Yeah, I'm going to share my testimony. I was talking to Pastor Mike. So I was at work this week. I was in a conference, you know, speaking to many people, but they not felt nervous as I'm feeling now. It's all for God's glory. That's what I want to say, that every word I speak that comes out, you know, it's for the glory of God. I mean, I wouldn't say we are blessed to be here in a family and just hoping that many can be here as well, that we can fill this place because that's what it says, scripture that you know, our brother John said that, you know, that he saw many for many nations, you know, worshiping the Lord. It's just amazing and beautiful and knowing that, you know, we can see that here while we're here. Okay, brothers and sisters, so let's get started. I'll start, so my testimony and my testimony is before God found and gave me spiritual life. This is who I was before. I was a, I was a person of, I was a person that I felt hatred toward many people. This was including, you know, my own family, my own family members. You know, I just hated to be around them. I just, I felt like hurting them. I just, you know, just what I came to be, you know, just my evilness. I just couldn't stand, I just couldn't, I just couldn't stand being next to them. I wanted to be, you know, by myself. And this, you know, continue accumulating just, you know, knowing that you felt rejected and made, you know, being laughed at, you know, at home, even at parties, and nobody in there, you know, to defend you. So I just, you know, that's just who, you know, me, myself, started it. I mean, I desired, you know, I just desire money and fun. That was, you know, that was who I was. You know, that's what I just wanted to, you know, that's what I just wanted to be. I mean, I wanted to have everything I can have just to, you know, get attention. Again, I was just seeking, you know, for myself, for the pleasure of myself. Little by little, you know, God started calling me, you know, toward him. He started, you know, to water the flower that was dry and needed to be rescued. You know, he started to trim, you know, the bad weeds and every other dead leaf around that plant. And the way he started that I, you know, I remember all for God's glory. I used to go to Catholic church, and I saw them as hypocrites because they will go into the mass, and as they will come out, they'll continue practicing the same practices they were doing. I didn't enjoy them. going to Catholic masses. I always say, for God's glory. They used to take me. My parents used to take me. I just didn't like it at all. Even when I got married, I just didn't like it. I used to fight with my wife because she wanted to go, but I didn't. Because that's what I saw. And I enjoyed hearing, getting read God's word. I did enjoy that a lot. Little by little, we started hearing his words through a friend of ours. She invited us to service. And we started going to service, and I just remember I enjoyed reading, you know, hearing the word. And I remembered, I felt comfortable. I felt comfortable. And I even told the pastor at that time, you know, I don't want to go home. I just want to stay here and continue, you know, listening and hearing the word. And, you know, he just giggled and saying, but we have to go to sleep. But, you know, that's what I desired. You know, I desired the word. And that's when I started hearing, you know, and just hearing more about God. That's how I, you know, I see that, you know, He started, you know, trimming me, cleaning me. And, you know, this is a testimony that I have as well. And I do remember, I mean, I don't know if everybody's the same, but I do remember one time, It was one night I started having, as I continued going to services, there was one night that I do remember, and I still remember it now clearly. I remember being in the middle, and there was like a circle of fire. There was just fire around, and there was like a black shadow. And I was just screaming to that shadow, you know, I want God, you know, I want God. And I woke up, and I was crying. I woke up and I was crying and I started praying. I started praying and on Sunday service on Sunday service, we started reading, it was a hymn actually, it was a hymn from Isaiah 64 8, which says, you are the part and I am the claim. And I do remember there when we were singing that that's when I started, you know, tearing and I started crying and I asked the Lord, you know, for Him to take control of me that moment, you know, do as you please with me and, you know, just clean this disgustingness out of me because I was, you know, I'll destroy myself and that's when I say that the Lord, you know, took control of me and He started changing me in His way. That's when I say that, you know, that's when He rescued me, when He saved me and, you know, Again, that's the point that I, you know, I realized and I understood that, you know, I was nothing. And it was just, you know, it was him. It was him alone that rescued me. So afterwards, when we continued, that's when the pastor said that there was going to be baptisms going on. And I did understand that baptism is God's ordinance. That's the part that you have to do. So I also went ahead and I raised my hand and I told them that I wanted to be baptized. And it was a wonderful day that same day when I got baptized because it was my wife got baptized that day and my two oldest son, Roger, my oldest, and Charlene, my middle daughter, all four got baptized at the same day. Yeah, so it