Testimonies – Tim

PAST LIFE – As a child, I grew up as a product of a broken home. At the age of 3, my mother , sister and I were forced to live with my grandmother when my father walked out on us. The home we lived in had 8 people living there. Growing up was tough because I didn’t get to be a kid like most others my age. I had to basically, from the time I got out of school until bedtime, serve almost as a servant to the adults of the family. This lifestyle was mainly because of my uncle. He was very hot-tempered and abusive. Many nights I cried myself to sleep because of either watching him abuse my mom, grandmother, or aunts. This went on for several years until I was 17. Finally, when I’d had all I could take, I fought back.

At 18, I moved out on my own and tried to make a better life for myself. As it turned out, that didn’t go well. I met a girl and thought I was in-love. She wasn’t the kind of girl you would take home to mom. Our lives became a non-stop party. Along with the partying, she became a drug-user and I began to sell drugs to supply her and keep a roof over our heads.  This went on until about 6 months after I turned 19. That was when my daughter was born. She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.  I literally stopped selling drugs after my first glance at her because that wasn’t what I wanted for her. However, the way I was living had already played a part in how things were going. My daughter’s grandmother used my past to gain custody and she won.  After that, I left my daughter’s mom.

Following the break-up, I spent many years taking care of my grandmother. With this, I still had to put up with verbal abuse from my uncle in order to provide for my grandmother. I had started noticing the lasting effects this was having on me. At around 30, I was diagnosed with Adult ADD and Depression, due to the abuse. Around age 31, my grandmother died. This left me feeling lost and empty with no sense of purpose left.

With this hole in my heart, I was vulnerable and became involved with a married woman. Knowing what I had been thru, she tugged on my heart strings with her own sob story. I moved-in and paid all the bills and made sure the kids had what they needed for about six months. When I lost my job, I found out that I was being used. She began calling me “worthless” and “no good.” Until, finally, I had enough. I sat down with a bottle of Rum and a knife. I began to make small incisions all over my arms. With each cut, I was numb from the internal pain for a few minutes. After about 10 cuts, it was no longer working. Then, I finished the bottle and pressed the knife to my wrist. But at the same time, as if sent there by God, my sister walked in and took the knife from me.

Conviction – I had to spend 3 long days locked up. During this time, I came to realize that I wasn’t just hurting myself; I was hurting those I still had left that loved me. When released, I couldn’t go back home but I had two amazing friends, Marie and Jerry Meyers, who took me in without hesitation and helped me get back on my feet. Along with that, they helped show me I was stronger than I thought and that I deserved way better than the life I HAD been living. I started going to church with them across the street from where we lived. As regularly as I was going, for some reason, I still didn’t feel the embrace of God.

A little over a year and a half ago, I started dating a girl that had two kids. We got along great at first, but then I started falling back into the old pattern. She began wanting to party every weekend with no regard for how it affected us. After a few times of trying to talk her out of partying, she decided she wanted to take a break. This is when I truly KNEW, I had become a changed man. I refused to let someone like that into my life anymore and I called it quits.

Salvation – As time went on, I started getting messages, on a social networking site, from a beautiful girl that I couldn’t believe was interested in me. However, she kept writing me when finally she asked for us to meet.  It was an awkward way, but she picked me up and we sat at the hospital with her best friend.  We had so much fun by simply playing tic-tac-toe and coloring. Things clicked very well, so we started seeing each other on a regular basis. We eventually wanted to take it a step further and move-in together. This relationship was different than any that I had been in. Communication was great, as well as the team-like mentality. I grew to love her and her two children more than I have ever loved anyone. I knew at this point I wanted to spend my life with them. I proposed to Sarah Schulke and asked her to be my wife. During this time, I had grown to love God and I realized the strength he gave me to move on and make something of my life. On November 27, 2011 I prayed to receive Jesus Christ.  On December 11^th, 2011, I had the greatest pleasure of being baptized at the same time as Sarah. That day was very special to me; not only was I committing my life to Christ, we were committing to Him as a family.

Transformation – It has now only been a short time since then but I would testify to anyone how big a role Christ plays in my life. I have bad days like I always have, however, now it’s different. When things go wrong and I pray, my heart no longer feels heavy. When I feel weak, I pray and by the grace of God, I can pick myself up. Not only has Christ helped me but he has given me the power to disciple and teach others. More times than not, I always find a way to share my faith with friends, co-workers, or even strangers.

On, April 21^st, I plan to wed Sarah. We are committed to continually raising our kids and growing our family in faith and love for the Lord.