Testimony by Betty Smulik:

This is about the special person who led me to being saved. I had gone to a Sunday School from a group that came out from town and they often talked of being saved, but I was bashful and didn’t respond. We often went to Glennwood and the zoo because we didn’t have money, and my father and mother could watch a ball game. At that time, they had a stadium and had church services there on Sundays. Afterward, a lady saw me standing around and asked me if I knew what it meant to be saved. I didn’t actually know even though I knew the John 3:16 Bible verse. I didn’t understand “The Old Rugged Cross” song lyrics either. I thought it was a sacrilage to want to trade an old rugged cross for a crown. I felt the cross was necessary, but I didn’t put it all together. I would say I was converted at Glennwood, but from the time I was born, my mother always told me that God would be there to help and guide us. I also somehow knew it was important for Jesus to die on the cross. I just did not make enough connections. The one who helped guide me the most was my mother.

There was even the time later that the neighbor girl came to our house and nervously asked if Mom would be embarrased if she gave us several opened boxes of cereal. They had cleaned their cupboard that day. (knowing the neighbor and how they helped, it was probably an excuse). After the neighbor girl left, Mom told me “There was no food at all in the house. I was praying for help”.

Testimony by Bob Kulisek:

My wife Sophie was an influence to me when I was saved.

Testimony by Carol Schumacher:

The two people that influenced me to accept Jesus as Savior were Lois Casper and Dorothy Price at a Missionary Conference around the year 1989.

Testimony by Cathy Preston:

Jews for Jesus was an influence to me when I was saved.

Testimony by Cindy Bastow:

Pastor Jim was an influence to me when I was saved.

Testimony by Don Grim:

Before I accepted Jesus as my Savior, I had to overcome some obstacles. I am sharing those obstacles to help anyone who may be facing similar situations.

I grew up attending a United Methodist Church in Woodsfield Ohio. Though a salvation message may have been presented, I don’t remember hearing any of those messages. I grew up with the popular notion that if you were good enough (good out-weighing bad), you would go to Heaven. That was my first obstacle. I later realized that asking Jesus to be my Savior allowed me a permanent pass to Heaven and that doing good was out of love and not out of earning salvation. I learned that none of us are good enough or worthy. By asking Jesus to be the sacrifice for my mistakes, I am part of God’s family with a future home in Heaven, because of God’s love for me and not because I earned Heaven.

When I attended college in Youngstown Ohio, I majored in math. Though I love math, that became my next obstacle. There were plenty of proofs in math classes which programmed me to want proofs before I believed anything. I later learned that proofs are not the beginning of belief and that inspiration is the true root of all beliefs. Anyone who has sincerely studied the Bible will tell you that there is nothing more inspiring than the words in the Bible.

Another obstacle for me was feeling too insignificant. There are millions of people in the world and they can appear similar. Why should I matter more than an unessential ant? Then, I realized that God has made us unique. Even our voices are distinctly different. God even knows the number of hairs on our heads. He cares about us, and loves us, so much to allow us to ask Jesus as Savior to save us from our mistakes and provide Heaven as our future home. If you still have some trouble grasping that, think of your class in school. I went to school with my class for 13 years (counting Kindergarten). That allowed me to get to know them and care about them, despite their faults. God knows us even more and sees our potential too. None of us are insignificant in God’s eyes.

Going the other direction, another obstacle for me was feeling too significant. I felt I could control my life on my own. This is what I call “Satan’s last lie”. The Bible tells us that there will be great increases in knowledge in these last days before Jesus returns. We have seen great evidence of this in our lives, like airplanes, satellites, television, and computers. We will be seeing more technology yet. It could make you feel like we can control life on our own, without God. However, problems will continue, as is foretold in the Bible. We need God to really control our life and to be assured of Heaven in the next life. You do not have a real joy, peace, and satisfaction (with the problems) until you have accepted Jesus as Savior, which allows God to control your life.

Another obstacle for me was thinking God’s plan of salvation was too simple, making it too illogical. After all, how could you receive something that you didn’t eventually pay for? Is there a free lunch? Is becoming part of God’s family similar to employment discrimination, “it’s who you know and not what you do”? But, I learned that it is God’s love and it is free, for the asking. I couldn’t have paid enough to earn it anyway. What a loving Father we have as we join his family by asking Jesus as Savior!

So what helped me the most to become saved? Reading the Bible is the main answer! I studied it even though I didn’t understand everything and, of course, continue to learn from it. The Bible is amazingly inspiring! Once I did ask Jesus as my Savior, I remember masks lifting from my eyes as the Holy Spirit allowed me to understand more. All that I read earlier quickly started piecing together like a jigsaw puzzle.

Another help to me was when my wife Betty, before we were married, invited me to attend services at a Baptist Church. There, my ears were turned on! I received continuous salvation messages and heard messages from the Bible and songs from the Bible. I met born-again Christians that were real about their Christian faith. You could see it in their eyes. I particularly appreciate a friend, Charles Slagle, who got so “fired up” when I doubted the benefit of the Bible. He encouraged me to pray for understanding about salvation and to read the Bible.

There was also a book that helped me called “Science and God in the 80’s” by Harold Sala. I read it because of new science ideas, like cloning. I found it as a wonderful testimony about God. It also helped me to see how all prophecy has been fulfilled in the Bible, just a further testament to the truth and realness of the Bible.

