New to C-O-O-L...

[gantonio45]

Hello everyone,

I am brand new here to COOL, and I am also a fairly new born-again Christian who is learning, finally what our Lord and Savior has had planned for me.

I'll give you all a little background so you know where I am coming from. Currently, I am 27 years old and have just relocated to Arizona after having lived my entire life in Massachusetts.

For the vast majority of my life, I never took any heed or stock in anything that I had heard about God, Jesus, the Bible, religion, etc. I knew in my heart that a God does exist, but I just could never be bothered with wanting to get to know Him. From my mid teens, all the way through the age of 25 I ran with a pretty rough crowd. I did a lot of things that I shouldn't have done, and seemingly always gravitated towards appealing the desires of the flesh rather than Spirit.

That all changed about a year and a half ago. One night after once again partaking in actions not so clean, I returned home to my apartment and felt exhausted. I was physically, mentally, and emotionally drained. I realized that for the better part of ten years I had done nothing of true value with my life. I wanted so desperately to change. Then, I suddenly heard the softest voice I had ever heard simply say one word...pray. Pray I did, I broke down and cried and asked God to send me a sign of what to do with my life, what did he want from me? All these things I had been holding close to my heart.

Later that night, I believe I had a real honest encounter with our Lord. I was lying in bed trying to fall asleep, when in through my bedroom door walked a man. I sat up, but was speechless because I was still trying to figure out how a man could have gotten into my apartment without me hearing him. He looked just as you would expect Jesus to look; long hair, beard, and he was wearing a robe. This robe wasn't pure white however, it was more of a tannish/brown robe.

He calmly and quietly sat on the foot of my bed and looked at me. I was still speechless when he finally spoke. I'll never forget what he said, as he said it with a very calm and compassionate voice. "You are a blessed child of the Almighty, but you refuse to recognize you're true worth." I still remained speechless but I knew in my heart exactly what He had meant. He then said, "You have been dying to ask me a question, so go ahead and speak from your heart."

I then asked him the one question that had been nagging at me for years, and what I believed to have been the stumbling block in my growth with the Lord. I asked, "How do I get rid of all the pain, the anger, and the resentment that I continue to hold? How can I just let it go?"

He smiled and said to me, again very calm, "You must learn to be silent, and God will take care of the rest." With that, he calmly stood up and left my room; and was gone. Ever since this experience I have been working to change my life and turn it around.

I want nothing more than to expand my relationship with the Lord every day; and to help others do the same. I never in a million years would have thought I'd be a person that KNEW any of the Word, let alone wanting to share and teach it. God shined His Mercy on me, and for that I am thankful. He saved my life.

[stillstanding]

welcome to CO glad you are here

i would just offer encouragement to continue your pursuit of Jesus and His Kingdom. seek Him and ask for what you want Him to do in your life and keep putting on the armor of God - Eph 6:10-18 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against [a]flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 [b]in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 [c]With all prayer and petition [d]pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, [e]be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints

[Dora]

Wow! What a wonderful testimony!!!! Praising God for what He has done through you and with you. God is amazing and your testimony is proof to this.

Welcome to Oasis. I hope to see you around. You will be a blessing here I am certain.