MY TESTIMONY – Part 3 (A Gospel Witness)

Many years ago my two young children belonged to a bowling league. I took them to the bowling alley every Saturday morning. It was fun and I enjoyed being there. A woman from my old neighborhood was there also, with her son. Little did I know that it was a “Divine Appointment”.

I was at the bowling alley wearing my “Mary medal” and this woman noticed. Unbeknownst to me she was a born again Christian. As we became acquainted she began witnessing to me. At that point in time I was very Roman Catholic and very into the Marian apparitions, especially the Marian apparition at Medjugorje, Yugoslavia. Bless the Lord for giving that woman the boldness to witness to me and to speak to me of all the false teachings I had been exposed to and had embraced. She spoke to me about Jesus and the Scriptures. She clearly addressed the false gospel of Roman Catholicism and the error of praying to Mary. She even talked about the Mary medal I wore.

I was not offended. I didn’t understand, but I was not offended. It made me curious.  

She encouraged me to read the Bible, which I did. 

The reason I even had a Bible and was reading it was because of answered prayer. I had prayed that the Lord would show me truth, and the Lord used a girl in my office to guide me to His truth. She was a Bible believer and knew that I was involved in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, and that my husband and I were following a certain priest from parish to parish to attend his Charismatic healing Masses. One day she just said to me “Why are you following that priest around?” Go buy a Bible!” You know what? Simple as that, I went out and bought a Bible and began reading it. Over time that Bible just fell apart I read it so much. Wish I still had it.

Back to the woman at the bowling alley. She would tell me that the apparitions of Mary were not of God. She focused on Jesus and the Bible. I didn’t get it. I would keep telling her I didn’t see what was wrong with praying to Mary and I didn’t see what was wrong with the the Marion apparitions. She encouraged me to keep reading the Bible and I did. I kept on reading and searching and trying to understand.  

One night, at the end of the league, there was a bowling dinner. She sat next to me and talked with me. I still was without understanding. I wanted to understand but didn’t. 

BUT THAT NIGHT, when I went home, I read again the literature I had about the apparitions of Mary in Yugoslavia, but this time I saw the falsehood of it all. “Mary’s” message contradicted Scripture. (It wasn”t Mary at all. It was a deceiving demonic spirit. I saw the truth clear as a bell. I had read the Bible, seeking, and the Lord opened my eyes. What amazing grace. What a true miracle. I saw it all.

I tried to tell my husband. My husband was very into the Marian apparitions at Medjugorje. I also told him that the teaching of Roman Catholicism contradicted the Bible. He didn’t understand and wouldn’t listen to what I was saying. I typed up Bible verses that addressed the errors of the Marian apparitions and the errors of Roman Catholicism. Thank the Lord that He read them. Thank the Lord. I would weep as I gave my husband the typed up Bible verses because at that point I realized what a great deception I had been under and that he was still under. It took some time, not too long at all, and the Lord opened my husband’s eyes to the truth of Scripture.  

We left the Roman Catholic Church.  

We threw out our rosaries and our Roman Catholic literature.

We were both born again.

Clear witnessing bears fruit.

Just a little note to end this post.  After I was born againI I became aware that there was another woman in my office who was also born again. Not the one who told me to get a Bible, but someone else. She was a nice lady and someone I knew and spoke with. I asked her why she never witnessed to me. I wasn’t angry with her or anything like that, I was just curious. She said I did tell you, I told you to pray to God. I’m sure she meant well, but it certainly was not a clear witness. Clarity is the word of the hour. Clarity.  

1 Corinthians 14:8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound who shall prepare himself to the battle?

MY TESTIMONY – Part 1

MY TESTIMONY – Part 2