Geraldine's story

I was brought up in Dublin, Ireland in what could have been comfortable circumstances had not illness affected both my parents in the early years of their marriage.  This brought upheaval and change to our family.  My parents separated to go their own very different ways.  One month before my twelfth birthday, my mother, sister and I moved to London.  My teenage years were difficult at times and I had a child when I was 18 – but for God!

 

When I was 23yrs , the insurance company I worked for moved to Waterloo and I went with them, seeking independence, although never actually achieving it! A colleague asked me if, as a favour, I would go with her to a meeting in a house in Kingsway (the home of our Pastor and his wife, Dave & Gwynne Elms.).  I was a bit apprehensive and imagined that it might be like a garden party with people in nice hats (that was how religious people dressed wasn't it?!)  I decided on arrival at the house not to pre-judge but to relax until I made my mind up afterwards.

 

The Presence of God was in that place, and I knew I had found the truth that I had been searching for during the past few years.  I had previously rejected what I saw as religion and chose to find out for myself what was real. In my bedroom, I asked Jesus to be Lord of my life and to forgive me for my sins.  I then knew I had been made clean!  That was 34yrs. ago and although many changes have occurred in my life since that day along with trials.

 

In the Bible the book of Job Chapter vs19:25-27 (NASB), says:

"As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives and at the last He will take His stand on the earth.  Even after my skin is destroyed. Yet from my flesh I shall see God whom I myself shall behold and whom my eyes will see and not another.  My heart faints within me!" How awesome is that!

 

The Lord Jesus has blessed my life with the things that are really important i.e. love, faithfulness, friendship and all those who share the experience of finding God in their lives.  When I was first experienced this salvation and was telling others, the thought came to me that we are in the Ark (just like Noah in the Bible) which is Jesus and although we are affected by the storm that surrounds us, we are and forever will be in Him. Hallelujah!