testify

three years ago i was involved in this 20-somethings group called seven ten at EVBC. i used to go with my friend J.B. as support for her and because i was curious about God and a religion other than the Catholic i was raised to believe. forced to believe. but to be honest, the main reason i went to this group on tuesday nights was to check out all the cute boys and listen to the amazing music.

seven ten would start of with a few minutes of praise & worship (music) which was more like a rock concert than church to me so it drew me in... little did i realize at the time, but God was speaking to me through those songs. the P & W was always followed by a prayer and a testimony by some newly saved soul sitting on a stool in front of the group of us. then some guy (Pastor) would talk for a while and then we would sing again and go home.

* * *

i remember the day my life changed. took its first step in the right direction. some girl (i can't remember her name) sat on the stool and poured her heart out. she expressed the terrible life she had been living, filled with all kinds of terrible choices (most of which i too have made) and then she spoke of the moment God entered her life and she was "saved". i was so envious of the way she spoke about God. she talked like her was her friend, like she knew him. like she actually heard him speaking to her. this concept was so amazing to me.

raised in a Catholic home i was taught to fear God. He was this big mean guy up in the clouds that would strike you down or banish you to a lifetime in Purgatory if you didn't act a certain way & go to church every sunday. but this was different, this girl knew God. she wasn't afraid of him in spite of all the sin in her past. she was thankful for him. she was "saved", a term that was so foreign to me until that moment.

after she spoke we prayed and then sang some more songs. one of the songs was "Open the Eyes of My Heart", one of my all time favorites. i remember singing my soul out the night. while singing i prayed harder than i ever had in my life. i was so eager to know God. i wanted to talk about Him like she did. i wanted to hear Him like she did. i wanted Him to be my friend too. i wanted to be "saved". i wanted a testimony.... my heart was groaning to know Him.

* * *

about two months ago i was at church speaking with a new friend of mine K.T "Bri we should grab a coffee sometime. I want to hear your story. I want to know how you were saved and what brought you to Christ."

it was at the moment that it hit me. i have a story. i have a testimony. i have been saved.

that following tuesday D & i were talking at work about getting more involved in church. how we both want to know more about Christ so we can minister to people in a stronger way. she invited me to an event at her church that night that she has gone to for a while now.

yup! you smart bloggers know how this story ends. at 7:10 that evening i was sitting in the same room where, 3 yrs ago i prayed for God to save my life. that very room where my soul begged to know Him.

my prayer has been answered!! and yes, it took 3 years (talk about a lesson on patience)... but it has been answered!! i have been "saved". i have a story. i now feel like i know God as a friend rather than a man to fear.

i picture God hearing my prayer three years ago and thinking, "Okay, Brianna. I will bring you to me. I will save you, but I'm going to have to break your heart."