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Hi Eric [Stetson], Thank you for your wonderful testimony. I know that, for one, I am thankful to God that you have this wonderful website [Christian-Universalism.com], and even though your path through this life is so difficult, you have not been defeated, and God's Love shines through you and your ministry. Like yourself, I did not have any denominational religious training. My parents were "good people" and through their example, I learned basic morality. I had a strong curiosity about religion, and at about the age of 14 or 15, I rode my bicycle over to the parsonage of our local Baptist Church, and found the minister sitting on his porch. I stopped to ask him about church, and he asked where I went to church and where my parents went to church. When I told him that we didn't go to church, he told me that we were "bound for Hell." I remember getting back on my bicycle and heading home, and having something deep inside me know that that was just not right. Later on, I moved to Boston, Massachusetts and attended some Unitarian Universalist Churches, and heard some of the greatest preachers in that denomination. It served me well for many years. In fact, I would look on Sunday as an "Oasis" in my week. During the late 70's and 80's, I felt that there was a growing movement of separation in the Unitarian churches, people being broken up into groups, feminists, gays, supporters of "right to choose," etc. I no longer felt that there was the same "seeking for Truth" and true "Freedom from the pulpit." It became, to me, like smaller and smaller groups. Anyway, for several years, I felt like I was in a spiritual desert. Then, at the age of 39, I had some amazing things happen, which ultimately, certainly not instantly, brought me to finding God, through our Lord and brother, Jesus Christ. I do, though, remember in my beginnings as a Christian, I tried praying for the conversion of Satan, as I felt, if that happened, and God can do anything, that all things would get better instantly. God must have been "amused" at this plea, but, I did have a kind of answer to it. I was listening to a local college station, when I heard an old Eastern European Jewish folk tale about a town that wanted to capture Satan. The elders decided to hide out and watch for him at night. When he came around their village, they would catch him. Well, one night while they were hiding out, they saw him heading to the village. They dropped a net over him, bound him up, and buried him. Then, the hens stopped laying, the young people stopped seeing each other, etc. Things just weren't "right." The elders decided that in some way, Satan must be necessary in God's plan. They dug him up and set him free, and the village returned to "normal." I have never been able to find that story. I would love to. I guess that that showed me that first of all God is in FULL control. Satan can only ultimately work for God's purposes. While not an alcoholic myself, I have attended AA meetings with friends who are and, as in AA, where many alcoholics believe that they had to "hit bottom" to find a way to freedom from drugs, I believe that Satan lost those battles even in the beginnings of a belief in a "Higher Power." Think of how much the power is greater through Jesus Christ. I am so glad that you are a "voice in the wilderness" crying out the Good News of God's salvation through Jesus Christ for all humanity. Thank you, Eric. In the name and love of Jesus,
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Christian Universalist Testimonies -- Christians Transformed "From Hell to Hope"
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Heavenly Father, please bless this ministry, lead multitudes to this website, and help them see the truth of Your love and forgiveness for all people through the power of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of the whole world. Open their eyes to Your true nature, take away their fears, and fill their hearts with the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. |