Finding faith

'The Lord made Himself known to me 61 years ago when I began searching for ‘truth’. It’s quite a long story so I will try to condense it as best I can.

I was a young, happily married atheist with a loving husband and two young children. A friend that I’d met at ante-natal clinic suddenly decided to have her children ‘christened’, which I couldn’t understand at all! We had long discussions about ‘God’ and I was very disdainful of her views which I thought were ridiculous because science had proved life had come via evolution - there was no God.

Then, to my great annoyance, she sent the local CofE curate to visit me. When I opened the door and saw his dog collar my heart sank, but not wishing to be rude, and ready as always to voice my opinions on religion, I invited him in. Well, he came through my (condescending) onslaught very well I thought - I could see he was very sincere and actually believed what he was telling me. My view had always been that all clergymen were hypocrites!

Anyway, I found myself actually listening to what he had to say, he seemed to make sense. The outcome was that he revisited and gave me a book to read titled ‘Give God A Chance’, which was written by a clergyman who gave his answers to religious questions. At the end of the book was a challenge to the reader that, if they really, sincerely wanted to know if God existed or not, they should simply ask Him to reveal Himself . I realised how important it was for me to know the truth one way or the other, so although I felt I was being pretty stupid, speaking into thin air, I voiced the words : “Ok God, if you are really there, then show me!” And left it at that. Well, things began happening to me that I kept putting down to coincidence. I’d take note of things that were happening in the news or that appeared in the newspapers - personal stories that I would ask ‘God’ to intervene in . The outcomes were always resolved in a good way and made me think and wonder. There was a final straw that broke the camel’s back, so to speak, a wonderful healing that made me finally admit that God indeed was ‘there’.

Of course I told Michael, the Curate, and he was delighted, but I couldn’t understand where Jesus fitted into all this. So he gave me a book, written for teenagers and written in up to date language. It was the story of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection as in the New Testament and as I read it I found myself believing who Jesus is and I told Him I wanted to follow Him - not without a bit of a struggle mentally as I contemplated what my family and friends would think of me and If I would become a religious ‘maniac’! But I just had to follow through.

In that moment I felt such joy and peace, (and I subsequently realised I’d born again, according to John 3) everything was new, the sky looked bluer and the grass greener! I knew I was a sinner but now saved. God was taking care of me.

Meanwhile, I’d been relating to my husband everything that had been happening over the months. He always listened and humoured me, but at times it was a bit scary for him as he saw the changes in me. But God is faithful and very soon after my conversion he became a believer too. I bring to mind the words of the great hymn Amazing Grace: ‘ through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come, tis grace has brought me safe thus far and grace will lead me home’.

Life hasn’t been easy for me, there is much more to tell, but God has brought me through faithfully. I can’t stress enough how important God’s word is to me, especially in the troubled times we are now living in. To God be the glory.' - Eileen