by Margo Ellis
When I was sixteen I had a friend who was killed in a deadly car accident. That is when Jesus started dealing with me. I remember the awful feeling I was left with. I remember crying to God and asking “Why God did this happen?” God heard my cry, and He knew my pain, because He put it there. A few months went on and I tried to stop doing some things I would do, but I would always go right back to those things again. I know now that is because I didn’t have God’s Spirit on the inside keeping me from doing those things.
I eventually went on with my lonely life. Being a careless teenager for about a year. Little did I know that Jesus had a whole different path for me to take.
In June of 2001, Billy Graham came to Louisville, KY. I just had one little prayer one night, “God I will do everything in my power to get Tony to that crusade.” He really wanted to go, and I had no idea why I even prayed that night. I had no interest in religion at all. So we went to the crusade, and I really started feeling some new things. They had the alter call and I went up there.
We then started going to a Baptist church after that. I had gone to the Baptist church when I was real young, so we decided to go back there. During going to this church, I met a man who used to come to the prayer meetings. We hung around him for a few months, and he told us about Bro Billy Mellick. Tony went to Billy’s employer one day to see if he could get a job there. Well of course he didn’t get a job there, but he got something much better. Bro Billy told us about the prayer meetings and invited us.
At this time we were tired of some things going on at the Baptist church, and felt like we didn’t belong there anymore, so we stopped going.
I had never heard of the Holy Ghost before, until Billy told me about it. I wasn’t sold on the idea at first. So we go to the prayer meetings, and I was terrified!!! Everyone was shouting and speaking in tongues. I remember I started feeling really light and hot. As soon as I felt it though, I shook it off. I remember thinking that I didn’t want to act like those people were. At the end of the meeting, Pastor John started praying for people, well at that point I was out of there. I was at my limit, and I ran out. I did not go back the next morning.
A few weeks went on and I was able to listen to the New Birth series, and read my bible, which really helped a lot. I was ready to come and try it again. This time I had a whole better attitude toward it. A sister testified in that meeting about having a willing heart, and to ask Jesus for one. Well that is what I did. I have been coming ever since then.
In November of 2001, everyone here in Louisville was going to North Carolina for Thanksgiving at Pastor John’s house. I caught a ride with Junior and Natalie. Bro Jr picked me up at home and took me to their house to stay the night. I still smoked when I came to the meetings, and I knew if I was going to NC, then I was going to have to stop. So that night I stopped. I remember lying on their couch, and looking around at their tapes, books, and feeling the feeling in their house, and I said, “God these people are really real, they really live this way.” So I finally felt like I believed what I was being told. I also stopped smoking that night too!! Of course I had such I good trip to North Carolina that I did not even realize I had quit smoking until I got back.
I got to NC, and it was a wonderful time. I got prayed for, for the first time. Then on that Friday night, Leah came over to me and asked me to come stand with her. When we got over to where we were going, all I could do is hug her, and then everyone surrounded us and started praying. We fell out on the floor holding hands. My whole body was shaking and I was really hot. I was praying so hard for the Holy Ghost. Even though I really did not know what it was. I remember sister Barbara brushing my hair and talking to me. I also remember others being around me too!! Suddenly my lips started quivering A LOT. Like I was outside in the cold or something, and I started making this new noise, and I felt really good. Then I found out that I got the Holy Ghost. I didn’t know I had got it at first, because I never heard of stammering lips before, but that is what I had. I finally had gotten it!! Leah got it too! Six of us received the Holy Ghost all together that Thanksgiving. That night I went to lay down and I thought to myself, Ok I am going to see of this thing really works. So I opened my mouth and a new language came out. So I knew then, that it really worked.
I always knew that I was different and never understood why I didn’t fit in. Something in my heart just never felt quite right until the Lord showed me His Truth, and what is real. If you really want to know what is real, He will show you if you just have a willing heart for the answer.
I could go on, and on with things that has happened in my life, but I will stop here for now. Maybe I will write out another part soon!!
Thank you for reading my testimony. I hope God will work in your life as He has in mine.
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