I asked Jesus to be my Savior in December 1981. It seems like yesterday at times. It is an amazing transformation. To God be the glory! God controls my life because He knows better than I do on how to control it. He gives an indescribable peace and joy! The pressure is off! He guides my life and gave me a permanent ticket to Heaven! It is a privilege to serve him out of love, for that is the only way to serve him!

Finally, if you don’t know Jesus as Savior yet, investigate it. It will inspire you, and you will not regret it.

Testimony by Fred Gravatt Jr.:

The people that were an influence to me were my Dad, my Mom, Pastor George, and Pastor Mick & Sally.

Testimony by Howie Fox:

Pastor James “Mic” McGinnis was an influence to me when I was saved.

Testimony by Jen Shaffstall:

The person who was the biggest influence to me when I first accepted Jesus is Maureen Gustafson Eaton. She has been my mentor, friend, teacher, and an amazing testimony of Christ. She is a beautiful person. She never gave up on asking me to come to Bible Study and I’m so glad!

My Story (6/6/2012):
I am a stay at home mom to 3 beautiful children. Two boys and a girl, 9, 4, and 2. I have been married to my husband Joe for 10 years and we’ve been together for 15. In those years, we’ve been through quite a bit. God has been our stronghold and our rock. There are many examples I could cite that prove He is faithful and at work in our lives but a few stand out the most.

When we married I was not a believer. I did however feel a tug at my heart – especially at times when we would go to the church we were married in and the Pastor would seem to look straight at me during his sermon at just the right time!

In May of 2003 I was 5 months pregnant with our first child and we found out that Joe would be activated in the Air Force Reserves and have to go overseas to Germany for an unknown amount of time. I was heartbroken. I didn’t want to go through the last few months of my first pregnancy and possibly the delivery without my husband. But, it turns out that I was able to go on a trip to see him. I was quite nervous about flying alone. I was at my first bible study one night (May 8th to be exact) and confessed my worry to a couple ladies. Well, it ends up that I accepted Jesus as my savior that night and the trip to Germany was the trip of a lifetime! Since I’ve accepted Jesus of course nothing has been the same but not only that, he had been preparing me for many more challenges along the way.

Joe was able to be home for the birth of our first son. But then when he was 4 weeks old, we got news that Joe would have to go overseas again, but this time to Oman/Kuwait. Again, I was devastated but now I had Jesus. I prayed and prayed and I started going to church faithfully every week – I had to or I would’ve gone crazy! I had amazing support from my family and church family. Joe was gone for 3 1/2 months. I would never want him to be gone for that long again but I wouldn’t change those times with God for anything. I learned a lot about myself, about God, and about how strong my marriage is.

Now, fast forward to 2010. We had another boy in 2008 but yet wanted to try again for our girl. I am pregnant again but had a small bleed & had to go in to see the Dr. They did a sonogram and found out that the placenta had attached to my prior c-section scar (accreta) and I had placenta previa as well. They told us that we would have to go to Pittsburgh to see specialists but they would probably tell us to terminate the pregnancy. Of course our heads are spinning.

All the Dr’s agreed that the “safest” thing would be to terminate. I was in danger of hemorrhaging at any point during the pregnancy. Also, the placenta could have grown through the uterus and attach to my bladder so I would have to have a hysterectomy and possibly part of my bladder removed. Well, we told the Dr’s that they were going to have to do what they had to do to take care of me because we were NOT going to terminate. They even wanted me to sign the papers in case I changed my mind because they have to have 24 hrs. I didn’t even -couldn’t even do that.

I did end up staying in the hospital for 5 1/2 weeks and delivering our baby girl a month early but we were both fine. I did have to have a hysterectomy but my bladder was unaffected. And our little girl is now 2 and FULL of life!

I believe God had spent those years from May 8th 2003 until 2010 to prepare me for that pregnancy and strengthening me in my faith to know that He would carry us through that. He is so good and so full of grace and mercy. We were able to walk confidently through that pregnancy with faith that I would be taken care of by His outstretched hand and that our little girl would be given to us to enjoy for many years. Because of His faithfulness we were able to be faithful witnesses to His loving kindness.

Words truly cannot express how grateful I am for His hand in my life and for the people He has placed in my life. Without Him and them I would not be where I am today.

Testimony by Jim Eaton:

Sunday School Teacher Marge Daughterty was an influence to me when I was saved.

Testimony by Karen Downs:

The person that most influenced me when I first accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior was my Sunday School teacher at the time. Her Name was Jeanne.

Testimony by Lucy Moon:

Joyce Faust was an influence to me when I was saved.

Testimony by Marge Santabene:

Pastor Clair Dufford was an influence to me when I was saved.

Testimony by Nancy Bowers:

June took me to church where I accepted Jesus and was set free from drinking. Praise God!

Testimony by Sam Zeisloft:

Rev. David Roddy was an influence to me when I was saved, since he did not accept my “concept” of receiving Christ and pursued me to be truly “born again”.

Testimony by Wally Lawson:

I had no particular person that influenced my becoming born again. Through God’s grace and His gift of giving me a conscience, and the quiet that goes along with it and a sense of appreciating the beauty and finer qualities of life, including the arts, saved me to His Glory. Amen.