The following is our renewal of vows testimony penned for the occasion when on October 2, 2010 Randy and I recommitted ourselves to one another in a Christian church surrounded by believers in the Inerrant, Infallible Word of God. I hope in sharing more of ourselves with you that you in turn feel inspired to share more of who you are with others who care because I believe it is only in our shared humanity when we can really become friends.
Randy and I met back in the Summer of 1990. Both searching for Truth with a deep desire to draw closer to Jesus, it is fitting that the environment in which we met seemed to encompass this desired end. Neither of us being from a strong Christian background, however, and thus lacking in wisdom, knowledge and understanding of the bare necessity to personally maintain and preserve a biblical worldview, the aforementioned environment of which I speak was a New Age group/church. Here we both stayed, I for
sixteen years and Randy for seventeen, Randy having joined a year prior to my introduction.
Reminiscent of the New Age tradition, we found ourselves believing that “all paths lead to God” and that in order to “graduate” from this planet, we must pay off our karma, a debt we have accumulated throughout many lifetimes. Also contained within the New Age philosophy is a crippling belief of a spiritual hierarchy, its origins rooted in the Occult. Basically, in a spiritual hierarchy we cannot have direct access to God, but instead must go through another person more evolved referred to as a “Teacher” or a Master/Saint or even a guardian angel to know what God’s will and purpose is for our lives. In effect, lacking in ability to possess a personal relationship with our Creator leaves our lives hanging in the balance and at the whim of those seeking power and control over us and our families.
After many years of a shared friendship, Randy and I wed on February 19th of 2000. Once Sonya was born and we brought her home from China in January of 2004, I believe because our love for her was so great, that God’s loving hand on us finally pierced through the thick veil that seemed to separate us from the ultimate Truth in Christ Jesus, the only path leading to salvation and a personal relationship with our Father in Heaven— Salvation attained by grace through faith, a free gift to all who will humble themselves, repent of their sins and ask Jesus into their hearts and lives as their Lord and Savior. No works or ritual of any kind can attain for us what Jesus gives freely. Amen and Amen!
After we left what we now refer to as a New Age cult, we started searching for a Christian church to attend as a family. To our utter dismay, we found time and again elements of the New Age philosophy housed within the walls of the so-called Christian churches. Everything from the pronouncement that Christianity and every other “true” religion are the same, to walking through labyrinths to find one’s purpose, to the use of non-biblical resources from the pulpit, to referring to a minister’s words as “his Teaching”, to Christian yoga, to applauding children’s books on witchcraft, to the introduction of the false Jesus and the false gospel stripped of miracle-working power and Deity, we found it.
It’s been over four years now since we left our past behind in order that we could finally know the Truth by drawing closer to the REAL Jesus. It is this Jesus , the biblical Jesus, who has shown us His desire that we renew our vows in a traditional Christian church with traditional Christian vows based in His Word.
We believe Waynedale Baptist church, our church, owes a debt of gratitude to Pastor Wayne for standing guard at the door and keeping out the enemy by securing a strict adherence to God’s Living Word - in his sermons, demeanor, expressions of love and devotion to Christ Jesus alone - forsaking man’s accolades or bids for approval In order that he may continue to faithfully and circumspectly serve his Precious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Thank you for coming out and sharing our special day with us to pay homage to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords! We pray this special day has a renewing effect on all of us in heart, mind and spirit so we may individually and as a Body seek a better understanding of the relevance in these times of God’s Holy, Inspired and Infallible Word - the Holy Bible - in our families, society, nation and world.
No comments:
Post a Comment