Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary Liberty University

Testimony

Submitted to Dr. Yat-Por Lau in partial completion of course requirements for EVAN 525 Contemporary Evangelism

Nathaniel Jones Langston, OK September 1, 2013

Conversion Story I have not always been a Christian. (Briefly describe your life before becoming a Christian.) Both of my grandmothers were very religious people. I grew in the church and was very active in the church. Once my grandparents began to pass away, stop attending as much as I did because I was angry. I was angry with God because I could not understand why he took my grandparents in a time in my life when I needed them the most. I use to my friends being disrespectful to their grandparents and I would ask God now they do not listen or appreciate their grandparents but they still have theirs, why did you have to take mine. I had these questions and anger on my heart for years. Even though I went to church every now and then and said my prayers every night I was still angry because the ones who I loved were taking from me.

I realized I needed Jesus and received Him into my life when I realized I needed Jesus was when I went to church with my mom and her Pastor told me that the Lord has his hands on you. And that the Lord has something special planned for my life. I did not noticed at that time that whenever I wanted to do something I wanted to do it never went the way I wanted it to. For example, I wanted to stay near home to go to college and before I could get into the first semester something happened that I could not complete the semester, so I enlisted into the military. After I completed boot camp and my technical training I was assigned to Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas. I was there for about a year when everything started, in my eyes began to fall apart. I after I was discharged from the military I decided to go back home to school. Once again the school I wanted to go to did not work. I left and went back to Texas with just the clothes in my suit case. After I a few days I met a young man and his family and they took me in and through that relationship I was introduced to several others. After a few weeks of being in Midland, Texas, I decided to go to Midland Junior College to talk to the Mens basketball coach and once again that fell

through. After the Midland College fell through I had an opportunity to try out for another college. I was able to get a full basketball scholarship. After a year at Clarendon College, I sign to play basketball for Baylor University, but after I broke my hip during the summer they withdrew their scholarship. After Baylor withdrew their scholarship, for the first time in a long time I prayed and asked God what do you want me do, I tired, just tell me what you want of me. Three days later I received a call from Langston University. Upon my arrival to Langston, I went to church near campus, and the Pastor sermon was about stop running and listen. After hearing this sermon I knew I needed Jesus, I needed Jesus to help me find my way, the way in which God wanted me to go.

The biggest change I have noticed in my life is . . . The biggest change I have noticed in my life is that I put what God wants me to before my own plans. I find myself going above and beyond to help people. I also noticed that since I accepted my calling to minister, I have not been without and that when things seems to be at its darkest, something always ways happen to change the situation around. I have also noticed is that since I accepted my calling the devil has been attacking me and the things around me even more.

May I share how something like this can happen to you? Something like this can happen to you, if you do not sit down a listen to what God has to say, he will put you either in a place or a situation that you will have no choice but to listen. If you are running from what God has plan for you, you will eventually get tired of running. Even though he is a God of many chances he will eventually give up on. So if you have the opportunity to accept his calling please do so.

Recovery Story My life seemed normal until . . . My life seemed normal until I accepted my calling to minster and gave my all to Christ. Once I did that I realized that it was just devil not bothering me because I was of the world. Once I changed it seemed like everything that was associated with me was attacked. My finance was attacked, my mom was diagnosed with cancer, my brother lost his job, we could not find out why my son was having uncontrollable nose bleeds, and my job was threatened. Every car I had for two years was reprocessed at least once. Then my health began to go bad and the doctors could figure out was wrong. We were evicted from our home from no unexplained reason.

I discovered hope and help in Jesus when . . . I discovered hope in Jesus when I just dropped down to my knees and said, Lord you said you will never leave nor forsake me, I need you now Lord. After I did that slowly but surely everything began to change. It was nothing but the grace of God that has been my shield all of my life and it took for me to almost lose everything to realize that.

I am glad I have a personal relationship with Jesus today because . . . I am glad I have a personal life with Jesus today because if it was not for his sacrifice on cavalry I would not be able to receive forgiveness just by asking. I know now that it was Jesus who had me covered when I was lost in the world and it was Jesus that has me covered now. I would not change anything that God has put me through. Because Of my relation with Jesus my spirit feels free, even though I have my good days and bad days, I know because of my relationship with my savior my good days will always outweigh my bad.

May I share how something like this can happen to you?

If you just confess with your mouth that, I believe that Jesus dies for my sins and that he is the son of God then you too can be on your way to a relationship with Jesus. The way to heaven is through Jesus and the only way you can go through Jesus is if you have a good relationship with him and that relationship starts with you asking for forgiveness of your sins. The opportunity to repent and accept Christ is always available; its up to you to do so.