How did you come to know the Lord?

[Sheenar]

I'm interested in hearing some of your testimonies. Please tell your story! How did you come to Christ?

[sharien chan]

I was Christian when I was younger but walked away and got involved with other religions for a while. Got into that whole New Age thing >_>
But last year during my freshman year of college I hit rock bottom. I've always struggled with depression and horrible anxiety but last year it was awful. It was only through God's grace (even though I wasn't Christian HE still kept nudging me and working in my life) that I survived. During the summer I was hanging out with Chibiphonebooth, and my current boyfriend (both of whom are Christian), and I don't know. They would talk about it here and there, and something sparked my interest. One night I was in so much pain that I started sobbing and cried out to God.
Then I kept cornering SavannaH and asking her questions about God XD, and then one day another friend of mine asked me to go to her church since she was singing a solo. And then I spent hte day talking to SAvannaH about it, and she answered my questions, and then when I went home I prayed the Sinners Prayer that was on the back of the church bulletin I had received that morning.

Thats my story ^-^;;;

[Angel Tifa]

Ooh this is something I really enjoy sharing . It all started in the Fall college semester in 2006. My best friend Angela was Christian all her life, but I on the other hand gave it up when I was about 12 years old :waah!:. For many years I was spiritually lost and only deist. That is until one blessed day on the AIM conversation with my best friend Angela.

Anyway when we were talking on AIM, I told her about how I was feeling down because of the economics lesson I had that day. It had to do with poverty and whos upper class and who isn't based on a family household income. Learning of it was really depressing and made me feel nothing more than a peasant girl. Because I was so spiritually lost without God and having Jesus as my savior, there was nothing else for me to do but feel depressed about it . After telling Angela this she told me "Dot! You're talking to a Christian! These thoughts of money will only lead you to despair!" and after thinking about it for a few minutes, that's when it hit me. I figured "could this help me? If I accept Jesus into my heart, accept Gods love more, and contribute myself more to God can He free me from this chronic negativity?"

So then I made my decision to try God. And Angela offered to buy me a Bible for my 23rd birthday present. I humbly accepted. As I read more and more of the Bible and prayed more and more, I got to know the Lord better. Thus I finally became born again Christian at the end of 2006. My life has truly been more of a blessing than it ever was before ever since . I could not thank God enough for everything He's done for me and all the Help he's given me.

Thank You God and thank you Jesus .

[sharien chan]

Angel Tifa that is such a great story. It's awesome how God reaches us sometimes. A lot of people have stories where they hit rock bottom (like me XD), but I think yours is so cool because it's more unique, and a lot less depressing. ^_^ (though there is nothing wrong with the rock bottom stories...I don't want people thinking that I think that. I like anyone's testimony)

[Angel Tifa]

Angel Tifa that is such a great story. It's awesome how God reaches us sometimes. A lot of people have stories where they hit rock bottom (like me XD), but I think yours is so cool because it's more unique, and a lot less depressing. ^_^ (though there is nothing wrong with the rock bottom stories...I don't want people thinking that I think that. I like anyone's testimony)

. Thanks so much ^^. It also never ceases to amaze me how God reaches out to us. Thanks again for the compliments ^^. Even though it may not sound too depressing, I did however feel a tad bit depressed from hearing the depressing economics lesson XD.

I guess you could say I didn't hit rock bottom, but I think I was at the starting point of taking that path.

[sharien chan]

Praise God that He got to you!!

[TheDreamwalker]

Since my mom's side of the family is quite religious, I was always quite knowledgeable of Christianity. I believed whatever I was told to believe as a child, but as I entered my teens years... I questioned everything. Sort of inspired from anime, I read about other countries and their customs. I read about Japan, and discovered Buddhism and Shintoism. From a friend at the time, I discovered tarot cards, and was absolutely enthused with them. I soon was researching more New Age beliefs.

After some reading, I fell in love with Wicca. Celebrating life and death, cycles of change, practicing magic, and a God/dess that encompassed all others, meaning EVERYONE could go to Paradise, and then be reincarnated as they please? It seemed so amazing. It was absolute freedom, besides the Law of Three (karma, basically). For awhile, it was fascinating enough for me to be satisfied, but you know, looking back on it... I was more fascinated by the idea than actually practicing it. I couldn't picture a God and Goddess, and definitely not multiple. I could only picture God. I never performed a spell, either. I never actually did anything related, but I considered Wicca to fit my beliefs pretty well. And I kept trying to discover the Goddess.

