I remember many years ago as a young teen hearing God speak to me. It was about that time He started calling me to salvation. He also told me I was called to the ministry of an evangelist. I’m primarily wanting to share something on the call of salvation.

It took three years for God to get me to answer to my need for salvation. I was scared stiff of getting outside of the box I was in. I feared people. I feared what they would say or think. I feared this feeling of conviction. Conviction finally won out.

At sixteen during a week-long revival in a country Baptist church I gave in. I had about torn the rail off the back of the pew in front of me many times, but I had to let go. When I took my first step towards the front to make my confession of need by faith I only remember the first step. I must have floated the rest of the way. I don’t remember anything between the first step and then standing in front of the evangelist. I felt such a freedom wash over me. My soul was saved and my spirit was now alive. I remember it well even though I’m seventy-two now.

After the service when we got home, I remember standing in the kitchen with my mom. She was making popcorn. She turned to me and said she was proud of me. You see, she was a preacher’s kid (PK). My dad said little about it. That Sunday all of those of likewise persuasion along with me were baptized in the water at Cayton’s Landing. near home.

God had a lot of work to do on me from that night forward. I know all too well, because when I went to bed that evening I got on my knees on my pillow looking out my window at the stars. I asked God to come now, tonight even. Why? Because I said I knew the walk I was to take wasn’t easy and if He didn’t come that night I wasn’t going to make it.

Many things fell in front of me from that time forward that stalled my calling and my walk. There was a young woman, The military. After that I married a different woman and we started a life. About five years into that marriage our lives started to change. By that time we had two sons.

Then at the age of twentysix God renewed His persuasion upon my life to answer Him. Without knowing I was suffering from depression, I still heard God and starting searching for answers. I thought I knew what was complete. I knew nothing compared to now. God was merciful to me.

Finally renewing my need for God I made a fresh start and was once again baptized with the woman I was married to at the time and a symbol of oneness, I suppose. God gifted me with the baptism of the Holy Spirit with evidence of tongues. I then began an earnest endeavor to follow Him in all my ways. His refining fire was hot on me for several years. I was a hard one to deal with. I did not really break until I was fifty six.

When I hit fifty-six I broke. I lost my marriage, my church, myself. I suffered with anxiety attacks, and was diagnosed with severe depression. I won’t go into detail, suffice to say I met the woman that brought me back from the edge. Those were dark days. But God knew my heart and still loved me.

My new wife and I married a few years into our relationship, but everyone that met us during the premarriage time thought we were already married. That’s how much we loved each other and it showed. After about the third year from when we met we decided we needed to go to church. There is too much to tell here. Safe to say my wife and I got married in the first church we attended and got our lives on track. The second church my wife truly fell in love with God. Then God moved us to yet another church were we now attend.

Both of us are now ordained in our church and by the state. At this time I began to attend school again and became a certified Chaplain with a side study in suicide awareness and prevention. Then came the book that God had promised me for decades and it is now published by Trilogy Publishing.

What I really want to get into for a few words is that during these latter years I have become more keenly aware of salvation in my life. My studies have shown me that I am truly and solidly saved unto God by His grace and mercy. He has shown me things on the other side of the veil that I never knew before now. All of those of us called according to His purpose have things to do in the unseen realm and I am so thankful He has shown me that. Loss of my body will not be my death. I shall not see death. I will pass through the veil from this life to the next life eternal and not miss a step.

You don’t have to sit in wonder as to whether you’re saved or not. Pray (converse) with God and then LISTEN. He will tell you what you need to know. Don’t be discouraged if you’re not sure, because when He does speak He’s not going to condemn you, but He will tell you what you need to do to solidfy your calling and election as a surety. You will no longer doubt. Then walk in that victorious knowledge that comes with knowing and you can conquer this world now and carry that experience with you into the next life.