Seven Years Later

[Niki]

Bro. Phil White read the following at NC youth camp 1992. I think it may have been in The Conqueror magazine. I don't know who wrote it.


"Pentecostal girl, as I watched you tonight I wished for an opportunity to talk with you. I watched your beautiful face as you sang and worshipped. You reminded me of myself seven years ago. And then after church I watched you as you got into the car with a boy who doesn't even know God. Oh yes, he was at church tonight. He even went to the altar and shed a few tears. I'm sure you would not accept the idea that for him that was just a means to an end.

"Seven years ago I was in your shoes. I had known God since my early teens and had grown up under God-anointed preaching and teaching. I didn't lack for boyfriends or dates, as is often the case with Pentecostal girls in churches where the girls outnumber the boys. Some very wonderful consecrated young men came my way, but Satan, who watches diligently and waits patiently to ensnare a soul, saw me one day as I was lukewarm.

"Oh, I was still going to church and playing my accordion and singing and doing all the right things outwardly, but I had never really had that special moment with God when His will and mine were made one.

"I met him at work. Before long, without anyone else knowing it, I felt I couldn't live without him. He knew about Pentecost and when he went to church with me, he went to the altar and cried and so I married him. While my family and those who love me wept and agonized.

"It was just six months later that I realized my soul was in danger. I had to have a touch from God. I prayed through and got a grip on God and then the battle began. No, he wasn't going to church anymore. I could count on my fingers the number of times he went during the last seven years.

"Before I married him the thought of living without him was unbearable. How lonely it would be, I thought, but now I know what loneliness really is. And I'd like to tell you about it.

"Loneliness is receiving a blessing from God and going home to a man you can't share it with. He isn't interested. He's watching television.

"Loneliness is going to a church social alone and watching young couples enjoy God's blessings together. You can go alone or stay home alone. He has other interests.

"Loneliness is feeling the urgency of Christ's coming and knowing that the one you love most on this earth is not ready and shows no signs of caring.

"Loneliness is seeing two children born and knowing that if your influence is to outweigh his it will be a miracle.

"Loneliness is going to a General Conference and seeing young couples everywhere who are truly one and dedicated to God's work. And there goes the young man who loved you once and wanted to marry you. He's preaching the gospel now and he has never married. Oh, God, help me. I mustn't think of it.

"Loneliness is lying awake struggling with the suspicion that he's being unfaithful to you and then comes the unbelievable pain of knowing for sure he doesn't care if I know. She even calls me on the telephone. After a time, he makes an effort to break it off. I vow to do everything humanly possible to keep this marriage together. I love him more and pray for him more. Seven years of my life are involved in this. There's a little girl and a little boy now.

"Loneliness is now my children and I will go home to a dark, empty apartment that will be my home until the lawyer says it's all over. I, who have always been afraid to stay alone, now welcome the peace and solitude.

"As I look in the mirror, I see that seven years haven't changed my face so much, but inside I am old. Something that was once alive and beautiful is now dead.

"Of course, this is not an unusual story. The remarkable thing about it is that I'm still living for God. I'm thankful for my family and their prayers of intercession for me.

"Oh, I'm praying for you, Pentecostal girl. Please, believe me when I tell you that no matter how wonderful he is, how loving, how tender, you cannot build a happy life upon disobedience to God's Word.

"You see, no matter what the future holds for me, I have missed the perfect will of God for my life. Please, don't let it happen to you."

[Chseeads]

Or Pentecostal boy, either one....

[Nelle]

I -had- to share on Facebook. Thanks for posting!! Wish I could really save some of the girls who are walking down some what could be scary paths with the dating choices they're making. I wasn't always making the best decisions either, but one day a year ago, God blessed me with a man who LOVES God and diligently is serving him after serving himself for several years. So thankful God saw fit to bless me, even after all the bad choices I've made in the last 9 years since graduating high school.

[Melody]

I wanted to repost this but I have a friend who just did it.  She's pregnant & it's done now.  She can't go back, so this might make her feel hopeless.  I'm not sure that's productuve.  This is great as warning though. 

The thing is, her hubby just got baptized a got the HG.  So i'm afraid it just teaches girls that it can work.

[Scott]

When my aunt was 95 and close to death - she told me a very similar story. She was forbidden and beaten if she tried to sing her songs, attend any church her husband didn't decree as ok and she would not even read the bible.

When he died, she got her bible out and her song book out - then sang every day and every night. At her death she was a huge Carman fan.

[Melody]

My G'ma too!  My G'pa was an Apostolic pstor but died ast age 46. My G'ma  remarried later in life to someone she thought was "good without Jesus & would then be even better with Him."    But it never happened &  he ended up not letting her do any church.  It was frustraring watching this this once woman of of God, be so compromised.  She died 2 yrs ago. Even in the hospital she told the nurse to put down none for religion.  Kinda still upsets me.

[Scott]

The sad part was that my great grand mother was one of the 1st Licensed UPCI preachers. She started out AOG and was one of the AOG "oneness" people that left to become part of what later became the UPCI.

My aunt and grandmother would read books on UPCI history and tell us stories of the UPCI pioneers, my grand mother had cooked for many of them.

Grand mother never received the Holy Ghost and my aunt had.