My Testimony

First and foremost I am in love with Jesus Christ, He is my all and all and the reason for all that I do and my goal is to hear Him say "well done"! I was blessed to have been born in a Christian Home, all I have ever known was going to church and living a protected and holy life. My testimony doesn't have that earth shattering deliverence from the bondage of sins addictions but nonetheless even a sheltered christian has their ups and downs and hangups and inner struggles. I am fourth generation Pentecostal.. my dad and mom were not raised in Pentecost all of their lives, I think my dad was 14 when his mom went to a tent revival and received the Holy Ghost, she was in her 40's... but both she and my great-grandma were in Pentecostal Church when I was born. My grandpa was a PK to a Methodist minister, but he also converted to Pentecostal and received the Holy Ghost. My mom was a little girl when her parents started going to a two-car garage church meeting and became Pentecostal. before that they had been Pilgrim of Holiness. so that is how I have such a legacy of church going Pentecostals. The Legacy lives on as my three daughters are Holy Ghost filled Pentecostals and my oldest daughter is married to an ex-Amish, now Pentecostal man and they are raising their 10 month old son in Pentecostal revival atmosphere. I have inherited my love of music from my mother and grandfather. My grandfather taught singing school and guitar lessons and also played the violin/fiddle. My grandmother played the pump organ and Grandpa wrote songs. My mother plays accordion and piano and sings beautifully, especially harmony. I learned my love of embroidery and quilting from both of my grandmothers. When I was growing up I was privelidged to have my maternal grandparents live in the apartment behind our house and I would spend a lot of time with them, they were my best friends. During the summer I would spend several weeks at my paternal grandparents house and that was always a special highlight in my life and we would go to church several times a week while I was there. It was a hard year for me in 1976 when I was 12 years old I lost my maternal grandmother and my paternal grandfather in the same year. I remember throwing myself at the edge of my bed and begging God to bring my grandmother who had died of congestive heart failure and hardening of the arteries, back to life, I was only able to cope when I felt in my spirit that Grandma told God "to tell Lisa that I am safe in the arms of God". I was okay after that. But boy did I miss her and still do. My Grandpa Kelley lost his voice several months later and could barely whisper, he died of lung cancer, Grandpa loved listening to gospel preaching and singing on the radio and would record many of those services to cassette tapes. He had boxes and boxes of them when he died. It was after I got married that my Maternal grandfather died, he was in his eighties and he had had a wonderful and full life. He was the one who was very musically inclined and he loved nature and knew the names of trees and rocks and I loved going on nature walks in the woods with him when they had lived by us when I was younger. I think he died of old age as I don't remember hearing of any health ailments being the cause of his death. My Paternal grandmother went home to be with Jesus last year at the age of 94, she had lost most of her eyesight and had arthritus really bad in her hip and legs... she wanted to go home, but even still I really miss her. She would place her family everynight before she would go to bed and pray for each one of us. She had a very sharp mind and well, to know her was to love her. A wonderful christian lady and one of my dearest friends. These are the people who molded and made my life what it is. I learned so much from them. They are the pattern and example for me of who I want to be like and to love unconditionally like they did. They didn't back bite or belittle or have predudices or seek for fame or fortune... they were content with what they had and though humble and poor they always gave. I want no more than that, to leave a legacy of love and of the things of God.

Thank God for His love and mercy and for allowing me to have another day.