss Annie

> Bump, because now I'm curious as to some of the Calvinist testimony.  At what point did you realize you became "the elect"?  Share your testimony.  
> 
> Rev 12:10-11
> Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
> 
> “Now have come the salvation and the power
>     and the kingdom of our God,
>     and the authority of his Messiah.
> For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,
> ...


I have shared my testimony so much, in so many different threads, that I would almost feel silly doing it again.  
Great verse you quoted!  Our testimony of God's grace,. mercy, and love in our lives is priceless!

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## mosquitobite

> I have shared my testimony so much, in so many different threads, that I would almost feel silly doing it again.  
> Great verse you quoted!  Our testimony of God's grace,. mercy, and love in our lives is priceless!


Please don't feel silly.  I don't come on often enough and haven't seen it.  So if you don't mind, I would thoroughly enjoy reading it!

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## Nang

> Bump, because now I'm curious as to some of the Calvinist testimony.



I have no "Calvinist" testimony, for I am a Reformed Protestant.

Only those who hate the Reformed Protestant gospel, call us "Calvinists." 

Sola_Nang

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## mosquitobite

> I have no "Calvinist" testimony, for I am a Reformed Protestant.
> 
> Only those who hate the Reformed Protestant gospel, call us "Calvinists." 
> 
> Sola_Nang


Why do you assume I was meaning you were a Calvinist?

Will this help you feel freer to share?

I would love to hear they story from the Reformed Protestants about the moment where they realized they were called into the "elect".

Better?

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## Brett85

The term "Reformed Protestant" seems kind of strange.  Usually the word "reformed" implies making something better, but this is one of the rare cases where the word "reformed" means to make something far worse.

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## mosquitobite

> The term "Reformed Protestant" seems kind of strange.  Usually the word "reformed" implies making something better, but this is one of the rare cases where the word "reformed" means to make something far worse.


Please leave that for other threads.  I truly want this to be about each person's moment or experiences that lead them to Jesus.  Not yet another debate thread.

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## Nang

> Why do you assume I was meaning you were a Calvinist?
> 
> Will this help you feel freer to share?
> 
> I would love to hear they story from the Reformed Protestants about the moment where they realized they were called into the "elect".



No, I do not feel free to share my testimony on this site, for it would invite persecution and ridicule, as TC's post above this proves, by my just mentioning the descriptiuon of my actual faith.

You people are too hateful to get personal with.

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## Brett85

Lol, "hateful" indeed.  I don't go around constantly telling other people who disagree with me that they're unsaved.

Anyway, I don't really have much to talk about in a thread like this, because I grew up in a Christian home and became a Christian at a young age.  I don't really have some incredible conversion experience to talk about.

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## Christian Liberty

> I have no "Calvinist" testimony, for I am a Reformed Protestant.
> 
> Only those who hate the Reformed Protestant gospel, call us "Calvinists." 
> 
> Sola_Nang


I sometimes call myself a Calvinist.  In all the real life circles I've encountered "Calvinist" is just shorthand for "believes the five points."  It was on TOL where I first encountered idiots that thought the term means that you worship/follow Calvin...

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## eduardo89

> Only those who hate the Reformed Protestant gospel, call us "Calvinists."


Calvinist.

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## Christian Liberty

> Calvinist.





> What is the heresy of Rome, but the addition of something to the perfect merits of Jesus Christ—the bringing in of the works of the flesh, to assist in our justification? And what is the heresy of Arminianism but the addition of something to the work of the Redeemer? Every heresy, if brought to the touchstone, will discover itself here. I have my own private opinion that there is no such thing as preaching Christ and Him crucified, unless we preach what nowadays is called Calvinism. It is a nickname to call it Calvinism; *Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else.* I do not believe we can preach the gospel, if we do not preach justification by faith, without works; nor unless we preach the sovereignty of God in His dispensation of grace; nor unless we exalt the electing, unchangeable, eternal, immutable, conquering love of Jehovah; nor do I think we can preach the gospel, unless we base it upon the special and particular redemption of His elect and chosen people which Christ wrought out upon the cross; nor can I comprehend a gospel which lets saints fall away after they are called, and suffers the children of God to be burned in the fires of damnation after having once believed in Jesus. Such a gospel I abhor.
> _From A Defense of Calvinism by Charles Spurgeon_


http://www.graceonlinelibrary.org/bl...vinist-really/

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## heavenlyboy34

This thread- http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthr...rgy-experience is  basically one long testimony which grows every week.   I was baptized in a Baptist Church some 20 years ago, but have really deepened my relationship with God and my Church family in my journey towards becoming Orthodox and Christian in the deepest and most profound sense of the word.

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## Christian Liberty

> This thread- http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthr...rgy-experience is  basically one long testimony which grows every week.   I was baptized in a Baptist Church some 20 years ago, but have really deepened my relationship with God ain my journey towards becoming *Orthodox and Christian* in the deepest and most profound sense of the word.


I'm not really a fan of paradox

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## mosquitobite

> No, I do not feel free to share my testimony on this site, for it would invite persecution and ridicule, as TC's post above this proves, by my just mentioning the descriptiuon of my actual faith.
> 
> You people are too hateful to get personal with.


These people you claim are too hateful are not worthy to hear your story of the love the Savior lavished on you?  The lurkers (both present and future) do not deserve to hear the moment of your heart transplant?

Yet in every other thread these "hateful" are worthy of condemnation, not because you love them and want them to come to the Truth, but _because_??

Help me out here! 

As someone who has stated before that I feel like I was called. I'm honestly trying to understand.

We are CALLED to share our testimony.  Our LIVES are a testimony.  If our lives do not reflect Jesus, in every way, perhaps we need to humble ourselves just a bit.  And based on the last few posts, that finger isn't pointed in any single direction!!!

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## Nang

> These people you claim are too hateful are not worthy to hear your story of the love the Savior lavished on you?  The lurkers (both present and future) do not deserve to hear the moment of your heart transplant?
> 
> Yet in every other thread these "hateful" are worthy of condemnation, not because you love them and want them to come to the Truth, but _because_??
> 
> Help me out here! 
> 
> As someone who has stated before that I feel like I was called. I'm honestly trying to understand.
> 
> We are CALLED to share our testimony.  Our LIVES are a testimony.  If our lives do not reflect Jesus, in every way, perhaps we need to humble ourselves just a bit.  And based on the last few posts, that finger isn't pointed in any single direction!!!


If you are truly interested, I will send you a PM.  Agreed?

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## mosquitobite

> If you are truly interested, I will send you a PM.  Agreed?


Agreed.

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## pcosmar

> I have no "Calvinist" testimony, for* I am a Reformed Protestant.*


I am a Reformed Bank robber.

Is that any way similar?

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## heavenlyboy34

> I am a Reformed Bank robber.
> 
> Is that any way similar?


A little bit.   ~hugs~

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## RJB

Bump.

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