I grew up in one of the denominational protestant churches (our family almost never missed sunday school or church). I invited Jesus into my heart at a young age and felt relatively close to God for a number of years. I remember, however, that sometime during my high school years I came to the realization that I wasn't totally committed to the Lord: that if He wanted me to go to Africa as a missionary, I wasn't going.
After high school, I slowly drifted away from the Lord. By the time I was married (in grad school), I doubted the reality of Christianity -- the truth of the Bible.
I am sure it was my Mother's prayers that eventually caused an awakening in me that had to be satisfied by knowing the truth. I started studying the Bible and reading books by Christian authors. I soon came to the place where I knew that I had to commit my life to Jesus: to make Him Lord. Within a month, God gave me the grace to be able to make that commitment.
Shortly afterwards the Lord directed me to a Christian group (Lamb Fellowship) that met on campus. For the first time in my life I realized two things: that the whole point of being a Christian is to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ (including two-way communication) and that the Holy Spirit continues to move in powerful ways like He did in the book of Acts.
I will give you an example of the power of the Holy Spirit:
I have always enjoyed singing in church. I volunteered the couple of times that our church (The Gospel Fellowship of Plainsboro, GFP) put together choirs for special Christmas programs. I never, however, considered the possibility of singing a solo. I don't really like standing in front of people to speak ... singing solos was out of the question.
On May 30, 1986 a Christian man from Oklahoma, C. L. Moore, who did not know me, prophesied over me by the power of the Holy Spirit at a meeting at GFP:
"Brother - God saith I'm going to cause you to labor in the field. Don't you worry about another brother, just be diligent in the plot where He's set you. And let the zeal of the Lord of host be thy strength, and the joy of the Lord shall undergird
thee and thou shall sing - thou shall sing. And thou shall sing unto the Lord of host and surely I will cause thee to bring yea even as thou dost sing a revelation of my strength and of my ability unto many that are lost."
I thought this meant that I would learn to rely on the Lord more and be so joyful that I would be full of song. I didn't forget the word of the Lord to me, but didn't dwell on it. I just kept on doing my part to finish the GFP building project.
In May of 1994, at our convention celebrating the 1 year anniversary of the dedication of the GFP building, a man named Tony Nash laid hands on me to pray for me and ask the Holy Spirit to stir. A few minutes later I walked over to a microphone ... I've been singing ever since -- both with the worship team and solos.
The Holy Spirit told me he was going to set me free to sing ... and then He did it. What a gracious, loving God we serve. He gives us gifts when we're too timid to ask. He gives us the desires of our hearts even when we're too bound up to admit that we have them. I can't wait to see what adventure He has planned for me next. Hallelujah!
Last Update: 09/07/96
Web Author: dhh
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