Real Lives
Ann
I was brought up in the Kirkdale area of Liverpool and went to St John's Catholic school on Fountains Road. I was the second oldest of 8 children and would have described myself as a good Catholic school girl who went to Mass every Sunday, Benediction every Friday and Confession every week.
I later married and moved to Durban, South Africa, having two children. Some time in 1973 I attended a Christian concert in order to listen to a lady called Gwen Murray sing. One of the songs that Gwen sang had the words 'take up your cross and follow me'. These words really struck me when I heard them. One of the things that I noticed at this concert was the way some of the young people were truly worshipping. They had hands raised and seemed very sincere about their belief, which was very different from what I'd experienced. As I continued watching these young people, tears began to fall from my eyes. Soon after this, Gwen Murray shared some Bible scriptures, which was quite new to me. She read from Psalm 56 verse 8, which spoke about how God counts every tear and records them in a jar. I was amazed at this word. So much so that it stayed with me for days after.
My husband and I, as well as my two children, went again to the City Halll to listen to this concert. During the concert a Canadian minister began to share words from the Bible. His message was to 'come to the cross and repent'. I watched as my husdand and the two children all went down to this man after the service and asked Jesus to come into their lives. I just wasn't so sure about all of this at all. After all, i was a good person, especially as I went to church and received the sacraments.
Despite feeling unsure about all this, i listened all week to Gwen Murray's song, 'take up your cross and follow Me'.
The following Saturday i was at a prayer meeting which I attended with my husband and two friends. The Minister there was speaking about things God says in the Bible. He talked about repenting – that we are to ask for forgiveness but also start living for God. He also mentioned the need of asking Jesus to come into our lives. After he had spoken a lady came forward, explaining that God had given her a song for someone in the meeting. And yes, the song she sang was, 'take up your cross and follow Me'. Whilst she sung this song I flooded with tears. Soon after this there was an invitation for anyone who wanted, to go to the front of the room and respond to what had been said. I went to the front and repented, turning away from the life I used to lead, and gave my life to Jesus.
Driving home that night I felt a peace over me that I could not explain or understand. I knew it was the peace of God. It was that wonderful that I thought I'd gone to heaven and back.
From that day on my life truly changed. There were people in my life who I struggled to forgive. People that had really hurt me. Jesus helped me to forgive all of them. When I did this I could sense so clearly the love of God. All my life I knew that Jesus had died for me, yet I had never truly repented and asked Him to come into my life. I was hooked on God from that time on as well as His Word, the Bible.
