An Ex-Punk Testimony ━ Journey to Christ.

Before Israel became a nation, God used two holy patriarchs determined to fulfil His will. Despite both men being imperfect and sinful, Abraham believed on God and it was counted unto him for righteousness (Genesis 15:6). Isaac allowed himself to be sacrificed for the LORD. (Genesis 22:7-10).

If Abraham and Isaac did not have the LORD to forgive them or didn't accomplish their good works. The promised nation of Israel fulfilled through Jacob wouldn't have existed. Jacob wouldn't even have existed.

God had a wide variety of tribes and people to choose from after the Flood - the families of Shem, Ham and Japheth (Genesis 9:18). However, He didn't call anyone to Himself for nearly four hundred years. Arphaxad's family wasn't chosen to be a nation for God, Salah's family wasn't chosen to be a nation for God, Reu's family wasn't chosen to be a nation for God or Serug. God must have seen something in Abram that He didn't see in his lineage.

It is almost ironic that God tells us we must hate our family (Luke 14:26). We are called out of our families to become children of God. This task may leave the soul weary, but we are never short of God's love. Many in Shem's line were called, but only Abram was chosen (Matthew 22:14).

Despite Abram being the first faithful member of his family (Genesis 15:6), God likely used Terah (Abram's father). This is seen in his move from Ur to Haran with the family. (Genesis 11:31). This move was specifically to go to the land of Canaan. Notwithstanding, he wouldn't fulfil the trip.

Before Terah passed away, he told Abram to fulfil the trip to Canaan. Terah might've suffered an illness or an injury that stopped him from reaching Canaan. In fulfilling the journey, Terah told Abram to wait until God commanded him to leave. After years of dwelling in Haran, an old Abram departed. (*this is not in the Bible, do not add this theory as Scripture*).

If God used an individual like Terah to fulfil a promise, He certainly used my grandmother to fulfil His promise. My testimony does not begin the day I was born, it begins with her. If Abram's story began with Terah, mine began with Aldona.

The peace of Christ flowed through Aldona in the family. Her peace was her presence. Her smile makes you smile. Her prayers make you pray. She had an old picture of my younger brother and myself in her house. She longed to see me and my brother grow up. I remember rejoicing so greatly all throughout Kindergarten because of her prayers. Paul was grateful for the believers' prayer in his ministry (2 Cor 1:11).

It is no wonder that Paul teaches to pray without ceasing! (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Life is different when you share a close relationship with our Heavenly Father! It was Jesus' close relationship with His Father that decided the cross! (Luke 22:42). He obeyed His Father on earth, He obeyed His Father in Hell (bearing the sin of humanity) and was received by His Father in Heaven.

The Son prayed for the apostles to remain unified (John 17:21). Aldona's prayers kept my family unified. My whole family felt unified. I remember my family being joyful. They could only rejoice and rejoice. Those memories can only be more precious than what I sinfully want. I think about going back in time, just to relive those memories again.

One of the greatest blessings I remember receiving in Kindergarten was being able to read and write. It would be something that I couldn't live without, but that I could use for God's glory. My mother would be happy with me receiving the physical blessing, my grandmother was happy that I received God's blessing. Despite being a hard child growing up, every blessing counted.

It would come to my surprise though, that one year later. I would receive news that God is taking Aldona home. I was only seven, knowing very little about what it meant when this happened. I remember feeling loss.

My mother would leave to see her before she passed.

Weeks later on, I remember going to Lithuania to attend her funeral service. I could only look towards the grave on what was a sunny day. I didn't cry, but she was my why - Why I had been blessed. If it weren't for the LORD's use of her, I wouldn't be where I am today.

Being where I am today, it took me years to realise this. The LORD blessed me in childhood, but I didn't know that. All I knew was that a lot of people didn't like me. I felt I was a misfit, different, odd, a foreigner, weird and scary.

If Abram was blessed by Terah, then I was blessed by Aldona (through the LORD). If I had felt different to everybody else, it'd make sense. I don't blame God for what I went through, I only love Him because I was blessed. I just didn't open my eyes to that fact before. How long were my eyes closed? It was closed for a long-time. Will my eyes open soon in this testimony? Find out on the next part!