As a young man of twenty-two years, I was torn from ordinary life and was conscripted to do two years National Service.

Prior to this through my school years, I attended Sunday school, joined the Life Boys and then progressed to the Boys Brigade, going to bible class every Sunday. I was very conscious that there must be a God mainly through my own experience of wanting to do and be good but failing every time, especially after trying to turn over a new leaf and making many New Year resolutions, which I sincerely tried to keep.

Things came to a head in 1962 with the Cuban crisis came into the news with president Kennedy and Khrushchev in a head-on collision course over ‘missiles to Cuba’. It looked as if we would be plunged into a third world war. As I look back now I realise that the God I did not know at this time, used this event and my own fear of death to make me realise that if I died and had to stand before this Holy God, my own wrong-doing and sin would condemn me. 

This caused me great anxiety and distress over a number of weeks. I little realised that it was God’s great love extended to me in order that I might come to Him and ask His forgiveness for the things in my life that had so exercised my conscience and heart. 

Through the help of a Christian friend whose life I had been watching as we worked together in the same company, I saw that he had no fear at this time of a possible third world war and because of this peace that he enjoyed I sought his advice – what made the difference in his life? It was through him sharing his testimony with me that I realised the need to ask God’s forgiveness for my past life (to wipe the slate clean) and start a new life with Him in control receiving this Jesus Christ into my life. 

By simply asking Him to forgive and change me I became a born-again Christian and my life changed from the moment I received Jesus Christ into my heart and life. With the fear gone I now experienced such a peace over my heart and I knew that this awesome God had now become my heavenly father. Through His son Jesus Christ, my Lord and Saviour – his life and death at Calvary – had secured my forgiveness life changing my life dramatically from then on. 

I discovered a greater desire to read the bible and attend church regularly and the amazing thing was that God began to speak to me through his word and through the gifts of the Spirit which were exercised in the Pentecostal church I started to attend. 

I soon became involved with the personal address system at the church as my work as a radio and TV engineer gave me much experience. From these small beginnings I was lead into youth work among the nine to fifteen year olds, in and outside the church. I am now sixty-five and am still very much involved with the youth and love every minute of it.

I was adopted as a child and lost my adopted father at the age of five so I didn’t know a father’s love or experience a father figure in my life. When I came into relationship with my heavenly father I experienced the father’s heart and unconditional love towards me and he became the Father figure I never had. 

My heavenly father has proved faithful through all the intervening years and has never once let me down, although sadly I’ve let him down. My wonderful Saviour and Lord Jesus encouraged and strengthened me through the many situations of life we find ourselves in. 

As Christians we are not immune to the problems and tragedies that life throws at us, as experienced when my wife Irene died – God proved himself as never before and I felt a reality of God’s presence upholding me along with the support of my pastor. This enabled me to get through this crisis in my life. Through all my life experiences God has remained faithful. I commend Him to you with all my heart. This scripture has mightily blessed me – Proverbs 3 ^5-6.