My Testimony
by Pat Andrews

My story is still hard for me to tell, but I will try to share at least pieces of it. I was raised in the 50's and 60's by a Father who was atheist and a Mother who was Roman Catholic. Mother drug me to church all the time and I hated it. I went to a Catholic school with Nun's of the old school. The most pleasant part of their teaching was being rapped on the knuckles for being left handed.

No one ever - ever - ever mentioned the gospel of grace, let alone any other gospel. My Father used to believe that you could do anything you wanted to do as long as your actions did not hurt another person. He was moralistic - Mother was legalistic. My family prayed to Mary all the time, but I don't ever remember a prayer to Jesus or a Bible reading. Of course if the bible had been read it would have been the Roman Catholic Bible.

I finally decided that my Father's road was the one I would travel because, quite frankly, I had neither the ability or desire to live under the LAW of the Catholic church. After going through two husbands and almost everything nice church going women have probably never heard of, I met my precious current husband. One of the first things he asked me was if I read the bible? All I wanted to do was get away from him. I just knew he was one of those "religions" people. We kept calling and coming around and I was trying to be polite, but some of what he said was beginning to interest me.

At that time he did not understand right division, but he was as saved then as he is now. He had grown up in a Lutheran Church and although they do not understand right division many of those dear brothers and sisters are saved because they know that Christ did it all and they are powerless to save themselves.

Anyway, The Holy Spirit began doing His work and I was strangely drawn to both Dave and the things he was telling me.

Dave started taking me to church at a lovely little Lutheran Church in Texas. I liked him and at first I went just to see him. (Oh well - the truth - I was faking at least part of the time but I couldn't seem to say no to going with him). But then you all know what the WORD of God does? I began to be drawn to some of what I was hearing. He kept asking me to go to Sunday school with him and I finally agreed.

The lesson for my first ever Sunday school was all about what grace is. The Pastor said all you had to do was believe Christ died for your sins and trust him and you were saved. After the class I asked him if it was so easy to be saved how did anyone go to hell. He said "The same way. They choose not to believe and trust Christ's forgiveness" .

I will never forget how those words pierced my heart. I cried. I laughed. I cried again. At once I knew I didn't have to be good enough to save myself. I couldn't be good enough to save myself. WOW This is GOOD NEWS.

Since that day I have wandered off into other denominations looking for the truth of the Bible. Dave and I have gone to almost every kind of church you ever heard of. None of them could explain why one letter says "by grace you are saved through faith"(no works) and another one says "faith without works is dead". UNTILLLLLLL With each passing day I learn more about the wonderful Word of God ( in the KJV). I have been at it 20 years now and have eternity to learn more.

I write this just in case there is a sister out there saying Yes but, Bobbie was never a BAD person. God would have more trouble saving me. Well HE won't because He has already done it.

Our beloved brother Paul committed the "unforgivable sin" and was condemned under the law. But under grace there is no such thing as the unforgivable sin. We are all washed white as snow in the Body of Christ.

Yours In Christ
Paddy Andrew
Col 3: 1-4