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Unshackled
Every time I listen to Unshackled - the Radio Drama -
it reminds me of myself.
For my life was in great turmoil and in desperate need
of help. My husband and I were stationed in Ft. Hood
raising our two kids. He was a heavy drinker and drug
user and I had recently found out he was selling drugs
on post. Things were progressively getting worse. He had
never laid a hand on me before but now he had started
threatening to kill me. I was determined to divorce him.
That's when I met Sis. M. Jones, walking the girls to
school. I spilled my guts out to her and all she said
was, "You need to come to church." I knew that's what I
needed but that's not what I wanted to do. Every time
she would invite me I had an excuse of why I couldn't
go. For three months she didn't give up on me, she
became my friend. My mother was visiting from Houston
when Sis. Jones called and invited me to Bible Study. Of
course I had another excuse, I couldn't go because my
mother was visiting me. Well my mother asked who it was,
I told her it was a lady from a church and wanted me to
go to a Bible Study. Now my mother hadn't been in church
for about 10 years, even though she raised us
Pentecostal, I thought she would play along with me, but
no, she said she wanted to go to Bible Study. I couldn't
believe it, but okay, I said, sure we'll go with you. As
soon as we stepped foot into that church, I could feel
the love of God, like I never felt before. I don't know
what the Pastor taught about but when we got home all we
talked about was the love we felt. My mother went back
home Sunday morning so I returned to church that Sunday
night. That night I gave my sins and life to God. The
Pastor announced that Rev. Johnson would be preaching a
two week revival starting Monday night. I returned
Monday night and got filled with the Holy Ghost. I
remember the Pastor asked those who got filled to stand
and testify - all I could say was that I felt like a
little baby - washed, clean and I just knew I had a new
beginning. Guilt and shame were all washed away, what a
feeling. Naturally, I went home and told my drunk
husband that I was saved and filled with the Holy Ghost.
He thought I was the weirdest person on the planet - he
was Catholic and it didn't occur to me he had no clue as
to what I was saying. I surely thought he would never
come to church with me, but I invited him anyway. He
told me, "No Way." This was in April, and Easter was
coming so I asked him to go with me on Easter and he
said he would. He didn't make it on Easter but he came
the next Sunday. He left that service a totally
different man. He has never drank nor done drugs since.
It'll be 15 years next month.
All the glory goes to our Wonderful Savior.
About a year later he felt called into the ministry. God
saved our lives, marriage and family. I currently have
20+ family members attending NTCC in Houston.
Sis. Garay
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