I was saved on or about December 17, 2001. In the previous five years or so, I had felt a draw from the Lord, but I was not interested in making any commitments. I had avoided marriage for a long time because I realized that I was not up to the commitment. Commitments were serious to me, and I sensed that the Lord wanted to do something with me. So I kept Him at a distance. My church experience prior to this time mainly consisted of my upbringing in a devout Presbyterian family. From the time that I was about six years old, my parents were active members and leaders at a Presbyterian church.

On October 2, 1999, I nearly died from head injuries suffered from a drunken fall. It occurred at a wedding party of two whom are now my good sister and brother in Christ and co-laborers in the gospel. I was determined that night that I would kill a fifth of gin. In the end, both the gin and I were nearly killed. My skull was cracked when I fell on a concrete slab. Blood vessels were bleeding on top of my brain, building up pressure. Blood came from my ears. In the end, I was airlifted to Carolina’s Medical Center where my skull was opened up and the bleeding stopped. I nearly died on the helicopter due to the pressure that built up between my skull and brain. Miraculously, I fully recovered after some time, but it did not immediately cause me to turn to Jesus. I did acknowledge his mercy on me at the time, but I did not ask him into my heart. I touch on this incident a little more in my epistle, "Witness to an Accident."

A year later I came close to drowning while swimming in the ocean near Nags Head, NC. In a fit of panic, after taking in a gulp of seawater, I cried out, "Lord help me!" In just moments, my feet touched bottom and I was able to stagger to the shore. Never has my heart raced so hard from fear and fatigue. Still, I went on about my business—recognizing that there was a Lord, but not giving myself over to him. I can remember speaking to a friend that it was obvious that I believe in God because I cried out to him without any thought or hesitation in the ocean.

A few weeks after that, on October 23, 2000, I had a seizure while at work. I was well taken care of. It was a blessing that it happened where it did. Everyone saw to my needs and I had coworkers praying for me. What if it had happened out there in the ocean just days before? Still, I was halfhearted with God and did not accept him as Lord.

A year after that, my Grandmother and friend, Lucile Yost died at the age of 99 on September 5, 2001. That was a heavy loss for me. I had come to know my Grandmother in a way that few do. After graduating from college, I spent considerable time in the proceeding three years helping my mother to see to her needs. After Grandmother’s death, my mom told me a story that Grandma had told her a few months earlier. Grandma told her how a man had taken her on a stroll in her wheelchair. They went 99 miles, one mile for each year of her life. At the end of the last mile, the cross of Jesus Christ stood before them. In Grandmother’s words, they came to Golgotha Hill. I had never heard of that place, being very ignorant to the Bible, and I had never heard Grandmother mention that name. Grandmother then planted flowers before the cross. That story really touched me—it seemed to be more than a dream. She did not say it was a dream. At the time I recognized it as God because I had never heard Grandmother speak of Golgotha Hill. It really made an impression on me.

A week after her death, the September 11 attack on America occurred. I can remember being tormented for a long time by that, especially with the death of my Grandmother still on me. A lot of things were stirred in me at that time. At the end of that September, I moved into a house in East L.A. (Lilesville Area, North Carolina). During the months of October and November, I spent time finishing walls and things of that sort in the house. At that time you might could say that I had decisional salvation—I recognized God as good and had no qualms about speaking or hearing of Him. That is not true salvation. I was not born again in the Spirit. While working on the house, I listened to a lot of Christian radio, especially after Thanksgiving when BBN radio plays traditional Christian Christmas music. In between the music there were a lot of preaching programs. I was receptive to hearing, I just had not made Jesus real in my heart.

During that year, my job had become a burden on me. I was a product engineer at a plant that manufactured lifting equipment. I was assigned to a project that no one else wanted to touch. It was a major change on the electrical controls on our electric hoists. The last time a change was tried, a very costly recall occurred. I spent untold hours that year developing the best ways of incorporating new control components into our existing products. These electric hoists were designed many years before. I can remember having trepidations about the change. I even gave up vacation time because I never felt like I could take off unless the project was complete. (For the record, this project was completed after I was saved and the change was made without any major difficulties).