I actually felt really good through highschool, but it was awkward when my family was around, since they're so religious. I felt like I had to hide myself from them, and I never liked that. Still, in comparison Wicca seemed better.

Once I got into college, however, I got into this deep depression. Part of it was the kinds of classes I was taking (tough topics in Expos such as "How much charity is enough? Are we as Americans not doing our part?", a class on the atomic bombing in WWII), part of it was just stress from the change in scenery, part of it was stress from classes all together, and the biggest part... was being really lonely. I'd never been away from my family and friends for more than two weeks. There were also rallies for suffering peoples of different countries and injustices in America. I felt so stressed not only from carrying my own burdens, but the weight of the world as well. I felt like a disgusting human being for not being able to help others enough, even though I try every day. I was starting to hate humanity. ._. Why oh why do we cause so much chaos, I thought?

All of the sudden, I realized I felt like I was in the wrong spot or something. I thought, "The goddess is silent. She doesn't help. I feel out of place in every religion I seek. Why don't I fit in anywhere?" I did occasionally feel God helping me, answering my prayers, but I tried to reject the idea and think it was the Horned God instead. Deep down, I felt ashamed. I knew what I was doing was wrong, and yet I couldn't stop. I couldn't silence my compassion to please all.

Well, God definitely knows how to reach out, because he reached me out through the only mediums I would ever pay serious attention to: books and anime.

It was the Narnia books that first broke through my shield. My aunt (now a pastor) had talked about the movie, and that it had religious meaning. I was actually resilient to see it because of this, but it looked cool, so I watched anyway. I thought it was ten times better than LotR. I went out and got the books from my library, and read them in a straight shot. It had been the first time since I was little that I felt like I understood God as something more than just a scary man smiting people. I understood how He could be terrible and wonderful at the same time.

The other book was "A Travel Guide to Heaven" by Anthony Destefano. Just.... reading such a beautiful depiction of Heaven made me think of just how much God must love his people.

The third nudge was from Vic Mignogna, voice actor of Ed Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist. I only knew somewhat of Vic before we had a miniature con at my town library. My high school Anime Club was running the event, and all of the officers of the club are my best buds, so I wanted to visit and show my support for their ability in doing something so... ambitious.

He ended up being really cool. He got on stage and talked to the group, was extremely patient with the younger (screeching) girls, was EXTREMELY funny (he uses words like "dude" "psych" and "Sweet" XD), and was just... really nice. I could tell he was really, really genuine.

So some of his CD's were on sale at the event, and my friend Goose and I pooled our funds and bought all three. We listened to one in Goose's car on the way back, and we were surprised to find some religious songs on there. Really good ones. o.o We googled it, and found out he was very religious.

Finding out this amazingly cool, talented guy could like anime so much and still be so faithful to God... It was such a huge push... I thought liking anime was a sin somehow. I think this was from reading some kind of Christian teen magazine; it gave off the impression that watching anime was blasphemous. o.o; I just thought, "Geez, these Christians are so stuffy."

Having that notion shattered... I felt like, "Well, let's see how it goes."

The moment I thought it my head, "I think I've come back from my straying, God," I felt... soooo much better. It was the strangest sudden euphoria I've ever experienced.

And then I found this place!

I have a lot to relearn, and I still feel longing for certain pagan aspects now and then, but then I remember how awesome God is, and that longing is totalled.

I like detailing this so much because I feel that I am not alone in making this kind of recovery from such a big mistake. I hope that my story can help others.

[rocklobster]

That's cool, Dreamwalker!
As for me, I was born Catholic but started on a pretty lackluster path as I got older. When I got into college, I became so irresponsible that it really hurt things. I got desperate and prayed to God to help me. Then, in a dream, my guardian angel (yes, I talk to angels. weird, huh?) took me back in time to see Christ's birth. I actually got to hold Baby Jesus in my own hands! I didn't want to hold Him at first.
"I'm not worthy of this." I said. "I'm a terrible person when it comes to Christianity."
"That's the whole point," said my angel (who I've named Aquinas, after my patron saint. He is the patron saint of students.).
That right there was all I needed to know.

[TheDreamwalker]

That is aaaaaaaaaawesooooooome. o_o Oh man, I really think that's amazing! ^_^

And no, I don't think the guardian angel thing is weird at all.

I love hearing people's stories about how they found God.

[Sheenar]

Oh the things God has done! The longer I've been a Christian, the more amazed I am by His grace and just how much He loves us!
Praise God for your stories!