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Wednesday, July 29, 2009

I'm So Excited!

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It's Wednesday's Walk again! Please join us if you want. You can visit Lynnette's blog to see what it's all about!


I've been waiting to tell this memory. It's actually not my memory. It really belongs to my husband, but it means so much to me and I know you'll enjoy it as well.

Back to our story.....
I was born & raised Catholic. It's a strange thing to try to describe. I kind of think that once your Catholic, it's like being Jewish, you are always Catholic. I don't know if that makes any sense, but anyway. I went to a Catholic grade school until I graduated from the 8th grade and then I made the HUGE leap to public schools. Talk about culture shock!!!!!

My husband wasn't really raised with any sort of christian background. He went to church a few times growing up, but never really had a chance to learn what it meant to be a christian and certainly didn't have a relationship with Our Lord & Savior.

After we got married and more importantly after we had our 1st born, I struggled with how to raise her. I wanted to make sure I was doing everything PERFECT! (HA!)
I would talk to my husband about going to church and he would go with me, if I REALLY wanted him to, but he just never seemed to get anything out of it. Needless to say, we didn't attend very often.

Fast forward about 5yrs to 2003. Some very good friends of ours invited us to a bible study that they were going to at a couples' house (Bill & Mary Harrison). They were just starting a new series called "A Purpose Driven Life". It was opened to any denomination. It was quite a drive for us, but I REALLY wanted to go. I asked Tiger (my husband) several times and he pretty much blew me off and kept saying NO! Finally, I told him that I had decided that I was going by myself, but I really didn't want to drive that far by myself, especially for the 1st time. So he VERY reluctantly said that he would go with me for the 1st time to make sure I made it to the right place safely, but I better not EVER ask him to go again, because the answer would be NO! (You're already guessing what happened next aren't you?)

He went with me and was so moved and overwhelmed that he just had to come back to see what it was all about. He had questions every week and his curiosity was exciting to watch. Neither one of us really had a bible, so Bill gave us each our own bible. We finished the series and kept going every week. Tiger kept coming back with more questions and he would read his bible diligently. Bill was so nice. He told Tiger he could call him anytime day or night with any questions that he had, and Tiger did.

After several months of going to bible study every week, Bill finally asked Tiger what he was waiting for. Tiger was a bit confused. He said, "What do you mean?" Bill said, "What's keeping you from giving your life to Christ?" And (I'm gonna cry), Tiger said, "NOTHING!" So of course Bill said, "Then let's do it!" He kneeled down next to Tiger and put his hand on him and they prayed together and gave his life to Christ! I cried and Bill cried (I'm not sure if there was a dry eye in the room). The next week Bill prepared a celebration dinner in honor of Tiger. It was a day that I will never forget!!!!

Growing up Catholic, I don't really have a memory of when I "came to Christ". I can't remember a time that I didn't know about Him or believe, so I love to share my husband's story. I separated myself from the Lord for several years, but when my husband started his walk, it drew me closer then I've ever been before. I kind of feel like his walk, has become "our" walk.

Tiger and I thank God everyday for our friends that invited us and to Bill and Mary for opening their hearts and home to us. I wish I had pictures of Bill & Mary, but never thought about taking a camera at the time. Our lives are forever changed!

The story continues of course, but I don't want to make this too long so I'll save the rest for another Wednesday's Walk! Thanks for sharing this precious moment with us!

7 comments:

Lisa said...

Oh what a precious memory! Thank you for sharing!

Linda said...

I love to read stories and testimonies of how people came to know and love Jesus! Now I am dying to know more of you and your husband's journey together in Christ. I will look forward to the next post.

I prayed for my husband's salvation for 15 years and then one day it finally happened. It was the best thing to see him yield his heart and life to Christ. That was 15 years ago this next December. I never cease to thank God for saving him,...and giving me a Christian husband.


Even though I had already come to Christ, and had gotten baptized as a child before I was really living for Him, the night my husband got saved God put it on my heart that I had not actually gotten baptized since I became a true believer. So we got baptized together and that was such a joyful day.

God is sooo Good!

Love in Christ,
Linda @ Truthful Tidbits

Laura Hoekstra-Bettig said...

Hi Kelci,

I feel so blessed just reading your blog post tonight! I love hearing how God pursues our hearts and brings each of us to Himself! Thanks for sharing.

Thanks, too, for stopping by my blog today on Wednesday's Walk! I appreciated your comments.

Blessings to you and yours!

Unknown said...

That certainly IS something to be excited about! What a joy to read about your husband's conversion. It's just so wonderful how God grabs a hold of our hearts like that.

Thanks so much for sharing your husband's story - yes, it is yours too! :)

Because of Love said...

Love your salvation story!

Just wanted to stop by and say thank you for your comment on my blog today. It was so nice to have the extra encouragment today.

Barb said...

What a sweet, sweet memory. Thanks for sharing it! Thanks for stopping by my blog the other day and leaving a comment. It's been fun Getting to Know You. As for the hairdos, if you read some of my old posts, you'll find out that when Sofia first came home, there was a time she wouldn't even let me brush her hair!

Caroline said...

Thanx for sharing that, great post. I have a award on my blog for you. :)