Things came to a head for me when a friend, Robbie Paul, who worked in the plant was involved in a car wreck that caused him to have head trauma. Similar procedures were performed on him that had been performed on me a little over two years before. He ended up in a comatose state for a week and then passed away. Robbie was someone who I immediately likened to when I started at Coffing Hoists. A good number of people who work in the shop have an engrained, negative attitude towards anyone who works in the office. Robbie was not one with those pretenses. It just so happens that he was one who offered to drive me home the night that I had my drunken fall. I declined the ride. I believe that bothered him when he heard what happened to me (I later let him know there was no reason to feel any guilt over that). I was airlifted that night to Carolina’s Medical Center. Early that morning he was one of the first ones there. I was not conscious at the time, but I was told of his coming. It meant a lot to me.

So when I heard of Robbie’s car accident, which was purely accidental and freakish, I lost all control of my emotions at work. One man came up to me and was really taken aback by the tears I was shedding. He had no idea what I was feeling. It hit me hard. The mercy that God bestowed on me became apparent to me. After being comatose for a week, Robbie died.

Some days after that, I was sitting on my couch one morning, and just began pouring out to God. I just felt so overburdened. From then on my life changed. I went home for Christmas only to find that our good neighbors had just been killed in a car accident. In that time, the Lord used me to give my family hope and joy. That was my best Christmas up to that point in time, despite the loss of our friends. I can remember writing each family member a special card. The Lord put words on me that spoke to each individual. Remember, this also was our first Christmas without my Grandmother. It was a great time for me though, because I had the peace of the Lord. It seems to me now that I was not totally aware that I was saved at that time. I had no church and no one close to talk to about the Lord. But I came to realize what Jesus had done.

I knew that I was to go to Latter Rain Ministry, now known as Crown & Glory Bible Center, and I did for the first time on December 30, 2001. The Lord seemed to show me early on when I met Pastor Don that it was meant to be. So thanks be to God, he saved me and immediately planted me. . Since that time I have become deacon, and now elder, Sunday school teacher, private Christian school teacher, praise team guitarist, and ordained minister of the gospel. In all the things that I have come to do, they just came about naturally (or should I say supernaturally). I cannot say that I pursued those things. However, I have pursued Jesus. To walk in purpose, you have to be obsessed with Jesus, not the purpose. The purposes come about as you come to know your Creator and prove your faithfulness.

So that is my brief testimony. There were so many factors that built up to my becoming saved, that it is hard for me to express in a few words. I have left out a lot. In a nutshell, you can say that I asked Jesus to be my Lord, my Savior, and King on that day in December 2001 when I felt very heavy laden. Thank you Lord Jesus!

I thank the Lord for planting me so soon after accepting Him in a place of purpose. You know, Jesus, picks out your place of purpose, not you. In America, we are so used to going to churches like we go to fast food restaurants. But the word says that God plants the members according to his purpose. God made things evident to me early on. The only church I have joined since being saved is Crown & Glory Bible Center in Wadesboro, NC.

We are a full-gospel, non-denominational church. At Crown & Glory we believe in the whole counsel of the word. We believe that God reveals all truth through his Spirit, and without his Spirit, you will only have the letter of the word. God is out looking for God. He is looking for Christ in YOU! He is seeking the true worshippers—those who worship in spirit and in truth. (See John 4:23) We come against dead religion and the traditions of man. We seek Jesus. We learn and teach the Word line upon line, precept upon precept. The word is to be accepted, not interpreted. To know the Word is to know the Author—Jesus. We are about equipping the saints for the work of the ministry. True ministry is about producing more ministry. It is not man centered. It is Christ centered. We seek to bring forth the Christ in each believer. Each believer is called for purpose, and through an intimate relationship with Jesus, a believer walks in purpose. Jesus has given us power to be sons of God, which means mature saints of God. Mature Christians can stand on the word and walk by faith. Mature saints do not forsake the body and draw strength from it. Mature saints can hear from their Father. Mature saints know where their place of purpose is. Mature saints know God’s order and understand the work of God through his apostles, prophets, pastors, evangelist, and teachers. So in a nutshell, Crown & Glory Bible Center is about perfecting the Saints of God for the work of the ministry. (Read Ephesians 4 for more understanding of God's call on ministry)