by Amanda French I remember the first time I went to a meeting in January 1986, I was 8 years old. When all the saints starting praying I went over and sat in my dad's lap right up front. I felt the presence of God all around me and a love so strong. I remember whispering to him "I want to go up there..." He didn't hear me the first time because it was so loud with praises to God. When he asked me to repeat it, I tried but the love of God filled my soul and tears poured down my cheeks as they are now as I'm telling this. I jumped off his lap and went straight to the middle of that circle to have saints lay hands on me. I remember feeling love like I'd never felt before-- a love beyond words. From that point on I sought God to fill me with the holy Ghost. I listened to song tapes a lot and I remember every Saturday after my chores were finished I listened to the Holy Love song tape. I remember clapping my hands during songs and singing when I knew the words. I remember a meeting on a week night when my Pastor John came over and laid hands on me. The power of God touched me with a strong spirit of love. I slowly fell to the floor on my hands and knees seeking God. I never remember at that time feeling "too young" to seek God. We had several young people around at that time and I remember being made fun of for seeking God. I thought I could sit still and not sing or clap during songs and continue to have what I thought were friends. God showed me a lesson that I will never forget. I quit seeking God and starting seeking to have friends. I would still get prayed for from time to time but I would not allow myself to feel anything. I put up a wall between me and God for almost five years. Then one day my grandmother told me of the story of a dear elderly saint's brother who started out seeking God when he was younger and decided he wanted to do things in this world. He thought he would come back to God when he was ready to live right, instead of seeking God when He was calling him. Years later when her brother was older, he decided to seek God and the holy Ghost. My grandmother told me at that time he was still seeking God, but "for some reason God hasn't given him the holy Ghost". I learned through that conversation, that you can not "come to God" whenever YOU are ready. He may not let you come back to Him. You must seek God when He calls you and puts a desire for Him in your heart. Take advantage of God if He calls you when you are young. This conversation with my grandmother terrified me! I thought I would be old and grey and still seeking God for the holy Ghost. I remembered the feelings of love and joy from God and I was afraid He would not allow me to feel them again. I thought about it a lot before the next meeting and I made up my mind that I wanted God. I wanted all that love I had felt before and I did not care what anyone thought. If I looked funny to them clapping my hands or singing songs, they needed to repent and join me. I was seeking my God. At that meeting I did just that-- I sought God. I do not know exactly how long it was after that day, but God did give me the holy Ghost. He did allow me to feel that love again. The night I received the holy Ghost was over at Earl and Betty Pittman's new house. Their daughter Amy grew up in the truth, but left at 18 to live a life in the world. Brother Earl and Sister Betty both were hurt deeply by this. They both would pray for Amy every night. Brother Earl was the first man I ever saw cry. I thought as most people do, "men do not cry," but the hurt you could feel when he spoke of his only daughter living in sin would touch anyone's heart. One day while praying, God told Brother Earl "I'll give you children." Well, he knew he and Sister Betty could not physically have any more children, so he did not know at the time what God meant. That night, on Feb. 9, 1991, over at Brother Earl and Sister Betty's house a small group of families were sitting around talking. The "younger generation" was in another room playing games. When we were about to go home, I went up to my Dad and hugged him for no particular reason. He said something about young people loving God and the next thing I remember, they all started to pray for me and the presence of God was all over me. Then, all the other teenagers (I was 14 then) came into the living room; they too were getting prayed for. That night all seven of us received the holy Ghost. I did not care that night what I looked like. I wanted God. He saw inside my heart. He knew me like no one else on earth knew me and He still does! After a year had past, someone stood up in a meeting and told of how God had blessed all seven of us a year ago on February 9, 1991. The Spirit spoke to Brother Earl and said "I told you I'd give you children. They were all born on YOUR holy Ghost birthday." Brother Earl received the holy Ghost on February 9th 1964. It was just like God to bless Brother Earl with "children" and then years later bring his own daughter, Amy, back to him and to God. I am now 23 years old and I am so happy to be in God's family. I really enjoy spending time with His people.
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