I grew up in an abusive home. My father was both physically, verbally and mentally abusive. On several occasions he tried to kill us, but my mom would keep taking him back. I don’t know why she kept saying that she did not want us to grow up in a broken home, but it was already broken.
When I was seven years old, I went with some friends to a church crusade, and I gave my heart to Jesus. At the age of 14 I suddenly started getting convulsions. I became very ill, I lost my eyesight in my left eye, I could no longer walk with the support of a family member or a wheelchair.
Many people prayed and fasted for me when they found out that I was diagnosed with a brain tumor. We did not have medical insurance, so I did not receive the best treatment. One day, the priest came over to perform My last rights (Sacraments). Once he was done, they started discussing my funeral arrangements. And yet I was very aware of what was going on around me, I just could not talk. I was so disgusted by this because they had no faith.
After 6 months in and out of hospital with no help, I was sent to a Childrens Hospital where everybody was waiting for me to die. But my mom did not give up hope. She went to a church meeting where Pastor Rodney Brown was the guest speaker. He prayed for her that night and God touched my life.
The next morning, I woke up fine, in my right frame of mind wanting something to eat. I was taken for more tests to see what had happened and the tumor was gone, without any operation, no medication to dissolve it. My God healed me.
I attended a bible college after my graduation year at school. I then joined a missionary team whereby I travelled and told my story to many who needed encouraging. Not long afterwards I was engaged to a Pastor from Atlanta, Georgia. We did not end up getting married as we both felt that it was not God’s will for us at the time. Many things happened in the church that I was attending and one day I just had had enough of church politics and did not want to be associated with a divided church.
I started moving with unsaved family members who told me that I needed to start living my life and I listened to them. I was crazy to do so. I eventually got pregnant, and this happened when I thought about making it right with God. I thought of having an abortion. A Pastor said,
“Do you think that you caught God by surprise? He knew your future even before you were formed in your mother’s womb and yet He still called you”…
I decided to keep my son. It was the best and hardest and most fulfilling decision that I have made, second to accepting Christ as my Lord and Saviour.
It was not easy been a single mother. Finding permanent employment was the hardest and because of circumstances after having multiple jobs, I became a stripper. During this point in my life, I was almost becoming an alcoholic. The guilt of what I was doing was getting too much for me. I tried to rid away the guilt with alcohol and sex.
I became pregnant again, but this time I had an abortion, I have had two abortions. One was from my son’s father because he was physical abusive when I was pregnant with my second child from him, and the other was from a married man.
I was a hurt and wounded person who did the same to others too. Thinking of the babies that I had aborted worried me so much. It was painful.
One night at the strip club after my show, I went to my room and in my drunken state. I got onto my knees and cried out to God; I could not do life one more moment without Him involved. I remember asking God for a job so that I can get my life in order, and He actually answered me that night. He said, “Leave this place first”… it was only then that I truly understood that faith was about taking the first step and trusting that God will do the rest. Immediately I packed up all my belongings, took my son who was three years old at the time and walked out.
One week later I got a job as quality controller. I was able to get my own place and buy a car. It wasn’t an easy journey, God had to heal a lot of old wounds, painful memories, I had to forgive many people and I had too just allowed God to do what only He could do – He restored my soul.
Today, I am married, and I now have another son. I am an English teacher at a High School and in November this year I will be ordained as a minister. I have the wonderful opportunity to council the students in our school with prayer and God’s word. I have started a students’ Christian association group for teens that come together and worship God in song and I share the word of God with them during recess.
When I look back at how my heavenly Father loved and protected me through it all, I am forever grateful for his mercy and grace. I just want to encourage whoever will read this testimony, there is nothing too big that you could do that can stop God from loving you. He hasn’t given up on you – He is waiting for you to take the first step and He will do the rest.
Yours in Christ,
Sharlene
Wow! Wow! Amen Sharlene. I am really happy for you. I thank the Lord for His faithfulness in your life. His faithfulness reaches the Heavens; His mercies are as tall as Mount Everest. Jesus is indeed the Savior of the whole world. I am really happy that He has healed your heart and given you the peace that surpasses all understanding. I was also a victim of physical, verbal, and mental abuse during my childhood but the Lord was preparing me for a greater ministry. Lets pray for one another that all God’s plans may be fulfilled in our lives and that we shall go out there and make disciples. In Jesus Precious Name. Let me dedicate this song to you Sharlene.
The splendor of a King, clothed in majesty
Let all the Earth rejoice
All the Earth rejoice
He wraps himself in light
And darkness tries to hide
And trembles at His voice
Trembles at His voice
How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God
Age to age He stands
And time is in His hands
Beginning and the end
Beginning and the end
The Godhead Three in One
Father Spirit Son
The Lion and the Lamb
The Lion and the Lamb
How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God
Name above all names (how great is our God, sing with me)
Worthy of our praise (how great is our God, and all will see)
My heart will sing
How great is our God
You’re the name above all names (how great is our God, sing with me)
You are worthy of our praise (how great is our God, and all will see)
And my heart will sing
How great is our God
How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God
How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God
How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God
Sharlene, this was the part that really moved me. It is a lesson and warning for believers not to give up and assume God won’t work his will in situations like this. I can only imagine how sad and discouraging this must have made you feel at the time. Thank God you are back in His arms and thanks much for sharing your incredible journey so far.
Thank God for His healing and comfort during the trying times. May all glory be unto our God forever.
God made us to pass through some trials at times so that we can have knowledge on how to minister to those going through similar trial. Keep ministering to people and strengthening their faith in God. May the anointing to effectively do the work of evangelism be upon you and may you never run dry of the anointing at any time. May you fulfill the purpose God created you on the Earth.
The fulfillment of the purpose of God for our lives is very important. We must know the purpose God created us on the Earth for and then pursue its total fulfillment. A product that cannot fulfill the purpose of being manufactured is a defective product. Also products come with the manual. God is our creator and He has created us for a purpose on the Earth (Jeremiah 1:5, Genesis 1:26, Ephesians 1:4-5). He has given us the manual to fulfill our purpose on the Earth. The manual is the Bible. Jesus found what was written about Him in the scripture (Luke 4:16-21), Daniel understood the number of years they will spend in capitivity through the scripture (Daniel 9:1-2), the early Apostles understood their calling through the scripture (Acts 2:14-22), Paul and Barnabas understood their calling through the scripture (Acts 13:44-48) etc.
Everyone’s purpose on the Earth is in the Bible and until one find it before one could step fully into the purpose. Keep studying the Bible as we are told in 2Timothy 2:15, Joshua 1:8). May we at the end declare as Paul declared in 2Timothy 4:7-8).
Shalom
We have the manual for life, amen!