Sometimes God has to put you on your back to make you look up!

Greetings in the Name of Jesus Christ! I'm giving my testimony in hopes that it will help believers of like faith around the world.

I grew up in a very loving and Message believing family. Mom and Dad always tried to show us the right things to do in life and to follow Jesus every step of the way. I was doing very well until I started hanging with someone I shouldn't have. And of course Satan has his way of moving in so cunning! First it was listening to music; that's what got the ball rolling. Next came the trash talk, and disobeying parents. By the time I was 18 I was old enough to buy cigarettes, so on my birthday I went to the gas station and picked up a pack and smoked one.

I smoked for several months without my parents knowing. I'd only do it at work or outside after they had went to bed. One day my brother told them what I was doing and of course as parents in the Message they were heartbroken. I continued in my condition until Easter 2008 were I repented at the altar at the Youth Service. I felt wonderful after that! But then a few months went by and soon I was back to my old habits and smoking again.

I tried to hide it from mom and dad again, but they found out a little later again. Mom had been pretty hard on me the first time I did it and it only made me want to do it more. This time for some reason she hardly would say anything and kept her peace. I did however have respect and not do it around them. My mom wrote out a check that Bro. Joseph had sent us that I would stop what I was doing and return to God.

Of course this continued, and I had this thing that I always wondered what it was like to get high. Of course not wanting to deal with anything illegal, I researched some stuff that was legal and went and bought some. Later that evening when I got home I smoked it. This is were my life turned around.

People say you go on these "trips." I however don't think I done that. I could see everything in front of me and it was spinning and an overwhelming fear rushed over my body, it felt like an eternity. And if I was ever to know what "hell" felt like.....that was it! I did not know my actions sometimes, but I do remember calling out to The Lord, something I had not done in a long time.

It took 2 1/2 hours to finally come out of it to a degree. Enough to were I could walk from outside into my bedroom and lay down. The next day was a Saturday and all day I wasn't myself and kept drifting in and out of my body it felt like. Sunday I gave my heart to The Lord Jesus and asked forgiveness for my sins. I have never been the same since.

Satan kept throwing these things at me in my mind that I cannot be saved for what I have done and thought of in the past. And that same overwhelming fear kept coming over me every single night for over a week. I got cold chills and fevers at the same time, twitches, and tweaks. I couldn't get to sleep for awhile. Finally it got to the point were I just balled my eyes out because I couldn't take it any longer.

My mom, dad, and my little brother prayed for me that night and my parents sent a prayer request in the next day. Immediately after that, I have not had a single symptom from then on. I've never been so full of love and faith my entire life than right now. And I know that I'd still be smoking and doing the things I was if it wasn't for God letting me go through that experience to come back to where I'm supposed to be.....Anchored in Jesus Christ! That's why I say that sometimes God has to put you on your back to make you look up!

I'd like to thank God for what he has done for me, but also Brother Joseph and Brother Billy and my whole family for praying for me through this time. Thank you and God Bless!