Testimonies – Mitchell

My testimony starts with me being raised in a Christian family. All was good. I accepted God into my life as a young kid. At that age I had no worry in the world. But as I got older things got harder. Things got exceptionally harder half way through 6^th grade. I remember the night everything changed for me. Since then it’s been a trial to overcome.

One night me, my sister Olivea, Kolie, Emerson, and mom were watching TV. My mom asked Kolie to turn off the TV. After it was off my mom said, “I have to tell you guys something. It’s not easy for me to tell you guys this. But me and your dad have been talking and we think it’s better that we end our marriage.”

After those words were spoken my heart just sank. I wanted to ask if she was kidding. But so many thoughts were running through my mind that it seemed like I was being all 5 basketball players at once. As many thoughts were running through my mind, so also many tears were running down my face. All I remember doing was crying, complaining, and blaming. I remember one night sitting in bed, crying and asking God, “Why are you doing this to me?! This is You’re fault!!”

After that week, things got hard and things changed. I started cussing more and I started to reach for drugs and sex. As time went by things got worse and worse. But then Kevin and Becki dragged me to youth group one Wednesday. I hated it; but as weeks went by , I started to grow into it. During this part of my life, I just stopped. I didn’t push for drugs and sex and I didn’t go back to God. I just sat and waited.

Winter of my freshman year in high school, the youth group went to a concert. When the guest speaker came out and spoke, it felt like God was telling me to quit using excuses and follow Him. So, during that concert I recommitted my life. Later on that year I got to go to Peru on a missions trip. During that trip I realized so much and understood how little I was doing for God. After that trip, things changed for the better in me. I started to acknowledge God and put Him in my life… but He still wasn’t number 1… he was number 5. I just couldn’t do it.

I stayed that way until the end of my sophomore year. The youth group went on a mission trip to Scroon Lake, New York to a Word of Life camp to help them prepare for the upcoming year. During that trip, Becki and Kevin had a talk with me that I will never forget. God showed me that he had people with me that cared about my life. After we talked that night, I realized where God was in my life and where He needed to be. I started praying more, realizing my problems, reading the Bible more, and thinking about my future.

Looking back on my past, I realized that if Becki and Kevin wouldn’t have entered into my spiritual life and walk, I’d be into drugs and sex right now. But since God cares about me, He sent Becki and Kevin into my life. They have remained close to me. Because of those two people, I have yet to and never will try drugs. Also because of them, I will remain a virgin until marriage. (Thank you Kevin & Becki)