Testimony of Delilah Gonzalez
I was privileged to grow up in a home where our heavenly father and our Lord Jesus Christ were loved and worshiped. My mother’s faith was so strong and always something I admired and wanted for myself. She taught me so much and I learned to put my complete trust and faith in our Lord. I have seen him work throughout my life. It is because of him that I can stand here today and can give my testimony.
Around age 11, I wanted to learn about our Lord and the Bible; I began bible study with Jehovah Witnesses. I was confused about what they were telling me because it was different from what I had learned and heard about previously. However, God guided me to the truth, along with my mother and at that moment in my life, I placed my complete trust in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Although I have encountered obstacles in my life, God has always protected and saved me. Through my struggles, my faith grows stronger; I grow stronger and closer to God as I depend on him. He has worked perfectly in my life, taking me down the path he has created for me and kept me safe. My mother taught me very well, even so, I searched for more, more answers, more about God and his son Jesus Christ. Although I always wanted more, something was holding me back to be fully immersed in God’s grace. I love God with all my heart and soul; however, I worship and praised him through my mother’s ways; however wonderful, but not my own.
God chose opportunities for the perfect moment for me to grow closer to him. For a long time, I felt as though I wanted to be closer to God and belong to a church but I didn’t know where to begin. I attended a community day with my mother where we met two very nice men who were asking us if we were good people. Although I was hearing their words, a part of me was closed off. My mother told me she was going to go to the church to hear and learn more about it. I wasn’t very interested but after she told me that she went and enjoyed it very much, I decided I wanted to give it a try. A part of me was hesitant because it was out of my comfort zone.
The first time I came to this church was to please my mother, but slowly, I grew to want to come to the church on my own, I started longing for God. I told my mother, “I want to have faith like yours; I want to be able to depend on God more and love him as you do.” God used my mother as a tool to point me in the right direction because now was the time. My heart was open, I was yearning for him, I felt incomplete and I wanted my Lord Jesus to be a greater part of my life. I began to search for answers and direction; I began to make changes in my life because I wanted to please and honor him.
As a Christmas gift this past year, I received a CD of a sermon by Charles Stanley. He spoke about the point in our life where there is a turn around and you want to change, and that it does not necessarily mean your life gets better or easier; because as our faith grows stronger, the temptations and obstacles grow as well. But this is just God bringing us closer to him, he wants us to trust in him completely and put all of our faith in him. Deuteronomy 31: 8 states “The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Through God’s work, the sermon on the CD opened my eyes to living in a way that is honoring and pleasing to God. I learned that I have to take responsibility for my actions because one day I have to stand before our Lord and I am accountable for all of my sins, big or small. Since that moment, my relationship is stronger with my Lord now more than ever before, and my faith is my very own.
I have accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, I believe he lived a sinless life, died on the cross to pay for our sins and rose on the third day. He ascended to Heaven and is now preparing a place there for me. One day he will return to earth, take me there to live with him eternally. I confess my sins to him, repent, surrender to him, trust him and walk with him. I know that if I die today, my soul will be saved by God’s grace because I accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I want to honor and please him every day that he blesses me with. And this is why I stand here today, I want to talk about our glorious Lord Jesus, be like him and walk with God. I want to continue to grow in his love and I look forward to our Lord’s return, until then I will praise him here on earth.