and I didn't want to have that type of experience! I had a girlfriend who didn't go to church and did everything she wanted to do. Even when I turned 18 I still was ready to take on that life-style.  I would ask mom to go to parties -she would say no, but I sneaked off and later got the beating of my life. I wanted to do what I wanted to do, God was saying, "Come into to my house" and I didn't want to.  My friend never got into trouble for doing things like I did. Lord, I didn't think I was bad.  But these same people that I grew up with became prostitutes or went to prison.

My family moved to Houston when I was 13 years old. By that time, my dad, who at one time was a holiness preacher, had already left us. It was a real difficult time for us, because we were used to being around types of people. Nobody understood us, nobody would come to give a word ( from the Lord), nobody would hear me. We were looking for a home church for about a year. I  visited my older sister's church and became a member.  The family suffered some hardships, but being in church saw us through.  At one point  I had wanted to bring my son with me to services, but he misbehaved so badly that I was embarrassed.  When I finally got the Holy Ghost, and  the spirit really moved on me, it scared my son, it was so weird to him. I really needed some help from the Lord! The peace was there, but I didn't want to sacrifice what I knew it would take to get it.  My vow to Him was  "I will never turn my back on you, then I lied!  I didn't really know how I could lie to the Lord like that, but I was stubborn, the most hardheaded one in my family. During the next 2 years, until I was about 20 years old, I got away from the Lord-I still wanted to do what I wanted to do.

Dad was dead and gone. He had treated me badly. he had actually left us in Lufkin to make another family. I was praying that God moved on him before he died.

AT 27, everything in my  life was going wrong.  I was caught up in my on thing-I had my own apartment, my own job.  I wouldn't  listen to anyone.  I never accepted any invitations to church.  My oldest son was always in trouble. Daniel, the next got really sick.  I felt a spirit of laziness.  My fiancé and I were looking for a home church before we got married. Having lived in holiness, I knew what I  needed to do. I was worried all the time, and I let Satan take over my house. I would be coming home from work, walking in the dark, which wasn't a good thing to do-the Lord was protecting me even then-and I would see a car approaching.
Satan would say, "Walk in front of that car, your troubles would be over." I hopped on the curb just in time. Satan had me being suicidal. I made a decision that Satan wouldn't attack me or my family. I decided to rededicate my life to the Lord.  Even then I still struggled, I couldn't remember things, I struggled against many things. The Lord prompted me to read my Bible. Frequently ,He would minister to my heart through His word.  The Lord I felt, knows what I am going through.  He calmed my anxiety with my children. After receiving a renewal in the spirit, my boyfriend and I couldn't really argue anymore. And he knows I love to argue! The Lord really changed me.

While all of this was happening in my life, my husband met up with Brother Rodney, who invited him to church.  We finally met up with him and eventually I got a renewal of the Holy Ghost and was baptized.  I wanted to be somewhere where I belonged, where the Spirit is really moving.  Now in my present church, we have a closeness with the pastor, something I have always wanted, and we hear the Word how we need to have it, looking for the Lord, getting the fullness of the Word and its meaning.   When I was younger I was always a problem and

In this column we show different experiences in which the Lord uses man to catch "fish" for the kingdom of God.  "Ye shall be fishers or men.

I went to a hospital for a test recently.  There in an observation room bed, I saw a very friendly lady who waved and smiled at me.  Not wiling to risk being unfriendly I did the same.  This she did twice from her bed as did other very kind members of her guests.  What very kind people, I thought.

After her guest left she came over to my bed to talk.  She mentioned that her dad had had a house church (as we do now).  He has recently discontinued it.  After mentioning the denomination, I told her we were Pentecostal, like the ,book of Acts serving God  (at present)  in a house church as well.

She got so excited, exclaiming "I knew that face -  I knew that face!  Oh my Pentecostal. I like to fill something on the inside when I PRAY!"  We were both very elated.  Her very first visit she brought many of the members of her family including her Father!  The  preacher himself.  She later brought her immediate family and plans to keep attending.

The Lord is still adding to the church daily such as should be saved", even if it means from the hospital bed.  Just as He did in the Book of Acts, He is doing

I Have Put Up the Fight Everyday(that's what I should do to live for the Lord)
By
DeQeau Johnson

I remember since the age of 2 years old that my dad was a holiness preacher for a short time. I never knew anything else.  My mother was converted to holiness, this means that she always wore dresses, spoke in another language (tongues); The woman wore their hair as long as it would grow, the hair of the men was cut short, and were baptized in Jesus name.

My family consisted of my mom, dad, sister and I. We went to church everyday and was baptized in Jesus name. It seems like we went to church everyday of the week except Saturday: we had worship service, bible study, women's, and men and youth night. Living in West Texas at the Church by Christ Jesus was a real family church, looked like a home but was made into a church in Lufkin, Texas,

When I was growing up everyone was getting the Holy Ghost but I kind of ignored getting because I saw others at school leaving an isolated life, people made fun of them