» Wendy « at ShoutLife.com

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I've been married to my Husband and best friend, George, for 28 years. Yes, we were "kids" at the time: I was 18 and he had just turned 20, and no one had any hope whatsoever that our marriage would last. My Mother-in-law claims that I came along at the right time and saved my Husband from a jail cell and he, too, would agree with that. We both come from fairly large families: I'm the oldest of 5 kids, he's the baby of 5 kids. He was raised in a Christian home, I was not. We met through his best friend who was dating the girl that was living with my family at the time. Three and a half months later, we were set up on a date and have been inseparable since. We were married exactly four months to the day from that first date.

We have three adult children: Tim, 28; Jason, 26; Rebekah, 21. Our youngest Son is the only one that is married to a sweet girl named Jen and they have given us two beautiful Granddaughters, Molly and Janey.

I am employed part-time as a Nanny and I absolutely love it. I also serve in my church as Secretary/Treasurer/Clerk. When time allows, I like to knit, quilt, paint/draw and make jewelry. I have a whole room just devoted to my crafting endeavors. I love chatting on Shoutlife and it's a great way to meet people right where they are and show them Jesus in a different way.

- As Paul says in 1 Timothy 1:15, "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief." but Praise God I am saved by the blood of Jesus. There aren't enough words to express my thankfulness for that!

Matthias Method

I am a child of the 60's and 70's. Some people seem to think that those were simpler times. I don't think they were simple at all. I think there are people out there who are my age that dealt with the same issues we deal with today. People are just far more open to discussing it. I have survived near death ... twice: once at the hands of a doctor, the other at the hands of a 17 yo boy who was abusive. When I was 12, my parents' separated for 15 months, I watched my Grandfather battle for two years and lost that battle to lung cancer, my heart has been broken more times than I can count by boys. When I fall, I fall head over heels hard in love, but it wasn't true love, it really was a need for attention and affection. True love you know the moment you experience it. I am one of those people who the first time I laid eyes on my husband, I knew I was going to marry him even though we both were dating other people at the time!

I came to know the Lord as an adult. As you can see, I struggled through very difficult childhood/teen years. My Aunt tried to bring my siblings and I to a knowledge of the Lord but it came with beating the Bible over our heads which literally alienated her from the rest of her family as all of her siblings told her that if she wants to visit, to check her religion at the door. No one likes to be told on a regular basis that they are doomed to hell if they don't change their ways. There was no love in her witness. Between my parents' separation and my frightening experiences of my Aunt's church, I decided that if this was what God was all about, I wanted no parts of it. I never stepped foot back into a church for six years.

My oldest son was born ten weeks premature and his chances of surviving were very grim. In fact, there was more discussions about his death than the slight chance that he could survive. My first sight of him was in an incubator, covered head to toe with wires and IV's and a nurse pumping his tiny chest to keep him alive. Even my Husband's believing family members had no hope that our son would pull through this; and if he did, he'd be handicapped and my family was already planning his funeral and preparing me for the worse. But honestly, call it naivety of a 19 year old new Mom or call it hope, I had no worries. There literally was a peace that took over. Even bad reports that we received, still gave me a sense of peace. I feel it was the first step in a Savior reaching out to me and giving me a hope in knowing that He is in control of this. Our son, of course, pulled through this with very few difficulties.

Over the years as I listened to my Father-in-law's sermons on Sunday morning, the Spirit spoke to my heart and I came to believe in Jesus as my Savior but I truly struggled with baptism. I don't think it was so much the struggle, because I knew deep down what I needed to do, out of obedience; but it was to have to tell my family since I was christened as an infant and was Reformed Episcopal in my upbringing. As the struggle over this continued, someone commented to me that when I was christened, that was my parents decision to baptize me, and that now since I came to know and believe in the Lord, I needed to make that decision for myself. I had to step out in obedience and be baptized.

Acts 2:38 And Peter answered them, Repent (change your views and purpose to accept the will of God in your inner selves instead of rejecting it) and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of and release from your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

39For the promise [of the Holy Spirit] is to and for you and your children, and to and for all that are far away, [even] to and for as many as the Lord our God invites and bids to come to Himself.(A)

40And [Peter] [a]solemnly and earnestly witnessed (testified) and admonished (exhorted) with much more continuous speaking and warned (reproved, advised, encouraged) them, saying, Be saved from this crooked (perverse, wicked, unjust) generation.

41Therefore those who accepted and welcomed his message were baptized, and there were added that day about 3,000 souls.

42And they steadfastly persevered, devoting themselves constantly to the instruction and fellowship of the apostles, to the breaking of bread [including the Lord's Supper] and prayers.

It finally made sense and I knew what I needed to do. Life has not been easy. God doesn't promise to make life easy but no matter what, He is with me. I still struggle with the same day to day issues as most people but I have the faith in the Lord to know that HE IS IN CONTROL and HE knows what is best for me.