MY NAME IS JAMES EDWARD GREEN (MEMBER OF THE BODY OF ELDERS) AGE 50 @OWTHCAF

I must begin by saying that I thank God for Jesus.
If it had not been for Him giving His life for me, I would not be writing these words of testimony.

I am Bro. James Green. I feel it necessary for me to share with you our readers, some of my lifes experiences. First. I was born in a small town in the state of Arkansas, (Montrose) county.
Father ( Allen Green) Mother ( Georgia Green) To them, I was born, along with nine (9) others, four sisters and five brothers. Five of us born in the state of Arkansas, and the other five born in the state of Illinois, and in the state of Missouri. Our journey didn't end in the state of Arkansas, it took us to the state of lllinois, (Chicago) and then, to Missouri, (St. Louis). This is where I reside at this present time.

We lived in poverty as other that were poor, and no other income except for public assistance. Living in housing provided for us by the state of course, this place was in the project. Housing that had nine (9) floors, and housed about,107 different families. Our lives to us at that time, seemed to be a normal, and healthy one, but not one without its share of troubles. I went to school, and did good as one possibly could have under such conditions.

My father was not always there for us. He was in and out of our lives. Didn't always have the " finest things in life", but God supplied our needs. We were, I thought a close and healthy family. Until one day tragedy struck the Green family. At the age of sixteen, (16) my Dear mother was taken from us, by the hands of another woman, and neighbor, such a senseless, and undeserving, disreguard for human life. Not that anyone should take anothers life for any reason, Its was just foolish, and so cold-hearted. Just because my brother was riding his bike on the open breezeway, (our porch). She, my mother was killed. Shot down in the prime of Her life, she was only (38) years old. This tragedy in my live sent me in another direction, I was seeking for some peace, joy, and happiness. We had gone to what we thought to have been "Church" most of our childhood lives. The people sang songs, testified, spoke in tongues, and they danced, and the preacher "preached" as we knew preaching to be. To try to make this, not only hard, tragic time in my life better, I just made things worse. I started using drugs, what they called no harm, like cigarettes, drank wine, and whiskey, beer. Not only those, but others, like Marijuana. As you can see, that I had started down a road that would bring me more hardship than that I had already experienced. To lose a loveone in such away, was not only painful, but catastrophic. So now what must I do?

After struggling with staying in school and trying to make the best of life, making some good and bad decisions. Before I would drop out of school, I decided to enlist in the Military. At just seventeen (17) this was a major dicision for me. I served in the Armed Forses, for three years, didn't find peace there, just introduction of more drugs, That is when I turned to using chemicals. First was (sniffing), this was done by taking whatever form of drugs in a powder and sniff it through your nostril. Then (shooting) drugs, where one would take a hypodermic and inject (Heroin or cocaine) into their vein, not knowing, weather they would live, or die, and at the time didn't care, just wanted to get "high". It didn't stop there, there were more drugs, upper, downer, hash, made from Opium, and on. You would think that after all this experimentation, one would come to a conclusion, that what he or she was looking for was just not there.   Peace, Joy, and Happiness, could only be found in the Lord Jesus Christ, I didn't kow this at that time.

After all that I had gone through, there were some accomplishment in my life, that I was not ashamed of. Then I was discharged (Honorably). Yes my search was one that I wouldn't wish upon any other human being. If I could just help some one that is out there traveling down that same path, and encourage them so they would't have to venture down such a road. That is why I am sharing my testimony with the world.

There were times when I felt like others, just giving up. Thank God that I didn't give up on my search for true peace, which was found in Him (Jesus). Like I said I got discharged from the service, went to the church I attended as child. There I found one part of me that was missing, that was my wife. Yes in 1975 I got married, and am still married to that lovely wife of mine, to this day, and only death shall seperate us, as beleived and stated in Gods' word. There was yet something missing. I beleived that I was saved, I had repented of my sins, and at that time was baptized saying Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Didn't know my sins were still on me. I am so glad that after hearing for the first time in my life, the true plan of salvation, that my response wasn't that I have already been baptized. I lifted up my hands to God, and surrendered. Then God opened my understanding as He did those Apostles as to what I must do to recieve remission of sins, in the scriptures. I repented of my sins and was baptized in water in the name of Jesus christ, for the remission of my sins (Acts 2:38) KJV. I had already recieved the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues as the Spirit gave utterance. Then I had completed my search for peace, joy, and happiness. My friend, peace can only be found for any person, and their true purpose on earth for which God has placed them, when they, hear the Gospel and obey it, in it's fullness.

MY DEAR FRIEND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO SEARCH YOUR OWN BIBLE AND SEE FOR YOURSELVES, GODS' PLAN FOR YOU


 

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