Raymond Yarbrough's Testimony
Before I received Christ as my Savior, I had alot of activities that I was involved in. Even though I had people around me all of the time, I felt alone and my life didn't have any meaning.
I was involved in the martial arts and in the summer I played softball. Every weekend there would be a party someplace that we would go to. I just wanted to be one of the guys and to feel loved. My parents are good people but for the most part I still felt alone. I had been through a divorce so there wasn't any love there. Even though I had these friends in the activities that I was involved in, it still seemed that it didn't really matter if I was there or not.
I didn't feel unhappy, but I didn't feel complete. Something was missing in my life and I didn't really know what it was.
I had always believed in God and Jesus, and I thought I was okay. I always treated everybody the way that I wanted to be treated. I started going to church because a friend of mine asked me if I would play softball for a church team that he was on. I would go to church just enough to be eligible for the team. As time went on I found myself still in church even after the season was over.
I thought I was happy but I really didn't have any focus on what I wanted to do with my life. I had fallen short of every goal that I had set for myself. I just wanted to fit in somewhere. I didn't realize it then, but I guess I used alcohol to dull the pain.
Even though I was still going to church I still hadn't committed myself to Christ. I just felt that something as important as where I would spend eternity was something that I needeed to find out about for myself. Finally I began to realize just how much Jesus really loved me, and what He had done for me. I wanted to do all that I could do for Him too. I didn't feel alone anymore. I had a new confidence because I knew He was always with me. I went to the altar and made a public confession of my faith.
After I received Christ my life had a new focus and I felt like my life had meaning. I didn't have to give up a single thing that was important to me. Now Jesus was with me and I could do anything.
I now have new goals and my life is worth something. I felt and inner peace immediately. Now when I do something I want to make sure that it is something Jesus would be proud of me for.