My story

Julia

My testimony begins with an invitation to an Alpha supper.

I spent years dipping a toe into Christianity, searching, wondering but not understanding church or God. My Mum dying affected me terribly and I finally hit a low point in 2003 when, despite whatever I tried, I realised I couldn't make my life what I wanted and felt increasingly frustrated and empty. I decided that if I couldn't make my life right then I may as well hand it over to God and let him have a go at fixing it.

I'd done an Alpha course a year earlier so found a similar church near me, plucked up the courage to wander in on a Sunday morning and stuck a hand up for prayer. The only way I can describe how I felt is that I had come home, a home I hadn't known before but I felt peace for the first time in forever!

I have since moved around the country, got married and been part of several churches. I've had hard times and good times but God has helped me through them all whether I can feel His presence or not and He long ago proved that His “go” is much better than mine.

Rai

I am the eldest of 5 children, raised up in a Hindu culture of my parents who were passive Hindus from the Punjab in north India.

What happened to me in my late teens that caused me to become a committed “Born Again Christian?” What life changing experience was so important that I was willing to sacrifice my loyalty to family, my tradition and culture?

Between the ages of 8 and 10, in a Sunday School signing choruses, I felt what now I can only explain as the presence on God on my life. I knew without a shadow of doubt that something deep within me had changed. I felt a warmth and love I had never experienced before, the impact of which has left a lasting impression to this day.

Later I understood that Jesus had taken all my guilt, sin and failure away in exchange for a new beginning. The joy, peace and love I felt has never left me. It was then, I made the most important decisions of my life; to follow Christ.

This decision brought huge disgrace, fraction and division within the family. Why was I willing to sacrifice my tradition, culture and loyalty to the family? It was the reality of being forgiven and knowing Jesus as my saviour and friend.

Bev

My testimony begins with an invitation to an Alpha supper.

I didn’t know what to expect at that first meeting, I wasn’t sure what was making me go back each week, but I did go back and I had my questions answered openly and honestly.

Attending on the Sunday added another dimension to what I was experiencing. Hearing the testimonies of others, experiencing their faith, seeing how God was at work in their lives. Wow!

For me, the relationship I have with God has grown and developed like any other good relationship. The more I find out about Him, the more I love Him and the more I have grown to know that He loves me.

I’m not saying my life is now perfect, it’s not. But what I do have is the comfort that comes from knowing my Father is with me, always. What has developed within me is Trust and Faith. I still have days when I forget that He is there for me and I think I need to take this step or say those words, when in fact all I need to do is ask God for His guidance, His strength, His comfort.

Paul

My story starts very early in life, it’s what we did as a family. I also went to a Church of England School and had no doubt that God existed. My beliefs could be summed up in the following way – as long as I am a ‘good’ person and go to Church then when I die I will go to heaven. I must admit I found church to be a stale, boring environment with little meaning or relevance for me; so as soon as I could stop going I did, although I still had my beliefs.

Fast forward to 2003, and I had already met the girl that would help change my life forever. She was my future wife, and along with her family she introduced me to Jubilee Church and a side of God I had never seen before. People there were passionate about God and the teaching was relevant to today and made sense to me and my circumstances. I eventually made a decision to live for Jesus and my life has never been the same since.