While being young and raised in a Catholic family, children are so acceptable of what is being taught to them. Most of the time we do not question or many of us are taught not to question. There was a time in my life as a teen and a young adult, where I began to compare my life with others and what their beliefs were. Seeing many others of other faiths and being "blessed" in life made me question my own beliefs even further. When I say "blessed", I do not refer to having material blessings. But rather, witnessing the love or peace in their homes and personal lives - this was a much larger witness to me than anything else that I can recall.

 

Plus, I had every material item in my life that I desired, but did not truly have peace and happiness at home or fulfillment in my line of work. This is expressing probably the darkest time in my life much too simply. But through the struggles, I began to get on my knees in repentance and to search for God to please be in my life. My brother asked me to a prayer meeting at his Catholic church and it was a prayer meeting led by the Holy Spirit. That is right. Some of the churches were allowing the Holy Ghost revival in their churches as directed by Pope John Paul. God was trying to move.

 

After receiving the Baptism of the Holy Ghost as evidenced by the speaking of tongues, I began to read my Bible. In doing so, I found the WORDS on the pages to just COME ALIVE! I felt God dealing with me and sin in my life. Even more so, I found God dealing with me about my Catholic practices of praying to saints, pictures and statues. As I read my Bible, I continued to go into prayer to the Lord and ask Him to reveal more to me - which He lovingly did.  Later, I decided to leave the Catholic church in search of more truth about our GOD.

 

As a writer, I try to share what is on my heart in a loving atmosphere by simply sharing my experiences as if I was in someone's presence.  There is no condemnation, and certainly no pointing of a finger to anyone else. My testimony is a sharing of my heart to yours as I learned from God and from those that God brought to me.  I hope the reader who is hungry for God can learn from my experiences.

 

I love writing. To be truthful, I love to write more than speaking - as I feel it helps me to carefully express myself. I've loved to write since I was little and would write long 12 to 14 page letters to my brothers in the Navy about the silly things at home - pets, brothers, school, neighbors or parents. One brother in the Navy would read a few pages each night to the men on ship. They would bug him daily to read my letters about home everywhere on board - so they could laugh and smile as they thought of their own homes and growing up as kids. They really cherished those letters - sometimes I wish I had them today to reflect upon. My brother would write back and say, "Please write more - write more as the sailors love these letters!"  Thinking of that just makes me smile.

 

What makes me smile more is sharing that God is a GOOD GOD and HE loves each and every one of us. He foresaw us a few thousand years ago while on that CROSS bleeding and being tortured for our future mistakes, our failures and troubles in our lives. He saw us way - way in the future and HIS love kept HIM on that cross.  He wishes to love and correct all of us and to bring us closer to HIM. I hope anyone that is hungry for God or has questions about their faith will have an opportunity to learn about GOD, his unfailing love for us, and to truly learn what it is to be saved. Not the mainstream churches with messages that truly consist of "Just believe in Him and continue to live in sin."  That is not GOD's plan for us.  HE has so much more for us if we will accept HIM at HIS WORD and all of HIS WORD - not just parts here and there.  We can all start this part of our journeys in the privacy of our homes where we feel secure - where it is just us and GOD listening to us.  Yes, HE hears every word and every silent cry.

 

This testimony shares what I was lacking, and with GOD's direction and correction the SCRIPTURES came to LIFE. This testimony can be read privately, or used as a BIBLE STUDY and it is written so warmly and honestly that it can easily be shared and loaned out with confidence.  

 

As I shared with my brothers who were in the Navy about all the things happening at home, I now this story of love and correction from the LORD JESUS CHRIST with you as well.

 

Bye for now, R.L. Montgomery.

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