Longer Testimony

Many tried to lead me to the Lord but I was hardened. In 1989, I moved to Birmingham and tried a couple of jobs, playing in various Southern/Blues/Rock bands, finally settling on retail. I accepted a transfer as Store Manager to a Mall in 1991. I was alone & frustrated. Several Mall workers kept inviting me to a Bible study. Loneliness & the Lord finally drove me to conceding. There I found a group of folks who were in similar straits as I. We studied God’s Word & I began to have a hunger for the things of God. My wife & I met there & agreed to begin a relationship. I agreed to go to church with her to be able to see her. I began to come under conviction of the Holy Spirit. An evangelist came one Sunday & during the invitation, tried to lead me to the Lord but I was not ready yet. I read all of Romans and knew if I died that night I would go to Hell and it would be my fault for not believing on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. I asked Him to forgive me of my many sins, come into my heart, save me, & I would do whatever He asked me to do & go wherever He asked me to go. I felt the Lord was calling me into the Gospel ministry. I resisted surrendering to His calling. I went outside and walked a mud trail pleading with God to take away this burden.  Eventually I sat down in an old van we towed from our farm house. I remember the goat pellets, mouse stuff & hay. The rain & my pleading, crying & eventual complete and total surrender to the Lord. I felt such peace. I had never known that kind of peace before. I never had the context.