My Conversion Testimony
I
am right now currently 58 years old.
I
got saved and born again at the young age of 6 years old. The year would have
approximately been 1972.
It
was a Sunday afternoon. My grandma Minnie who lived with us was visiting some
of her grown children and grandchildren at the time.
My
father Robert worked for the Southern Pacific Railroad as a Dispatcher, and he
worked a double shift the night before and had to work all day on Sunday too.
He
often worked double shifts during that time to bring in extra income for the
family, as he was the main bread winner.
My
mother was trained in accounting work and working for Bank of America as a
Teller, but after she gave birth to my brother and me, she was a stay at home
mom for all of those years until I was a Senior in high school.
The
setting on that Sunday afternoon is that after church, we had eaten lunch. Then
my mother, brother and me all sat in the living room watching Rex Humbard
preaching that Sunday afternoon.
His
family lived in the Akron, Ohio area and pastored a mega size church. At the
time, his church services were broadcast on television. It was a new era at the
time for church services to be broadcast on television. It had just been newly
invented.
Rex
Humbard was colleagues with ministers such as Oral Roberts, Benny Hinn, and
other well known ministers.
That
Sunday afternoon as we watched his live program on television, he preached a salvation
message and then invited those who wanted to get saved to come forward (if they
were members of his church) or to pray the salvation prayer in their home if
they were watching via television.
At
the end of his message, it so gripped my heart that I told my mom I wanted to ask
Jesus to come into my heart and be my Lord and Savior.
So
my mom knelt with me at the sofa, and led me in a salvation prayer. At the very
moment I said, “Lord Jesus I invite You to come into my heart”, I literally
felt His presence in such a powerful way, and instantly I was filled with the
Holy Ghost.
But
I didn’t speak in tongues until years later in my adult years.
It
was a life transforming experience for me, literally feeling Jesus’ Presence
come into my heart.
I
felt so much peace and joy on the inside that was indescribable. I felt literally
washed and cleansed on the inside. My sins were forgiven. I was a brand new creature
in Christ Jesus. I was born again and part of the Body of Christ.
Since
that moment in time on that Sunday afternoon, I have never once backslidden or
walked away from God. I have served the Lord faithfully and with joy for my
entire lifetime.
I
have ran my race and completed my course, and there awaits rewards for me when
my date of departure comes.
I
have followed Christ all the way until the very end, and never departed from
the faith or got caught up in heresy or false religions.
I
never was involved in any major sin areas in my life, but tried my best to live
in holiness.
I
was set apart from my mother’s womb like Jeremiah was at a young age, and I was
different than the rest of the kids.
The
other kids might be involved in immorality, smoking, drugs, going to filthy
movies and dance halls and drinking alcohol for the purpose of partying and
drunkenness.
But
I was a loner in my Junior High and High School years at the public school due
to very few friends at school who were set apart and did not indulge in sinful
living habits.
I
tried my best to live in holiness and live a clean lifestyle. I refrained from
ungodly music too, and only listened to godly Christ centered Gospel music.
Over
the years growing up I had to take the heat and go through minor persecution
from my brother and from the kids at school for my strong standards of living a
set apart lifestyle.
They
made fun of me, mocked me, rejected me, wanted nothing to do with me, called me
nasty and hurtful names, but thankfully they never beat me up but left me
alone.
I
had to deal with bullies quite often too from school who hated me due to my
faith in Christ, but thankfully it was all threats but they never did beat me
up.
Somehow
the Lord preserved me from evil people all of those years and still protects me
to this day.
I
was 55 when I got married, and prior to that time never did have sex outside of
marriage, but was a virgin when I got married.
I
am not boasting, but rather give glory to God for giving me the grace to live
in purity until marriage, even for all of those years and marrying at age 55.
It’s
only been by the grace and mercy of God that I can share my testimony.
In
my years of being married, I have never once committed adultery or had an
affair, nor ever even had the temptation or thoughts of ever doing so. I have
remained pure and faithful and true.
I
have followed Christ until the very end and have been an overcomer. One of the
promises given to those who are overcomers until the very end is that they will
inherit all things.
I’ve
had other issues in my life that I have had to go through, but they are not
necessarily sin related issues. Life has not always been easy for me, but I
have overcome by God’s grace.
In
2003 I received my Bachelor of Theology degree in Biblical Studies from Shiloh
Bible College in Oakland, California.
Pastor
Violet Kiteley, who is now with the Lord in Heaven, was the founder of the
church and college.
She
always encouraged us students to be overcomers until the very end.
