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---
layout: default
title: Testimonies
---
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<h3>Testimonies</h3>
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<h3>The testimony of Sarah</h3>
<br>
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<a href="testimonies.html">'K'</a><br>
<a href="testimony1.html">Cilla</a><br>
<a href="testimony2.html">Charlotte Willa Morrison</a><br>
<a href="testimony3.html">Dan, also known as Toesy</a><br>
<a href="testimony4.html">God's child</a><br>
<a href="testimony5.html">Kayte</a><br>
<a href="testimony6.html">Sarah</a><br>
<a href="testimony7.html">Jake</a><br>
<a href="testimony8.html">Tom</a><br>
<a href="testimony9.html">Follower</a><br>
<a href="testimony10.html">James, who trusted in Christ whilst in prison</a><br>
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<p>I was born into the world at Stirling District Infirmary, Scotland, in the freezing cold weather of December 28th 1980. We lived in a tiny council house just outside a mining village called Fallin. You could see the hills in the distance, usually covered with mist, but nevertheless it is always something I remember. The place we lived was quite rural with farmland just opposite and as I remember it, reasonably poor too. My sisters and I would play with other children on the estate in the park which was just adjacent to the houses. I remember we would have great fun climbing an old tree and making dens where we could store the latest bugs and caterpillars we had collected. I have lots of happy memories, and unhappy memories of living there.</p>
<p>Along with my two sisters and my parents, we always travelled into a place called Bannockburn where we regularly attended the gospel hall. From a very early age I was used to sitting in long meetings, and so I would pass the time by counting how many of the folk were wearing glasses, who had black shoes on, and also reciting the verses which were all around the hall (one of the more worthwhile activities I participated in).</p>
<p>I cannot really remember the order of events exactly, except that I knew the gospel from a very young age. I would hear it at home and at the little assembly of the Lord's people. I knew the Lord Jesus died for me and that I was a sinner. At the very early age of four, I decided that I must ask the Lord Jesus into my heart. I don't remember much about the occasion, except kneeling in front of our old sofa with my mother beside me. (I can remember every colour in the woven sofa - even now!) I have absolutely no doubt that I was saved then, and praise the Lord, saved for all eternity. The bible says in 1 John 1 and verse 9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."</p>
<p>It was then, as a true "babe" that I accepted the gift of a home in heaven which was offered me, acknowledged my sin, and my hearts thanks to the One who died for me.</p>
<p>It must have been soon after the occasion of my being "born again" that I started school in the nearby village. For some reason I was really bullied. My memories of primary school aren't pleasant. I'm not sure whether it was due to my new found zeal, and my desire to tell all my new friends that if they didn't believe on the Lord Jesus Christ they would go to hell, or whether or not I really was just a horrible child! I'm looking forward to the day when I can find out the reason for so many of my classmates disliking me! By the time I reached 8, my parents decided that we would move to England as my father needed to find some work. I remember being very excited about this move, especially at the opportunity to make a new start at a different school, and to be nearer all my cousins and uncles and aunts. When I reached 9, 1 decided that I should be baptised, as I knew I was saved, and in my simple mind this was the next step of obedience. However, looking back, I wish I had been closer to the Lord when I took that step, and that I had really taken on board that I was to die to my old self, and live afresh in newness of life in Christ Jesus.</p>
<p>I was however, still very keen to share my faith with all and sundry. This wasn't a bad thing, but if I had held more of the joy of salvation and more love for my Saviour, and been seeking to spend more time with Him, I may have been more successful in my witness and less hypocritical in my testimony. I would argue, especially at secondary school, endlessly with my best friend, and with others about the bible, and I was a bit rude about my friend's places of worship too. I didn't have any tact at all. For the first 3 years of school I ruined my testimony by chasing boys around, getting involved in silly fights and doing as little as I could.</p>
<p>It was about this time, that God really started working in my life, mainly through people that I met, and through little circumstances that were brought into my life. I have no doubt that I was saved when I was four, but I certainly didn't have the enjoyment of it. I was very moody and irritable at home, and always thought people were against me. My sisters and I would have huge fights and it was nearly always my fault anyway. I look back with horror, as I was such a beast to live with!</p>
<p>It must have been when I was thirteen/fourteen, as I was in the house alone, and put on one of my favourite tapes, one of which I still listen to now! It was a series of songs sung by my favourite singer, George Beverley Shea. The one which came on went like this:</p>
<p><strong>Take a little time in the morning<br>
And you'll feel better all day<br>
Take a little time for Jesus<br>
Get down, on your knees and pray<br><br>
