The Testimony of Christy

“Finally, I Met Jesus!”

“Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.” (Psalm 130:1,2).

I was raised as a pastor’s daughter, so I was constantly at church and in God’s Word. My parents did their best to teach me to love Jesus, but I just couldn’t grasp the concept. I ended up hating anything that had to do with God because I felt it was always being shoved down my throat. When I discovered that I didn’t have to do the things my parents had taught me, I began to follow a path that led toward self-destruction. I ended up feeling trapped and hopeless, with no way out. I used anything and everything to try and fill the void in my life; however, the more I tried, the worse things got. Nights were full of loneliness and emptiness; days were filled with anger and hate. Everything I touched seemed to crumble right before me.

I made promises to myself and others–“I’ll stop tomorrow, then things will get better.” However, I was unable to stop all the things I was using to try to fill that deep void, things like cigarettes and drugs. By mid-summer I knew I was losing the battle. I was unmanageable and my parents were stressed and desperate. I was planning to drop out of school in the fall, but all the friends I thought would help me suddenly had different plans. I cried myself to sleep every night. No one seemed to care.

Then I came to The Fold. The first two months were incredibly tough. I didn’t like submitting to authority. I remember many meetings in the Home Director’s office, telling her I wanted to quit. Although I fought with her and the rest of the staff daily, I didn’t get what I thought I wanted no matter how hard I tried. I was miserable!

Finally, I met Jesus! I can’t even begin to describe what He did to my life. It definitely didn’t happen overnight, but slowly He began to chip away at the stone-cold rock I called my heart.[1] I began to let down my walls and to trust the staff and the others who were willing to work with me. As I started facing my issues, I realized how much God had done in order to bring me to The Fold. My prayer had become Psalm 130:1-2, “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.”

God, in His mercy, had allowed me to go through trials in order to break me and bring me to the end of myself. He’s begun to show me who I really am in Christ. No longer am I the rebellious, drugged, immoral sinner; I am a new creation in Christ![2] I am developing an intimate relationship with my Heavenly Father. He is revealing things to me in the Scriptures that I have never understood before. The relationship I have with my parents is improving. My ways of thinking and acting are being transformed. I am able to let others be in control and I am learning to submit to those in authority over me. God has begun His work in me and each day becomes a new, exciting adventure with Him. I have a new identity through Him and I never have to think of myself as dirty again.

Titus 3:3-8 describes my life and I claim these verses as my hope: “At one time [I too was] foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. [I] lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating [others]. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved [me], not because of righteous things [I] had done, but because of His mercy. He saved [me] through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on [me] generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace [I] might become [an heir] having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable to everyone.”

I will never forget all the love and acceptance I have received from the staff at The Fold. Had God not intervened when He did, I believe I may have ended up on the streets pregnant or even dead. God gave me a second chance and I am willing to be used by Him. My desire is to know Him more and to follow Him wherever He leads. Soon I will begin attending college and I am looking into a career in counseling teens. I have learned that the worst place to be is outside of God’s will. Therefore, whatever I do, I desire to be in it with my Lord. Because of Him I have hope and I have a future.[3]

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[1] Ezekiel 36:26

[2] 2 Corinthians 5:17

[3] Jeremiah 29:11

The Fold’s Christ-centered programs provide the setting for change and growth to occur in the lives of troubled and wounded young people and their families. Founded in 1967, the ministry of The Fold consists of separate homes for boys and girls, a Christian school, and a counseling and retreat center. Update on Christy from the Fold: “Christy is now married to a fine Christian young man. They have a baby daughter and live in PA. They both love the Lord and are active in a Bible teaching church.” The Fold Family Ministries, Box 1188, Lyndonville, VT. 05851 802-626-5620, www.theFoldinc.org