My Testimony how I got saved and how the Lord worked in my life

I grew up all over the pacific North West, I started out living in Hermiston Oregon with my Mother and often times spending my time at my Grandparents house. My grandparents sowed the seed in my life, by taking me to Church almost every Sunday, My Grandmother witnessed to me as a little boy, and that seed was planted and never left my heart. Latter after moving to several places in my life Texas twice, for 6 months and, Cusick Washington for 8 Years,  we then moved to Yelm Washington, were I graduated High school, I stayed around the area for a few years after school and worked. My life had become very difficult during this time, I had read the King James Bible that my Grandmother had given me, she had passed by now.  I was heavily involved in Drinking and Partying, and drug use, listening to Heavy metal Music and all other types of sin, I had often thought of Suicide, but never could do it. I was depressed and Lonely within my soul even though I had lots of friends. I was working at LASCO a bath company and I packaged hot tubes for shipment and it was late at night, I was taking out a tube to the shipping line and it was clear night with lots of stars, and in desperation I cried out to God that if he is real please reveal himself to me. About a week later in October of 1992, I was invited to yet another party  and I went but I was not happy, only miserable, I didn’t drink like I usually do my friends thought I was strange because I usually was really in it. But after an hour or so I told my friends I didn’t feel well ( I was under heavy Conviction) I asked my friends to take me back to my apartment and drop me off. On the way they were listening to music loud, which started to grieve me I told them to turn it off, they laughed at me, they were drinking and throwing beer bottles at people as they drove, I told them to stop but they wouldn’t, they just laughed and asked what is wrong with me. When I got to the apartment I went straight to my room, and fell down on my face, at this time I believed I was going to die and go straight to hell, The Lord was holding me over hell, and I was realizing that I was going there for my sins, then I cried out to the Lord Jesus Christ and asked him to forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with his blood, at this time I was at the foot of the cross, seeing Him hanging there wounded and bleeding for my transgressions. I don’t know how much time elapsed in that moment but it seemed long but when I got up I felt so clean and free, and full of overwhelming joy and peace. I went straight to bed forgiven. I awoke the next day and I thought of a girl I went to school with that was a Christian and I was friends with her mom, she had invited me several times to church but didn’t go. I called here and told her of the great news and wanted to go to church with here Sunday, It was a little Baptist Church in town, I met the Pastor and within a couple weeks got baptized, and that was a Joyous experience.

From that moment on for the next year I witnessed to everyone my friends my coworkers, my family. It didn’t go as I thought. I thought they would love to hear what I had and those they would to want this peace and Joy and also have their sins forgiven. But most of them thought I lost it turning into this religious nut, accidently taking the wrong drug and went off the deep end. I did make some Christian friends but most were charismatic’s, and they thought I was to heavenly minded to have any effect on the world, that I needed to be a little like the world to win them, that to witness like I did.  I soon felt the leading of the Holy Spirit to Join the Military, I already had a desire and felt like the Lord wanted me to be a Missionary, so I joined the Navy as a corpsman which is medical, I believed that is the area the Lord wanted me in to be a medical missionary. I was offered many good Jobs in the Navy, but I was set on Corpsman, and they tried to persuade me but I was persisted and believed this is what I was supposed to do. At this time I was a baby Christian and had no knowledge of the King James Bible issue, and all the other denominations, but I had a thirst for the truth and asked the Lord I want all the truth, and if he would show me the difference between what’s Truth and what’s not, I will believe and follow.

I ended up in Great lakes Chicago, for Boot camp and A school, during A school I ran across some guys that invited me to church, and I would ride a bus down to Hammond, to First Baptist Church, Pastured by Pastor Hyles, they made a big deal about the King James Bible and I was like ok I would like to learn more about it, I had a King James given to me by my grandmother, but ended up getting a NIV because I was talked into it. But I went every Sunday that I could and hung out with the Military Guys and the leaders, I remember Bro Hooker but that is it it’s been awhile, I also stayed at a family’s house a few times and they were a real blessing but don’t remember their names. I soon graduated Corps school it’s only 4 months, and ended up getting a choice of where to go, so I picked Beaufort South Carolina, not even realizing that is where the Lord wanted me any way.  