She
lived to be around age 95 or so. She was definitely an overcomer until the very
end, and she had to go through many trials and losses in her lifetime.
I
am now dealing with disease in my body, but have decided that I’m going to be
an overcomer until the very end.
Rex
Humbard is now in Heaven.
I
have been a partner with Benny Hinn Ministries ever since January of 1991, and
have given tithes and offerings almost every single month all of these years.
Sometimes
I give offerings also to Kenneth and Gloria Copeland Ministries and to Kenneth
Hagin Ministries and his spiritual son Mark Hankins Ministry.
Living
for the Lord has been exciting for me. I have no regrets following Christ my
whole life, but only joy and delight in serving the Lord.
I
love the Lord with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength. And I also love
the brethren too.
I
have been a teacher of the Word for over 25 years now, and have thoroughly
enjoyed every single moment of it, and explaining the Word to my readers and
encouraging the saints.
I
enjoy being an encouragement to others. If I water others, I will be refreshed
too.
My
hobbies include cross stitch projects (primarily religious art), and reading
faith building books from authors such as Joyce Meyer, Kenneth Hagin Sr.,
Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, and Charles and Frances Hunter (who are both in
Heaven now, but their writings live on).
I
hope my testimony has been an encouragement to you. Keep following Christ, and
persevere through trials, and be an overcomer until the very end. Then your
rewards will be great.
Also,
refrain and repent from any immorality in your life, so that you do not lose
rewards when you stand before the Lord in heaven someday.
That
applies not only to sexual sins, but also lying, malice, jealousy, unforgiveness,
bitterness, hatred, gossiping, slander, and like things. Deal with it right now
while there is still time.
Sincerely,
Kathleen
Riley
P.S.
When I was single, I never had any boyfriends and never dated, never held hands
with a man, never kissed a man or anything like that. My husband is the one and
only for me.
While
single, I dated the Lord spiritually speaking. I didn’t feel the need to have
boyfriends.
And
my orientation has always been where I’m only attracted to the male gender
only.
For most of my life, I was a Carnivore and ate mostly meat products in my diet.
However, a few years ago the Lord switched me over to being a strict vegetarian. And now I do not miss meat or crave it any longer.
I eat fruits,
vegetables, grains and dairy products. I still drink soda pop (Coca Cola and Sprite),
but I do not eat meat or miss it.
I
slimmed down quite a bit after transitioning to being a strict vegetarian. At
one point, I was obese and weighed over 200 pounds. But after transitioning to
a vegetarian, I slimmed down quite a bit.
All
of my pregnancies have been successful, even conceiving later in life after I got
married. A few embryos miscarried, but 95% of the pregnancies have been
successful.
My
husband and I have borne around 20 kids now. We have a large family.
If
you have not asked Jesus to come into your heart yet and make Him your Lord and
Savior, just pray this simple prayer and I believe you will be born again:
It is God's will that no one should perish (end up in hell), but that ALL should come to repentance.
For God so loved this world that He gave His only begotton Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
God did not send His Son into this world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him would be saved.
The thief (Satan the devil) comes only for to kill, steal and destroy. But Jesus has come to give us life, and life more abundantly, until it overflows.
I urge you to come to the Cross today and receive Jesus as your Savior and Lord. He will wash away all your sins and make you as clean and white as fresh snow.
Just pray this prayer and mean it with your heart:
Dear Lord Jesus (if you are not able to call him Lord yet, then just say "Jesus")
I receive You as my Savior and Lord. I give my life over to You. I believe that You died and rose again, and that if I call on the Name of the Lord I shall be saved.
I accept you into my heart right now, and confess that You are Lord and have risen from the dead and forever live to make intercession for me.
Thank You for washing my heart pure and clean and making me whole, and for giving me peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Thank You that now I am a new creature in Christ Jesus. The old has gone and the new has come.
And there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh (carnality and sin), but walk after the Spirit. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
If you prayed this prayer, I believe you got born again and are now heaven bound and will be with the Lord forever and have eternal life. Your sins are now forgiven. You are accepted in the Beloved.
I would encourage you to find a good Bible based local church to help you grow in your faith, to learn the Word of God, to praise and worship Him, and to have fellowship with the saints.
Serving Christ is the best decision you will ever make.
God bless you!!!
If you have prayed this simple prayer, I believe you got born again. Welcome to the Body of Christ. You are accepted into the Beloved.
Find a good Bible based church in your geographical area, and attend the House of God and receive the ingrafted Word of God so that you will grow in your Christian faith.
God bless you!
