My Testimony

My Testimony:

     I was born in Midland, Michigan on July 2, 1963 to Ron and Frances Parker.  My father was a big guy; six foot five, and a violent alcoholic.  He frequently beat up my mom, and was a danger to the whole family.  After my sister was born in 1965, my parents divorced.  Being raised in a single parent family back then was not easy; many times we were looked down upon.  We had teachers that didn't want to teach us.  My own uncle told me that I would never amount to anything. We were always poor, and didn't have much to eat.  In my personal life, I struggled with school, particularly reading and anything in the math field.  I later would find out that I have dyslexia, but it wasn't as widely known back then.
     Growing up in this way, it never crossed my mind that we were poor.  It wasn't until I really started to "hang out" with other friends and families that I began to see that we were different.  While the nice things my friends had that we couldn't afford was noticeable, the one thing that angered me most was the fact that I didn't have a dad. I often wondered if I had done something that caused him to leave, but this question was way beyond my comprehension.  As a kid, I longed for the "family" that I saw represented in most of my friends homes, particularly in my church friends homes.  There was something deeper in their relationships in contrast to my secular friends families.
     By the time I reached junior high, I seemed on the edge of a great divide; shoving off into the world and it's vices, or exploring the possibilities of a hope in the eternal world. I grew up RLDS, so the family aspect was nurtured by all.  Several of the older men were always willing to take me under their wing, and help me when possible.  But, growing up poor, money is always the big draw.  I did odd jobs, almost anything, that could make me a buck. But deep down, I knew that there was something that I was missing, and it always drew me back to "family".  I remembered reading the "Lord's Prayer" one time, and the beginning provided a lot of light to me: "Our FATHER, who art in heaven". It occurred to me that maybe, just maybe, I did have a dad to lean on.
     My desire to know my Heavenly Father came to head one day when, after school, I came home wanting to die.  Kids can be brutal at this age, and would notice anything about you to use as a tool to tease.  This particular case was over my socks-they all had holes in the heels.  In gym class, you can't hide such a problem.  I thought I had discovered a way to hide these holes by putting on my socks upside down, then folding the hole in on itself, and tying the shoes tongue down on top of it.  But, this didn't work in gym class either.  Not only did I get teased because of the holes, but now the teasing was turned up a notch because I was also too stupid to put my socks on correctly.                           Being the first part of December, I hoped I'd get some socks for Christmas, but this was no guarantee either, and, I didn't think I could wait that long either.  As I lay on my bed that night, I began to think again about God being my Heavenly Father.  I remembered hearing that, in the Bible, Jesus said "take no thought for the morrow, for your Father knows those things you have need of".  I decided then to take this request to my Heavenly "dad"; for the first time in my life, I was going to pray and ask for something.  With as much faith as I knew, I offered my simple prayer: "God, can you get me some socks?"  To my surprise, within a couple days, I received an early Christmas card with $25 in it.  I went right to K-Mart, and bought two bags of socks; over the calf with green stripes, the colors of Northeast Junior High.  I went home and folded each pair and threw all of my old socks away.  I was ready for gym class!!  That Sunday, as I was sitting in church, the leftover $15 was burning a major hole in my trousers.  All I could think about was what to buy.  At some point, a man stood at the front of the congregation for offering. His words were simple: "If God has blessed you, be a blessing to someone else".  I knew what I must do.  As the plate came to me, I dropped in my $15, and, with a tear in my eye, I said "Thank you Father, please help someone else".
     My joy at that moment was made full.  I then knew what I wanted to do with my life: serve Jesus. I knew that this choice would never make me money, because our church does not pay its clergy, but I knew the joy that I had experienced, and wanted to make this my life's direction. I realized that my circumstances had prepared me to be the type of man that would be able to serve with compassion.
     And so I labor, hoping to be the means of bringing someone to the joy that is available to anyone who is willing to take upon themselves the name of Jesus Christ.  I wish I could say that my life has been one mountain top to another, but, valleys have their place and lessons as well.  It is my hope that through this blog, I might be able to reach that one person who needs help, and turn their sights upon "He who is mighty to save".  God bless.