I went to beaufort and got placed in the Champus office at the Naval Hospital, and I kept getting warned that the guy that works there is a religious nut, sounds like my kind of Guy, but did not know what kind. I soon met him his name was HM3 Howe, Bro John Howe, he had a big black bible on his desk KJB, and we hit it off, he invited me to his church on Sunday, Calvary Baptist Church. We began a friendship I have not found in many, he took me under his wing and disciple me that is what I needed. He made me part of his family, It was a real blessing, some of the greatest friendships I have ever had have been brothers in Christ that Love the truth and the word of God, without compromise. So I went to Church, and I heard preaching that I have never heard before, it was like taking a drink from a fire hose full blast, and I loved it, it was exactly what my spirit was craving. I fell in Love with the Church and the people. I learned allot about the King James Bible and allot about the bible. I attended the Bible school there for about 1 ½ years and ended up having to transfer to another Duty station. I did get a good grounding in Knowledge it was enough to know how to study and rightly divide, and so I study myself allot, bought books on bible subject, and read them. Pastor Karl Baker was by far the best Pastor I have ever meet and been under in my entire time in the military. And I have made him an ensample in my life. Not too many Pastors and men stand on the word of God and preach it without compromise, and without regard to mans opinion. Truly Calvary was a spiritual boot camp for me. That church had a huge impact on my life in many ways, Spiritually speaking, I found out the King James Bible is the word of God, learned how to rightly divide and study my bible. I meet some solid men there that all had an impact on my life, to many to name and several family’s that had me over, we had some great fellowship and memories that are a Hugh blessing. I meet my beautiful wife Alison there, I was looking for the one the Lord wanted for me and she fit them all, she was spiritually minded, smart, pretty. I also have a great Mother in law and father in law, that I would call my parents; Bro and Sister Enebrad, they were a great blessing to me. I have always wanted to go back to beaufort and have put in for orders several times, and have been rejected. The Lord had other plans for me.

I have been a member of several Churches over the Years at the various duty Stations, Calvery Baptist Church Beaufort SC, Victory Baptist Church Milton FL, West Coast Baptist Church Pastor Philip Clark, Light House Baptist Church San diego CA Pastor Doug Fisher, Evergreen Baptist Church Bellingham WA Pastor  Tavv Shaver,  Bible Baptist Church Mount Vernon WA Pastor Paul Gentry, Foundations Baptist Church Okinawa Japan.   

I have been stationed in several duty stations, Naval Hospital Beaufort SC, Camp Lejune NC, Naval Hospital Pensacola Fl, Camp Pendleton CA, Naval Hospital Whidbey Island WA, and now 1st MAW Okinawa Japan.  So I have a diversity of experiance in the Duty stations and places Ive been, people Ive known, Churches ive been apart of. The Lord has been teaching me many things.

Spiritually speaking the Lord has been working in both my spiritual life and Physical life preparing me for the ministry. The Lord has placed us in a different church in every duty station that believes the same in the KJB, but had a different emphases in there ministries, and we have learned that the Lord has made us well rounded by this, Our first church we got grounded in the Word and truth, were involved in door to door, passing out tracts, Street preaching and evangelizing, next I was involved in the Prison ministry, next church we learned and got a burden for Missions, and another, we were involved in the bus ministry, teen ministry, military ministry, God called me to Preach and full time service during this time in 2005, Our next church we preached in a nursing home several times a month, Preached on the street, Lead the teen Ministry and Sunday school. We mowed the church lawn cleaned the church, anything that the Lord laid on our hearts to do. My next duty station and current one in Okinawa, We were involved in many things, were ever the Pastor needed help we did it, Door to door, Teen Ministry, filled in the Pulpit when pastor was out, this is where the Lord placed me permanently in the Ministry and not even realizing that this is where the Lord wanted me all along, and has prepared me for, not to say there is more to the story but as of right know God has me serving full time in the ministry and still on active duty. The Lord has been working in me also in the military, having me teach classes and fill leadership roles, which I had no experience and would have not been prepared to do unless I had the experience. There have been many trials and fires, and tribulations, all preparing me and hardening me to endure the challenges in the ministry. I can truly say the Lord has been good and has blessed my life above measure. I have allot to be thankful for. I am sure the Lord has many challenges and Victories ahead. And look forward to Serving our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, until he calls us home.