AGLOW  INTERNATIONAL (BRITAIN)

 

 

Roberta’s Testimony

 

My name is Roberta, I am 50yrs old and live with my husband and two youngest children.  I am the youngest of 3 daughters and my journey to salvation, began I believe, when my elder sister returned home after living in Canada for many years.

 

My first thoughts when I knew she was coming home was “Oh no she has got “God” and she is going to push it down my throat” But when she arrived she was so changed and lovely and I felt great when I was with her. She gave me a little book called ‘Daily Bread’ and asked me to read it, saying that the Holy Spirit would speak through it and tell me things. I found this strange yet reassuring.

 

As the days passed I could see she had something that I didn’t have. I was in a dark place at that time, using cannabis and contemplating a divorce. I could get drugs easily because finance was not a problem for me. People would never have known I was using cannabis.

 

My daughter was saved at the same time as my sister but I would never listen to her when she spoke about Jesus. Once they went together to an Aglow meeting and I drove them there and sat outside and waited for it to finish. I would not go in, but the whole time I felt so wretched, I sobbed. Then two weeks later I stopped smoking cannabis, which to me was a miracle!

 

When the next Aglow meeting was due, Pauline asked me if I wanted to go, this was November 18^th 2002, and I reluctantly said, “Yes”. I walked into the meeting and felt a warm, friendly atmosphere, but as soon as the worship started I just cried all the way through, even when the speaker was sharing, it was as if somebody knew how I felt. I cannot tell you what she spoke about, but at the end of the meeting the President asked if anyone wanted to receive Jesus as Saviour and Lord, and my sister encouraged me to go forward for prayer if I wanted to, I said “Yes I do” and went forward and gave my heart to my Lord Jesus. I was asked there and then if I could tell all the ladies publicly what I had done.  I was then given a bible from the Aglow Chapter and encouraged to read it. I promised that I would and when I returned home God really spoke to me in a very special way through Psalm 106.

 

I went home that evening jumping up and down saying to my husband “I’m saved, I’m saved” I felt amazing joy that I have never felt before, my husband thought I was crazy, he just didn’t understand.

 

The following day I had an appointment with a counsellor, because I had known I needed help. I was undecided whether to keep it or not because of what had happened the night before at the Aglow meeting. But I went and the lady asked me to tell her about myself. I told her the history of my children’s drug problems, my previous abusive marriage and that I had given my heart and life to Jesus the night before! At the end of the session she said, “You don’t need to come and see me again, you are a strong woman because of what you have already experienced and seen your children through. Because of your strong example your children have turned around” I felt as if it was the Holy Spirit speaking to me and Jesus was cleansing me of my guilt and shame.

 

I had been invited to go to church the next Sunday and I took all my family with me and over a short period of time my husband, mother-in-law, son and daughter gave their hearts to Jesus. I am still praying for my other children.

 

I have been involved with my local Aglow Chapter ever since, as a hostess, serving refreshments and eventually was invited to be part of the worship team.

 

I have been encouraged to attend everything Aglow puts on, especially the Conferences where I have been incredibly blessed.  At the last Conference God delivered me from smoking during the worship time, this had been a burden to me.

 

I am so blessed to be in the Aglow ministry because I sense freedom and yet servant hood. I am so changed and when I look back on my life I see the times where I know God has been with me even when I didn’t know him!

 

I have caught the vision of this ministry and have now started an Aglow in my area, which God is blessing. A lady was saved during our first outreach and a woman healed.  Praise God!