My Testimony—Gary McDonald
Proverbs 22:6 says “Train up a child in the way He should go, so when he is old, he will not depart from it.” My testimony isn’t like ones you normally read, although it does have the same result. I was raised as an evangelical Methodist, and church became my refuge against a horrible childhood. My dad was all about appearances, so he would parade my siblings and I to church on Sunday, then verbally and physically abuse us during the week. I learned at an early age the value of running away.
I was saved at the tender age of seven, by the late Rev. Burneth Claiborne. I can still remember the head to toe tingle I got when Jesus came into my heart. I’m not going to say my life has been easy ever since, because I had my share of hiccups along the way; I was a victim of incest at age 12. When my Mom died, I felt she died too soon, so I spent two years trying to drink the pain away. And If that wasn’t enough I was involved in a near fatal car accident where I myself died three times on the operating table. God wasn’t finished with me yet!
With age sometimes comes wisdom and here are a few things my life has taught me…
- There is one God who is in control, and I am not Him.
- My Christian walk is mine alone. I will only get out of it what I put into it.
- Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. God gave me two ears but only one mouth for a reason.
Currently, I am an Assistant Cook at God’s Ranch, where I love the brotherhood all of us ranchitos share on this dude ranch. It took me a long time to realize I can’ be fully used until I fully surrender. Allow Him to use you before it’s too late.
–Gary McDonald