was wonderful. And yeah, I do remember as well when we got, you know, immersed in the water and coming up at the water, I felt This was a feeling I felt clean, I felt new, I felt loved, I felt protected. Because God's grace, I mean, Matthew clearly says we have to go and make disciples in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, that's our purpose. And that's every of his servants that has to do. Later on, as time went by, when he rescued me, I was able to, and this is again God's work, I was able to participate in, and this happens at so much of an early age, and I have, adding a little bit more, I've encountered many people that have said Christianity is not for me, or you know what? I mean, there's just too many problems in a Christian church. And I can say that at an early age. I was able to be a part of two congregations' leadership, which is where I was at when I started. And here in the Spanish church, I was able to be part of the leadership. And I ended up helping in the sound room. I ended up helping with the youth. I was giving them Sunday school, even with the adults. And if you ask me how that happened, I don't know. I just don't know how I ended up there. But again, that's when I understood that God's showing me and leading me to serve him. To serve Him, that's what it is, and to desire more of Him. I mean, now I pray. Now I pray to seek God. I pray for Him to give me the desire to learn more about Him. to know him. One of the Bible verses that I like, and I do remember, and I like to always read it to myself is Proverbs 1, 7, that the beginning of knowledge is the fear of God. The fear of God is the beginning of knowledge. Because that's what I want to always have. I want to have the fear of God. Because I believe that that's how we grow. I think that's how we grow in for His glory, to fear Him, because that will help us to, you know, say, behave and know what we do. I mean, we're not perfect, but we will be perfect in His presence one day. And that's when He will make us new. That's a good thing. So, yes, brother, that's again, this is, This is my testimony and daily the same thing I ask unto manifest himself in me. Glorify yourself in me. Bring me to the lowest of myself. Why? I know that that's the way He's going to teach me, for me to depend on Him. I did encounter, adding a little bit more, Pastor Steve is where I went through a hardship and he taught me. I read the book of Jeremiah and he taught me to depend on Him. lean on him and it was um yes it was five um you know hard months but one thing i can say that you know when i started reading scripture all that um you know all that the burden that i had went away from me I used to be just in need. And after that, everything just went away. And that's just the power of the prayer. That's just how the Lord works. And He says, seek me. You know, talk. And He'll listen. And He'll show us many, many things, hidden things that we do not know. And we ought to learn. So again, this is my testimony. I stopped living my life. Now I live the life that God wants me to live. So just wanted to share. It might be different, but that's just who I was. I was a person that hated everybody. Again, this is including my family. I just, you know, just to share something. Let's go to the book of Jonah. You know, let's go to the book of Jonah. Oh, he had to go and tell, you know, Nineveh that they were going to be, you know, disciplined. And they changed their ways. And we see how he, you know, responding, he was mad. He wanted to see, you know, God punish them. And God told him, why are you mad? And at the very end, he falls asleep, but we see God's love and compassion for his children that he even had a branch, had a branch cover Jonah for his love. You know, that's just who we are as a human being. Sometimes we just desire, you know, bad. We want to see the bad. But God's love is You know, it's God's love. It's just compassion. It's compassion, love. It's just Him and Him alone. That's why He is the way, the truth, and the life. That's all my testimony. Dear brothers, I do feel good. And this is all for, you know, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. So now I enjoy and I want to continue serving and seeking God and help and serving in his church because that's what I believe, that this is his church and we ought to serve each other. Good morning, brothers and sisters. I'm going to be reading because I'm not as good as my husband to be public speaking. But let it be for our Lord's honor and glory. I was born and raised in a Catholic family back in Mexico. Even though I had a family, I didn't really have a close relationship with either of my parents. My father was an alcoholic and my mother was too busy trying to find ways to earn money to provide for me and my siblings. My father would drink nonstop for weeks, for weeks at a time, and I grew up being terrified of him. Even though he never hurt me physically as a result of my father's alcoholism, my mother became angry and bitter. She had to take the role of a father and a mother at the same time. Nevertheless, she did what she could with the resources she had and tried hard to bring us up in the Catholic Church faith. and what it was required of us. I was baptized as a baby, but that's what she told me. I don't remember about that. I had my first communion, but soon realized that changed nothing to stop me from lying. Immediately after that religious event, I started lying to my mother. Soon after, my parents