Today Someone...My testimony.

Dear Lord,

Today You want someone,

And that someone's me,

To share with others

My testimony.

Doreen Teresa Hardie.

I was born to a Catholic father and an Anglican mother, the middle of three children. My Mum raised her children as Catholics, although she did not attend church herself. I had a very disciplined church life. This along with a Convent school education, and Catholic retreats, enticed me to consider a vocation as a nun as I had developed a very close relationship with our Lord…BUT God had other ideas, He gave me Doug…and we started dating in 1975.

My parents divorce and Doug being a Presbyterian, led the two of us to worship in Pentecostal churches, where I developed an even closer walk with Jesus. The Lord kept us pure in our relationship until we married in 1982 and He has blessed us with three wonderful children; Claire, Grant and Ross.

Due to the many moves we had, through secondments and transfers by the bank Doug worked for, we changed churches many times. This along with being a busy, sometimes working mother lessened my commitment to the Lord. I became very erratic in my church attendance and my prayer life dwindled.

In 2005, life’s uncertainties, loss and illness left me feeling low and empty. Doug persuaded me to talk to a Christian counselor, who worked with him, about my feelings. The wonderful love of Christ within him shone through and enlightened me, so when he asked me why I thought I felt this way, I knew it was because I had let God slip out of my life…Thus this feeling of complete and utter loneliness.

Now I’ll never be lonely again…my friend, Jesus, is walking by my side. I am instructed to take up the cross daily and follow Him. When I think about all that Jesus went through on my behalf, I am empowered to be more faithful on my own journey of life. I can accept the injustices that I experience because He accepted unjust condemnation. I can pick up my cross and carry on despite my many falls on the way. The perseverance of Jesus, on His journey to Calvary, gives me the strength to keep going.

He has given me people along the way to help me…I thank Him for family and friends who are a special part of my life…who lift me up in prayer, support me in times of difficulty, and share in the blessings God has given me.

I have gone full circle…as I’m now happily worshipping in the Catholic Church again…

The Lord uses me to intercede for others in prayer and His blessings are many.

To God be all the glory, thanksgiving, love and praise, for He pours out His Grace and favour on me…just because He loves me.

Amen.