Faith Testimony Audio: Karen Smith
Karen & Tia
Many years ago I found myself having to take inventory of my life. I lacked inner peace and purpose, and the loneliness and emptiness I felt was more than I could stand. I had been in an extremely abusive marriage, which ended in divorce; my children were growing up and going their own ways; my health was deteriorating with no hope of recovery. I was forced into early retirement and to go on disability.
All of these things left me feeling abandoned and unloved. As an abused person I had put up walls around my heart that kept me from being happy. My soul was empty and unsatisfied. So, I began searching for ways to become fulfilled. I started to surrender my moral convictions. In fact, I was on the road to becoming something I never thought I would be, an immoral woman. My life was totally unmanageable and out of control.
I finally reached a point where I just knew that there had to be more to life than what I was experiencing. I still felt that finding love would be my answer. I had tried all the wrong ways to find LOVE, so I decided to try church. It was a real personal struggle for me to go inside the church building, but once I was there, it was as if every word the pastor said was directed right to me. The message I heard and the decision I made that morning was the most important one of my life. I realized that the love that I was missing and searching so desperately for was the love that Jesus Christ was waiting to give to me but couldn't, because of my disobedience to Him. I learned that Jesus loved me so much that He died on the cross-for me (John 3:16). That day I learned that all my years of disobedience could be forgiven and I learned that Jesus died for me that I could have eternal life.
That Sunday (23 years ago) I prayed and asked Jesus into my heart, receiving salvation. God's greatest gift of grace. I also asked Him to take control of every area of my life and that I might live for Christ. I have discovered that God's Love and my growing personal relationship with Him fills all the voids that I myself tried to fill. It wasn't until I met Jesus and developed a personal relationship with Him that I was able to experience God's grace in my life. Now Jesus makes me feel whole and I feel the acceptance of God's love for me.
I still have trials and tribulations in my life, but I have peace knowing Jesus is always with me. The Bible says Jesus will never leave you nor forsake you and that promise is very comforting to me.
At this time in my life, the Lord has blessed me with a wonderful Christian husband. We are growing together in our relationship with Jesus. I am not saying we don't have our struggles, but Christ gives us His strength and His power to get through those difficult times. And I personally am striving to let Christ control all of my life. He has given me a whole new set of priorities to live by, as well as a purpose for living. With God's gift of grace I will continue in His strength to live for Him. Using the failures and struggles in my life as stepping stones, not as stumbling blocks. But the greatest thing of all is that I know for certain that my hope is in being with Christ in eternity, that I am a child of God and that I have the gift of eternal life.
Many years ago I found myself having to take inventory of my life. I lacked inner peace and purpose, and the loneliness and emptiness I felt was more than I could stand. I had been in an extremely abusive marriage, which ended in divorce; my children were growing up and going their own ways; my health was deteriorating with no hope of recovery. I was forced into early retirement and to go on disability.
All of these things left me feeling abandoned and unloved. As an abused person I had put up walls around my heart that kept me from being happy. My soul was empty and unsatisfied. So, I began searching for ways to become fulfilled. I started to surrender my moral convictions. In fact, I was on the road to becoming something I never thought I would be, an immoral woman. My life was totally unmanageable and out of control.
I finally reached a point where I just knew that there had to be more to life than what I was experiencing. I still felt that finding love would be my answer. I had tried all the wrong ways to find LOVE, so I decided to try church. It was a real personal struggle for me to go inside the church building, but once I was there, it was as if every word the pastor said was directed right to me. The message I heard and the decision I made that morning was the most important one of my life. I realized that the love that I was missing and searching so desperately for was the love that Jesus Christ was waiting to give to me but couldn't, because of my disobedience to Him. I learned that Jesus loved me so much that He died on the cross-for me (John 3:16). That day I learned that all my years of disobedience could be forgiven and I learned that Jesus died for me that I could have eternal life.
That Sunday (23 years ago) I prayed and asked Jesus into my heart, receiving salvation. God's greatest gift of grace. I also asked Him to take control of every area of my life and that I might live for Christ. I have discovered that God's Love and my growing personal relationship with Him fills all the voids that I myself tried to fill. It wasn't until I met Jesus and developed a personal relationship with Him that I was able to experience God's grace in my life. Now Jesus makes me feel whole and I feel the acceptance of God's love for me.
I still have trials and tribulations in my life, but I have peace knowing Jesus is always with me. The Bible says Jesus will never leave you nor forsake you and that promise is very comforting to me.
At this time in my life, the Lord has blessed me with a wonderful Christian husband. We are growing together in our relationship with Jesus. I am not saying we don't have our struggles, but Christ gives us His strength and His power to get through those difficult times. And I personally am striving to let Christ control all of my life. He has given me a whole new set of priorities to live by, as well as a purpose for living. With God's gift of grace I will continue in His strength to live for Him. Using the failures and struggles in my life as stepping stones, not as stumbling blocks. But the greatest thing of all is that I know for certain that my hope is in being with Christ in eternity, that I am a child of God and that I have the gift of eternal life.