decided to leave Mexico and came to California. By then, my father had stopped drinking, but the damage had already been done. I started hanging around with other children in my neighborhood and would go to the liquor store nearby to steal candy almost every day. It was a habit. My mother never found out because she was too busy working. As I grew older, sin grew in me as well. Seeking love and acceptance, I got pregnant at a really young age, 14 years to be exact. Even though I was told to get rid of my unborn child, I absolutely refused. That was God's sovereignty working in my life. Because at that age, what can I do, right? Couldn't have a job, do nothing for myself. I was so afraid of my parents, though, and couldn't tell my mother of my pregnancy until she found out on her own. I was five months pregnant by then. That's how apart my mother and I were. It took her that long to find out. The consequences of my sin continued to pile up on me. My mother was so ashamed of me that she decided to keep me hidden from the rest of the family for the rest of my pregnancy. I was only allowed to go to school and had to return home immediately. I couldn't go to any of the family reunions. No one knew I had a child. until he was about a month old. My mother couldn't continue with the secret. I just tried to be strong and did everything she told me to, to have peace with her as I continue with my life. Someway, somehow, I managed to graduate high school in cosmetology almost at the same time. But soon I realized that I had become just like my mother, resentful, angry, bitter, and too busy for my children. I was a horrible wife and a mother. I didn't respect my husband and just wanted to be in control of the house. Everyone had to do what I said. I had little, really no patience at all with my children. I managed to graduate college as well with two children, work, and a house to take care of. But that didn't make me happy. That only increased my pride and arrogance. Then, one day, in God's providence, we were exposed to His Word. I remember hearing about the union between Adam and Eve and the Lord's purpose of marriage. Nothing happened then, or so I thought. Not wanting to change my religion, but recognizing the need to go back to church, I decided to continue going to Catholic church. Nothing compared to the words I've heard from that preaching on Genesis, but refused to accept it. Soon after, a friend invited me to her church. I refused her invitation. She insisted so much that I asked my husband what he thought about it. To my surprise, he was more willing to go than I thought. We went once and soon found ourselves reading the Bible. I couldn't believe what I was reading, and I had many questions. It was amazing. Finally, on one of the visits to my friend's church, the Lord opened my eyes. I was able to see myself for whom I really was a sinner. I remember hearing a sermon about Jesus being crucified in Barabas' place. I was Barabas and was let go free. I really felt dirty just as there was this pertain movies. I heard that story so many times before, but not until that day. I took it personal. I was that thief and murderer. I had so much hatred towards everyone who ever hurt me. But the Lord Jesus Christ died for me. That was an amazing grace. The Lord dying in my place, a death that I deserved. He became my heavenly father, the father that I never had. He took me for himself under his wings and his word became a healing balm for my soul. The Lord said to me, can a woman forget her nursing child that should have no compassion on the child of her womb? Even this may forget. Yet I will not forget you, Isaiah 49, 15. As soon as I learned the Lord's command on baptism, I wanted to obey him. I now understood what it really meant. I was proclaiming the truth of my salvation in Jesus Christ. I had died and resurrected in Christ. He had given me life to walk in that new life with him, and I wanted everyone to know that I was willing to do it and not be ashamed of it. Very quickly, I learned that following Christ came with a price. When my parents found out I had become a Christian, they felt betrayed once more. The worst betrayal yet on my part. They couldn't accept me as a Christian. My father was so angry that he didn't want to see me ever again. I was no longer his daughter. He later changed his mind. I forgave both of them. both of my parents for everything. And I continue to pray for them, that one day they will come to Jesus in repentance and accept him as Lord and Savior. Although I'm far from being perfect, I praise my Lord for his faithfulness and continued work in my life to conform me to the likeness of his precious son, Jesus. I know that he who began the good work in me will bring it to completion on the day of Jesus Christ. I also know that is the work of the Lord in bringing me and my family to this beautiful congregation to continue his work and preparing us to serve him. The faithful preaching of his word in fellowship with faithful brothers and sisters should certainly help us accomplish God's will. We would love to be part of this congregation. We have already been blessed here in the short time that we have been attending this local church. To him be all the glory. I thank God, the creator of heaven and earth, my father, For his steadfast love never ends. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. And for those that are seeking for a father, come to the father, to the eternal father. He will never turn us away. Amen.