The words of Sister Jennifer Smith posted with her consent.
“I was 27. I had been married for five years and had a 2 month old son. I had not attended church regularly ever in my life. In high school I had been good friends with a boy who put great effort into soul searching. He went to a different church nearly every weekend and I frequently went too. We attended Jewish services, Muslim, Catholic, all kinds of Protestants, and Unitarian groups. I believed in God the same way I believed in germ theory. I knew He existed but it was unseen and rarely touched my life. I did not believe myself to be lost. I co-existed with the divine without having any kind of relationship or feeling any need. My husband didn't want to go to church so we didn't. I wouldn't have minded going. I liked the singing and loved seeing family and friends but didn't care enough to argue with Mil. Then, when I was pregnant with Jack, Mil became very ill. He was in the hospital for days and thought he might die. He prayed and heard the voice of God. I didn't know if I believed him and I didn't understand his experience. Still, he was changed. He wanted to go to church. I went to support him. One morning my father preached. He said that he had prepared a sermon but God woke him up early in the morning and God gave him a different sermon. He preached on pride. Quite all of a sudden I knew my pride was deafening me to God. I prayed in the pew and was forgiven of my sin. It was just like being blind and deaf all of your life and then healed instantly. The emotion, the presence of God, and the guilt and condemnation were overwhelming and disorienting frightening and painful. I did not hesitate to seek relief! I remember thinking, "How can people believe this, feel this, and do nothing?!?! How can people spend years running from this?" As soon as I felt it I prayed! I got Sanctified that night. I really didn't want to wait any time at all but was weak and shaky. I needed the afternoon to calm down enough to go back to an alter before God.
I hadn't been wretched. I hadn't been brought low. Indeed, my life had been chugging along quite well. It wasn't until after I gave my life to God that I was tested. Two months after I got Sanctified, Jack was diagnosed with scoliosis and an ordeal began that lead us through three very serious and scary surgeries. He faces his fourth in July. I remain persuaded that we will all be carried through whatever we are asked to face. I still wonder how people can say they believe and not bow before the throne. This is my testimony.”
Do you have a testimony?
