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I would like to take a couple of moments to share my story with you. My wife and I have been married for over forty years and we have four children together. I have been retired from General Motors for a number of years now. In my younger years, I was a wheeler dealer sort of guy, always looking to get the best deal and taking advantage of whoever I could to get the best deal from them. I was not a religious person in any way—as a matter of fact, I used to make fun of the Christians at work. I thought that money was the answer to everything. However, something happened that changed my life forever.

Many years ago, while puttering around the front yard of my home one afternoon, I met a man walking on the sidewalk passing by. I struck up a conversation with him by introducing myself, and he introduced himself as Dennis. I asked him what he did for a living and he replied that he was the new Pastor at the local church. He was a young man still studying for the ministry and he was married with four little children. Curious, I asked Dennis what he did before becoming a minister and he said that he owned his own plumbing and heating company. I exclaimed, “You gave that up for God? There’s no money in God!” I guess by reading my reaction to Dennis’ profession, you can see where my heart was at that time. Then I thought that this was a great opportunity to save some money, so I gave Dennis the sob story of how my toilet was leaking and would he take a look at it. He did and he fixed it. I was really pleased with myself for getting such a good deal and then had the audacity to mention that I had a washing machine that was broken and would he take a look at it. Dennis checked the washing machine and fixed that, too.

I felt a little guilty and thought that I should offer him some money since he helped me so much. Trying to gain his pity, I mentioned that I was laid off, but failed to tell him that I was receiving 85% of my wage while I was on lay off. Dennis asked, “Would you give me eight Sundays in church?” I was taken aback and asked, “What, no money?” Dennis replied, “No, just eight Sundays in church.” I said, “It’s a deal.” I thought I got the best of this deal.

After Dennis left I told my wife that we had to go to church for eight Sundays to pay off the debt I owed.

We did not attend Dennis’ church right away, but our two families quickly became friends and we visited each other often. Every time we came home from a visit with Dennis, I would complain to my wife that all Dennis did was talk about God. However, in retrospect, I realized that it was I who was asking questions and Dennis would just answer what I asked, showing me God in every answer.

One night, Dennis and his wife Janet invited us over for cake and coffee before we had started going to Church to fill my obligation. During the visit, Dennis asked where would I go if I died? Would it be Heaven, or would it be Hell? I replied, “Heaven, of course—I never killed anybody, and I have never done anything really bad.”

Dennis explained, not from his own words, but from the Bible, that every person is on his or her way to Hell because of their sins. He said this separation from God started in the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating the fruit of the tree that God had forbidden them to eat (Genesis 3:6). By doing this, of their own free will, Adam and Eve disobeyed God. This disobedience to God is called “Sin.” This seed of sin from Adam and Eve was then passed down upon all mankind. I argued with Dennis about why I should suffer a fate in Hell because of their sin, as I did not have anything to do with the fall of Adam and Eve. Dennis said to us, “You don’t have to. God sent His only son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross and He took our sins on Himself as our substitute or payment for our sins. Jesus died on our behalf.” Dennis further said each person needs to come to God through His Son. In the Bible Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14 verse 6).

Let me stop my story here for a moment. Take a little time to think about how the God of the Universe loves you. He loves you so much that He sent His only Son to die on the cross for you.

To get right with God there are two things we must do:

1) BELIEVE that Jesus died on the cross for you.

2) REPENT (turn away) from your sins. Admit you have sinned against God and ask Him for forgiveness.

According to the Bible, we all will spend eternity either in Heaven or Hell. Remember: it is not about how good you are, or how religious you are, or any good works you do. It is about knowing His Son Jesus personally. That is why the Lord Jesus Christ laid down His life and died and rose again, so that we could be saved by what He did, not by what we do. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2 verse 8).

My wife Rose told Dennis that she wanted to pray and trust the Lord Jesus. What both my wife and Dennis did not know is that I was praying silently in my heart before we started and said, “God if You are really who Dennis said You are, I would be a fool not to trust in You.” Dennis led us in the following prayer:

Lord Jesus, “Please forgive me of my sins. I believe You died on the cross to save me and to forgive me. I now repent (turn away) from my sins and I ask You to come into my heart and be my Lord and Saviour.”

After we prayed, Dennis said, “It is not so much the actual words that you speak, but your attitude of being truly sorry for your sins and asking the Lord Jesus Christ to come into your life.”

However, I said to Dennis after we prayed that I didn’t look or feel any different, so I guess it never took. He assured me that if I meant what I said, then I was indeed a different person and I now belonged to God through His Son Jesus.

The next day I saw a man in the village who had invited me out to church in the past, but I had never gone, so I excitedly told him that I had accepted Jesus as my Saviour. He said, “Don’t shoot that stuff at me.” I soon learned there is a difference between religion and Christianity (having a personal relationship with God).

I have been a Christian for a number of years now. Do things go well all the time? No, life still has trials and temptations, etc., but now I have God who will either deliver me or guide me through them.

Thank you for reading about my life, and may I leave you with a few parting thoughts to consider: First, no one is exempt from God’s forgiveness if you put your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus. You are not only His creation, but you will become His child. He will faithfully help you through the challenges of life here on earth and He will also prepare for you a guaranteed place in Heaven, to be with Him for all eternity. Even if we live to seventy or eighty years here on earth, it is a drop in the bucket compared to eternity.

Why did I give you my testimony? Because I care about you. If you ever want to talk about salvation or have any questions, you can contact me and I would be glad to talk to you.

Thanks so much for reading my story, and if you make a decision to trust and follow the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, please let me know so I can rejoice with you.

—Brian Terry

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