I am so excited about sharing the beginning of my testimony today that I
don't know how to actually begin! To be honest, I've started typing
this at least a dozen times in the last month or so.
To
understand my testimony you need to know about my experiences with one
of my favorite things on earth: the ocean (example of my love for the ocean :)). I could listen to, smell, look at, and swim in the ocean all
day. Of course, I'm a little spoiled- I prefer the clear waters of the
Pacific or the gulf around Florida where I can see what's around me.
Swimming in the muddy brown water of Galveston these past 10 years has
been a poor substitute.
On the day my parents brought me home from the hospital as a little
baby girl, they made a detour. (My Dad wanted to show me off to his
coworkers...:) So the first place I ever went in my life was on board a
ship. Of course I don't remember it, but I like to think that that is
one of the many reasons I LOVE the ocean. My Dad was in the Navy, so
I've always lived within an hour of the beach (minus 3 years in
Nebraska). I have probably spent a year of my life swimming, snorkeling,
building sand castles, chasing crabs, catching fish, and hunting for
sea shells.
When I was about 4, my grandparents were visiting us while we lived
in Monterey, CA. We took them to the beach. :) I remember the brown sand
and remember wading out to my waist. On my way back to the beach, I
somehow tripped in the water. I could swim, so this wasn't a problem.
However there was a brutal undertow. I was close enough to the shore and
the water was shallow enough that I could dig my fingers into the sand
and hold my head above water. Usually the undertow would stop after a
few seconds and I knew I'd be able to stand up and go about my business.
This time it wasn't letting up. When the sand started to get pulled
away from my hands I knew something was wrong. But I didn't cry out for
help- it all happened so fast. I still remember the feel of the sand
disappearing from my hands and the pull of the ocean. My Grandad
happened to be close and he leaned down and grabbed me moments before I
was drawn out to sea. He saved my life.
After such a traumatic moment you'd think I'd be scarred for life
and refuse to touch the ocean without some form of therapy, but no. I
loved the ocean too much! I was right back in it that same day. This is
how God opened the door of my heart and one of the main things He used
to draw me to Him.
We moved to Guam a year after my near-drowning experience- a tiny
bean-shaped island near Japan. The waters and coral reefs around Guam
are gorgeous! I still remember the vibrant colors. (It's also a
honeymoon spot for many Asians...I remember my sisters' and my blond
hair getting a lot of attention and we were in a LOT of pictures with
strangers. :) Our church in Guam was on a cliff overlooking the sea. I
remember climbing the porch poles for a better view and humidity so
thick you felt like you were wading through it. (Trust me, Houston is
NOT as bad.) One day, a little girl about my age got baptized. The
church tromped down to the ocean to celebrate her baptism, but we stayed
in our church clothes. Being on the beach my natural instinct was to
run to the water, but my parents stopped me. "But she's swimming!" I
said, completely confused. My parents had to explain this to me. We went
home and I had questions. What was 'baptism'? I'd heard of Jesus, I
knew about His stories, I'd listened to my parents pray- we always
prayed before every meal and before going to bed.
My parents explained that baptism was a symbol. It was that little
girl's way of publicly showing that she had asked Jesus to save her from
her sins and that she was a Christian. There was further discussion- I
don't remember much of it, only that it happened. I decided then and
there that I didn't want to go to Hell. I knew that I was 'cause I'd
definitely sinned- Mom didn't know about my pet baby gecko in the empty
peanut butter jar that I was keeping under the living room chair...(the
things you could hide when chairs and couches had cloth flaps or fringe
that went down to the floor)...
I don't know if it was that same day or week, but I DO know that seeing a
girl in the ocean was what God used to trigger my conversations with my
parents that eventually led to me praying one night with them and
asking God to forgive me of my sins (playing with fire, hiding
creatures in the house, being selfish with my toys, hiding food in my
napkin so I wouldn't have to eat it, etc.) and come into my life. I
asked Him to take charge and make me the little girl that He wanted me
to be. And I told Him that I knew because of Jesus' sacrifice on the
cross that I could be saved and live in Heaven someday.
I wasn't baptized in Guam. I don't know why. I would wait two years before being baptized at a small church in California.
And THAT is the beginning of my testimony. :)
Lovely
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