(Chorus)<br>
He took the time to die on the cross<br>
So all our souls wouldn't be lost<br>
If you find yourself slipping<br>
Then the thing to do<br>
Take time all for Jesus, He took time for you<br><br>
Sometimes you may be in a hurry<br>
You may have so many things to do<br>
But don't forget about Jesus<br>
You know He'll never forget about you</strong></p>
<p>I can't remember doing anything else but weeping that evening. It had suddenly dawned on me what the entire Christian life was all about. I had completely shut Him out of my life, yet still expected my best friend to get saved, and still thought that I was okay as I was. I humbly prayed to God that He would forgive me for being so apathetic and uncaring as far as the Cross of the Lord Jesus Christ was concerned. From then on, I determined to try and live more like the Saviour, and become enveloped and saturated in His love. It wasn't easy. There were many challenges at school, and I really struggled to read my bible and pray, but yet there were these lovely occasions when I could just sit in the sunshine of His presence and enjoy Him which, to my shame I had never truly enjoyed before. I would sit on my windowsill and look at the stars at night and marvel that the God who created it all could love me, in all my sin. I could certainly say, and still do, with King David "what is man that Thou art mindful of Him?"</p>
<p>The Lord then brought various people into my life, and they all taught me so much about living for the Saviour, and each one was a challenge to me. I took the step of coming into fellowship with the believers at the little hall where we gathered in Crawley, Hampshire when I was 14. It was a joyful occasion for me, and taught me afresh the importance of causing my mind to think of the Lord Jesus throughout the week in preparation for the Breaking of Bread. It also brought home to me the need to be a good example to my younger friends not yet in fellowship. I still had (and still have!) a lot to learn though, and there were still times when my temper got the better of me. It was then that I became very depressed with my spiritual state and thought that God was always punishing me, and that I would never be anything for God. Looking back I feel ashamed and sorry for my friends who would ring up and have to endure an earful about how unworthy I was. How self-centred! These enemies: resentment, worry, bitterness, self pity and pride often rear their ugly heads and we need to ask the Lord to help us when we get any hint of their presence in us and He will give grace to help in time of need!</p>
<p>Later on when I became 16, I attended a summer camp and I met a young man called Andrew who was to change my outlook and perception of life so much. I noticed how beautifully he prayed and how he loved the Lord, and soon after the camp we became very firm friends. We decided to study John's Gospel and together we grew to love the Lord more, and to put Him first. We very rarely saw each other but it didn't seem to matter as we acknowledged that the Lord was in control of everything. The Lord however had other plans for us both, and especially for Andrew. On June 25th 1997, I received a phone call to say that Andrew had been called home that morning during a PE lesson. I was completely numbed by the news, and in my head the only question was "why?" I couldn't understand why someone like Andrew should die, and not someone like me. The Lord was very near that night. I read the whole book of Job in one evening, and although struggling some weeks later to come to terms with it I could say "the Lord gave and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the Name of the Lord." Later on I felt strangely privileged to have gone through such an experience, and I only came out stronger than I ever was. There was time when the pain came back, and sometimes I still got bitter, but the Holy Spirit always led me to the perfect antidote found in Psalm 18v30: "As for God, His way is perfect". Indeed it was, and the whole experience led to many new opportunities to witness and to help others.</p>
<p>I thank God everyday for that experience now, although it was hard at the time.</p>
<p>I'm so grateful and thankful to have a Saviour who knows exactly what I am, and has borne all of my sin, yet loves me even more than I could ever imagine. Every trial and hardship we go through is only for our own benefit so that the Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in our lives. The verse which I would like to take on board for my life is:</p>
<p>"Trust in the Lord, with all thine heart, and lean not on thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths" (Proverbs 3 v 5 and 6).</p>
<p>I hope that it is the desire of any who read this to trust in the Lord with all their hearts. I don't trust Him as much as I know I should, but the Lord is working in this area of my life, and so I must be happy that He as a Father wants to see me grow. It is not for us to go through life trusting in our own theories and philosophies, neither is it for us to try and do everything in our own strength. The scriptures say "I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me" and therefore we must learn to rest in Him and enjoy Him. It is our duty however to acknowledge Him, and to keep Him in the centre of our lives, trusting that He will indeed guide us and that He always knows best. Consequently we will be able to say with the apostle Paul coming to the end of his life on earth:</p>
<p>"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith" 2 Timothy 4 v 7.</p>
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