Manor Park Evangelical Church|Serving Christ and the Community in St. John's
Yvonne's story
From religion to real faith
Yvonne is married to Roy and together they have 4 boys.
From a very early age I was taken to Sunday School and in fact I soon became a Sunday School teacher myself. In time most of the children drifted away from Sunday School. I remember thinking I will be glad when I don't have to go to church any more like my school friends. Church held no meaning for me: it was just something we did on Sunday.
Sadly, sermons at church were something to be endured. I don't remember too much about them except on one occassion. I remember the preacher explaining away the miracle of Jesus feeding 5000 people. He said that after the little boy shared his lunch everyone felt guilty and shared their lunches too! The moral of this was that we too should share what we have. Even as a youngster I wasn't impressed by such nonsense.
My church experience up to this point meant little to me and had no impact on my life - yet I was looking for the truth. Just after my sixteenth birthday I was invited to go on a youth weekend with a church youth group from another church. The first thing that struck me on that weekend was that the young people believed the Bible. I began to read the Bible for myself for the first time.
Over the next six months I became a Christian. I heard and accepted the Christian message - the simple message of Jesus, the perfect Son of God dying for my sins because I am a sinner. No amount of churchianity or good works will please a righteous God who must punish my sin. This was a message I had sadly not heard in the many years of attending Sunday School and church.
I have been following Jesus for over 25 years. He has continued to love me, guide me and provide for my every need, in difficult times and in joyful times.
