Thursday, June 14, 2007


This is the place life really started for me!








Well here I am again! Sometimes I just can't seem to think of anything to say.
Joshua 24:15 Choose you this day whom you will serve....As for me and my house we will serve the Lord
I have been thinking lately about the real differences that getting the Holy Ghost and serving God makes in peoples lives. I would like to have all of you respond and tell where you were headed before and how God made the difference.
As for me, I was only 7 years old. I was just a little girl, but there was something in me that was yearning for God. I used to go to a differnet Sunday School, but I missed my ride one Sunday morning and was sitting in the window crying because of it. I had a friend who went to a Pentecostal Church and saw me that Sunday on her way to Sunday School and asked me to go with her. My parents did not go to church at all and the funny thing is, neither did hers. I went and the Sunday School teacher taught about Jesus and that he would not like to hear us saying bad words. I went home and my mother swore at me. I started to cry and told her that Jesus did not like this talk. My mother was obviously hungry for God because she started to go to that church and soon got the Holy Ghost. She served God faithfully and with all of her passionate heart until her death just a few years ago. I come from a family that was very deep in sin, full of divorce and alchoholism and lots of other sin. Sin is a dead end street. Most of them are still living this dead and empty life. I can only imagine where I would be if it had not been for that change in my Mom that God wrought. I have nothing to boast about and I still have a long way to go, but I thank God for the differnce he made in my course. I pray that I can be as faithful to Him and His word as my mother was and that I can go even futher in Him . I also thank Him for the path I see my children taking. Their life is so profoundly different than even mine was, because of the Holy Ghost legacy He has given to me. It seems that each generation of serving God, just gets better and better. Everything good in my life is a direct result of serving God!
Now I would love to hear from you.


PS

Above are the churches I was raised in. The little old one was where I received the Holy Ghost. This building holds many precious memories for me. We had some rockin services there! I remember one week long revival that the preacher preached about attitude and how very important it is, every night of the week. There are many other memories that I can't even begin to tell it all.

The newer building is the one I spent the the rest of my single years in. It was the church that I was married in and where my mother's funeral was held. I actually helped pound nails in this building. It was an exciting time building that church for us young people. I also have many wonderful memories in this church. It is the church that is still being used today. My life revolved around these places. I loved the church. It was my pride and joy!

7 comments:

Marks Starlet said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
merbear said...

You brought tears to me Tina!!
I can see the total miracle in your life. A little girl in her window crying... why your apostolic friend even saw you, never mind see you crying, never mind stopping and inviting you....
God arranged that for you.
A little seven year old girl...
I thank God he saved you and brought you here to Calgary so I have a small part in your life.
I love you so much

merbear said...

Well, I was a 34 year old woman sitting in the window crying. (Figuratively speaking). Completely disheartened, disillusioned, disinterested, depressed by humanity. I had been burned so many times by people; things like money, dishonesty, men wanting me to commit adultry with them as their wives were dying of cancer. By the way, in my lowest worldly state, adultry with a man with his wife dying was over my ethics and comprehension. I was starting to feel it was me that was the looser, not the other people.
Roberta came by and invited me to Church. Thinking I was open and cool I said,"yes" I would come.
After a few visits; I allowed God to get ahold of my heart. It was instant addiction for me! Church, preaching, worship, holiness, new life. I had just changed my addictions from illegal to legal or should I say lethal.....LOL
I can not explain in words how much I love this life. If God were to let go of me and be done with me; I would rather die than to finish off the remainder of this life without him.
In him I live!! Without him I would rather take death than to be in this world AGAIN without him ...
Just thought I would also open myself up and give a little bite size bit of my testimony. We all came to God from such unique circumstances aye!! It really doesn't matter so much how we got here, it only matters that we all get here.

Ronda said...

Well Tina, that about sums it up! I also pounded nails in that new church building. I think we did it together one afternoon when we decided to "check things out". The memories of that place are far too many to mention. I am so glad that God allowed me to find such a good friend. Through the days of Sunday School and your mother getting saved, He provided me with a fortress and a "church family" who would get me through the hard times that were to come in my life. If only we could see God's perfect plan for our lives we would give ourselves over to His perfect will with much less resistance.

Katrina Holmes (Tina) said...

Thanks for your testimony Mer. I would not want to be without him in this world either and I am glad to count you as a friend.
Ronda, thanks for the comments you made. It brought tears to my eyes. There is so many unsaid things in your comments. So much life behind us and we are still living for God. You are doing a work for God being a pastor's wife(who would have ever thought!) and I am just trying to touch as many lives in a positive way as I can. What a legacy we have made through the help of God and His sacrifice for our children. They are living such a different life than us, eh? We both have 1 son that has gone back, but I am believing that they are going to be the ones that surprise us all. I am so glad that I had you for a friend too. We were inseperable! We could do so many "remember whens?" couldn't we? Yo would be better at it than me though because you have such an incredible memory! We needed each other and helped each other.I really wish Mom were still alive, but God knew she'd had enough. Life wasn't easy for her, but I am so glad she was faithful and didn't give up like so many others would have and did in her circumstances. She was a strong woman. How can I be less?
Love you.

Ronda said...

When I think of our boys who have strayed there is are these lines from a song that always come to my mind. "The last to be chosen are fist he will call...and what he does through them will amaze one and all!"

Amy St. Pierre said...

And here I am, almost 30 years old, and I was blessed enough to spend over 25 of those years in church with Christian parents, and wonderful Christian friends. I am so happy to say, that I was never "close" to leaving church; I have always wanted to be close to God and though times have come and always will that I will be weak, I know that with Him is the safest place to be. I have never experienced "the world" and really have no desire to, and I am hoping and praying my children can do the same. I have been through trials, some of them almost to hell and back(literally!) but God has always reigned supreme, and here I am today! I wish I could change some things in my life, but knowing I cannot, I will make my future even better!