Proverbs 22:6 NIV - Train a child in the way he (or she) should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
This is a scripture that I have recited many, many times to struggling parents who feel that they have lost control of their children. As parents, we can only teach them right from wrong. They are ultimately responsible for their own choices. Today, I want to share my testimony and say THANK YOU to my mother for introducing me to Jesus.
My Testimony
By Sherri Mayo
I can’t ever remember a time in my childhood that we did not attend church. My Mama made sure we were there every time the doors were open. She taught Sunday school and Bible school and hosted just about every Baby and Bridal Shower. I recall that my Daddy became more and more involved as I grew older and in my teen years, he even led the worship. I grew up singing and playing the piano and the organ. When I became old enough to go to youth camp, I never missed a summer. Church was an integral part of our lives. We were always very close to our pastors and their families. We had them over for dinner and I babysat their kids when I was old enough.
Being so involved in church life, I always knew who Jesus was. When I was about seven or eight years old, I remember going down the aisle with some other kids for an alter call. I don’t remember anything else…I don't remember saying the prayer or getting baptized. As the years went by, I began to question my salvation experience, but always shrugged the feeling away, convincing myself that I had already taken care of that.
I remember one particular summer at church camp (I was probably twelve) that I got very upset. We watched a movie about the “end times” and the Christians were getting their heads chopped off. It was very disturbing! I just remember going back to my bunk and crying and crying. I was scared to death of the end of time. (If I knew where I was going when I died, why was I so scared?) Now I know that the Holy Spirit was dealing with me then, but I didn’t recognize it at the time.
I remember one particular summer at church camp (I was probably twelve) that I got very upset. We watched a movie about the “end times” and the Christians were getting their heads chopped off. It was very disturbing! I just remember going back to my bunk and crying and crying. I was scared to death of the end of time. (If I knew where I was going when I died, why was I so scared?) Now I know that the Holy Spirit was dealing with me then, but I didn’t recognize it at the time.
My teenage years are very upsetting to me when I think back to some of the things I did. I actually had my first drink with some kids from my youth group! Because of my strict upbringing, alcohol was very foreign to me and I was VERY curious. I didn’t have a very high self esteem because I had braces and was a little overweight. I had never really had a boyfriend after grade school and middle school was horrible. Drinking seemed to give me that edge I needed to loosen up and have fun. At school and at home I was the smart girl that went to church and did what was right. On the weekends I was a party girl that got drunk and didn’t know where I was or what I was doing half the time. God had his hand on me because I should not have lived through those years. I did some very stupid things. At the time I thought I was having the time of my life. How mistaken I was.
The summer before my senior year I met the love of my life. He was a gorgeous football star from another school and I couldn’t believe he wanted to go out with me! Our first date was in August 1988 and by September I was “in love”. It never crossed my mind that giving myself to this boy was really wrong. I loved him and I didn’t want to lose him. We dated for almost a year before I became pregnant. We were married three months after graduation.
God had his hand on our marriage even in the midst all of the sin in our lives. All odds were against two eighteen year olds getting married and having a child before they turned twenty. We managed to stay in church for the first part of our marriage and we began working with the youth. That was a wonderful time in our lives. But it didn’t last. When we turned twenty-one and were finally legal to go to the clubs and party we started living for ourselves, not for the Lord.
The next few years went by with many struggles but also many blessings. God had gifted us with two beautiful, perfect children. They were the main focus of my life. At the age of twenty-seven, I was back in the church and trying my best to live for the Lord. I was back to playing the organ and even teaching Sunday school at the time, but I still felt that something was not right in my relationship with the Lord. One Sunday afternoon I was trying to take a nap and He began to deal with me about our relationship. As I looked back over my life, I realized something. As I said earlier, I knew who Jesus was, but it was no different than knowing who Elvis was! Just because I knew facts about Him didn't mean that I had a personal relationship with Him. I understood at that moment that the reason it had always been so hard for me to live for Jesus was because His Spirit wasn’t IN me. I had never truly surrendered my life to Him and asked Him to come and live in my heart. It wasn't just enough to recognize who Jesus was; He had to be invited IN. I had to surrender my life to Him.
At that point, I didn’t care about my pride or what anyone thought of me (remember, I was a Sunday School teacher at the time!), I had to make it right. I called my pastor and he met me at the church. I prayed with him and then walked down the church aisle that night to tell everyone about my decision. I knew that all of my sin from the past was washed away! I was baptized (as a true Christian this time) and I was aNEW creature in Christ.
At that point, I didn’t care about my pride or what anyone thought of me (remember, I was a Sunday School teacher at the time!), I had to make it right. I called my pastor and he met me at the church. I prayed with him and then walked down the church aisle that night to tell everyone about my decision. I knew that all of my sin from the past was washed away! I was baptized (as a true Christian this time) and I was a
Never again have I ever questioned my salvation. I have not been perfect since that day, nor will I ever be, but when I do sin, I am convicted because the Holy Spirit lives in me and he will not let me continue in sin. I am ever striving to grow closer to my Lord and Savior. Since my salvation, I have had the opportunity to witness to others and use my testimony to reach them for the Lord. He has even given me the great honor of leading several young people to Him. God has also given me many talents. I am using them all for His honor and glory now. I sing for Him. I play the piano for Him. I write and teach for Him. Because of that, he blesses me with more and more ability each and every day.
I also strive to be the kind of wife and mother He wants me to be. He gave me a VERY good earthly example! I know God always had His hand on me through the years when satan tried to steal me away and I know it is because of my mother’s prayers. She has always been there in the shadows ministering to me, praying for me, encouraging and supporting me. She introduced Jesus to me and showed me what a true Christian woman was supposed to be like.
God has a plan for each of us. I heard someone once say that satan has a plan for each of us, too. I’m so glad God won out! This is the story of my first forty years. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for the next forty! Every day is a blessing and an opportunity to serve Him.
