In the early stages of the testamony I prepaired for my church back in April, My brother said: "I know you can write, but I can promise you there is no greater story you can tell, than how Jesus saved you." My redemption was big indeed but that wasn't what he ment. He was pointing to the fact that every believer's best story is of their redemption/continuation of such: their testamony.
We got this not-so-new-hire at my job and there's lots to discribe him by. First of all he's funny and stylish: LA fully. Every other week come pay day, he's got two his baby's mamma at our store asking him to pay-up. He does, and the ladies count the money right infront of him to embarrass, what's crazy every once in a while its short just a measly ten or twenty bucks. These ladies got him in a head lock. His current girlfriend is expecting a child and they are not getting along. Its my business to tell him about Jesus, and its none of my business to shame him: I mean only to illustrate a long standing looming sadness.
I remember like a month ago when he heard that I was a believer in Christ, he asked me if I was for real. If I was hollerin' or followin'. I said "most definately followin'." He wanted to see if I knew the Bible, Keep in mind I'm still a rather new believer, (Just past my first year!). After a lightning fast prayer request for the Holy Spirit to be present, I plugged away about who Matthew was, who his gospel audience was intended for. Then I listed off my favorite verses about three or four of them. Then came me asking my co-worker about Jesus as sacrificial Lamb and if he knew it to be truth. He gave me a surprised look, it was subtle. After that moment, I left the office, praised God for the sharing and I prayed for the soul of my co-worker: that the Holy Spirit may bring him to Christ.
Fast forward to last week and my coworker reveils to me that all of his family members are believers out in Cali. So that dynamic instantly reveiled such strain, pain and bitterness inside him. He explained how their hope for him to be saved was more like and unfulfilled expectation in his mind eating at him. I told him not to live in his mind, that I had a similar struggle with my brother when he became a believer seven years before me. And he wanted me to believe so very badly, but I just loved my sin back then. Right then I just felt like telling my testamony. -The Holy Spirit inspired abridged version. About addiction (to cigarettes, weed, liquor, gambling, sex), mental hospitals, demonic possesions, hyper-religiousity, depression, disparity, and one stolen car to serve as the catylist for Jesus Christ to accept my first prayer in ten years. I confessed total and utter failure, I hoped God would heal me as I placed my faith in Jesus and I also prayed for quitting my own will power. The only Bible verse I remembered Matt 11:29-30. It was a choppy prayer, but full of remorse and humility asking for forgiveness. And ever since, God's will convicting me has been a year of immense change and gratitude.
My co-worker was struck, amazed at who I am today verses a year ago. He could not even tell that I had a past even remotely like that. Which surprised me because though the addictions are gone, the scantification of my words certainly isn't complete and its most apparent at work. My co-worker continued to let down his guard enough to share with me that his sister calls him every week and asks him if he's reading the Bible, staying in the word or praying. And every week he tells her the truth "no" and he's not proud of that. He came to a teary point when he looked at me and said: "I just don't get it... No matter where I go there's always someone in my life to preach the Word to me." I told him I was honored to be that person. I asked him if he ever committed his soul and faith to Jesus Christ and he confessed: "Yes."
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