My Testimony

          When I think of my testimony, I think of it as the time, in and around the moment, when I surrendered my life to the Lord, but I know my testimony is so much more. 

Childhood:

           I was born on August 9, 1983.  I was born to two young and loving parents.  I have one older sister who is only a year and a half older than me.  My dad worked full time and he was a part-time student.  My mom was a waitress for much of my life, still is, but yet she is a restaurant owner.  When I was 12 years old, my father finally graduated from the University of Arizona and that is when God helped me through the most trying time in my life.
           Less than two weeks after my father graduated, I was diagnosed with Moya Moya Syndrome and was to have two brain surgeries, one week apart.  I was having TIA(small, small, stroke-like symptoms, indicating that I was not receiving enough oxygen to my brain.) That all happened 15 years and 1 day ago according to the current date.  That was in 7th grade.  I did well after the surgeries, but I didn't know Jesus during that time.  As time passed by, in 11th grade and 12th grade, I had to have two more brain surgeries to increase the blood flow to my brain once again.   Needless to say, I did better after those surgeries too.

College years:

           College was the most challenging time in my life; emotionally.  It all started with the worst college roommate ever and to top it off, the events of September 11, 2001 occurred.  What a scary time!!!  Once I moved out of the dorm, I came back home, just to take my older sister with me to a new apartment.  Before Christ opened both of our hearts to Himself, my sister and I always argued.  I can say I hated how she treated me and I hated being around her.  I can't say I was an angel myself, but I probably wasn't willing to recognize my own actions because I always felt like I had to defend myself, somehow, someway. 
            In my 3rd year of college, I was at my lowest of lows.  For a very long time, I was always known as "the good girl."  I was tired of the facade and I was tired of putting on a show.  So I sought attention in all the wrong places, with the one desire to be noticed, by someone, just anyone.  It didn't matter who.  Having an emotionally distant relationship with my dad, I was looking to fill that whole in my heart.  For 9 months, I looked to fill that void, in romantic relationships.  It took 7 really hard months, to convince me that something needed to stop.  I was going in a whirlwind, down to whatever was left of me. 

My salvation moment:  Wednesday, February 25, 2004

           A month before this, at the end of January, something internal spoke to me, and I was absolutely convinced that my life was going to change, either on February 14(Valentine's Day) or February 25 (the birthday of the guy I was dating at the time).  I didn't know this internal voice was from God, I just thought it was me convincing myself that I would build up enough strength to leave this guy who I allowed to be part of my life, who lied to me about his own life, cheated on me and convinced me that he would be different.  Needless to say, He didn't have the time to show me that He was going to be different, because God stepped in at the perfect moment. 
           At 3:30pm on a beautiful winter/spring day in Arizona, on the campus of the University of Arizona, a very sincere pretty girl, who I call, Brittany Grace, came up to me and asked me how I was doing.  Just like many others, I don't think she expected my lengthy, very sincere, deep answer.  I told her all about the guy and I began to cry, my eyes out.  After I was done, she asked me, "Can I share something with you?"  I told her, "Yes, please, anything."  At that point, nothing mattered, anything was better than what I had been going through.  So she shared with me the Gospel, she told me that God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whoever shall believe in Him, shall have Eternal life.  She told me that all of us fell short of the glory of God and because of this, in and of ourselves, we are separated from Him, but that while we were yet still sinners, Christ died on the cross for us.  She told me that if I asked Him to forgive my sins that He is faithful and just to forgive me of my sins and that if I asked Him to come into my life, He would come into my life and be with me.
            Although we were reading this truth, my heart jumped and leaped and shouted silently within me, yelling, "This is it, That's it!!!"  I knew right then, that Jesus is the Way to Heaven, and that knowing Him was how I knew that I was going to get to be in Heaven with Him.   Since that moment, His love has never failed me. 

My life in Christ:
  
           The more time passes, I've asked God to keep me close to Him.  I've learned that I can't follow Him in my own strength, which I've tried to do.  It doesn't work, it's not supposed to.  He has been my Help in time of need and He has been my peace in the midst of chaos.  He has held me together, when I was falling apart, He has picked me up when I have fallen on my face.  I've embarrassed myself, He has defended me, He has loved me when noone else could.  He has been patient with me, bringing me to repentence and everyday He shows me His love. 
           Three and a half years after He changed my heart, He changed my sister's heart.  What a magnificient God and a dream come true!  He has been so good to us.  I'm incredibly thankful for my sister's life and the life that I have.

Today:
            
            Today, I have been married to my husband Hector for 15 months.  Married life is good, especially because we have God to knit our hearts together.  He has helped us through everything.  He calms me and gives me His peace.  He holds all things together and I ask Him all the time to hold Hector and I together.  I hope one day my marriage is a testimony to everyone.  I hope the best for my marriage and all I want is to show God's love to others because of our lives together. 


With all of my love, Erin Beth