Personal Testimony

When I was 9 years of age my parents starting having me and my brother go to church. I was going down a troubled path. My parents got me into church to help get me in a better direction. For the most part it did work. I started to obey my parents more, my foul language stopped, I was getting along with the other kids in the neighborhood and for the first time in my childhood had shaped up. I went to church many times during the week and even did royal rangers.

I can say that I never did go to church for my own reason but for those of my parents.

When I turned 15 years old I stopped going to church all together. My heart was never impacted in the short years I did attend church. Once I got into the real world it just went down hill from that. I fell deep into a sinful life filled with drugs, alcohol, indecent relationships, and was very prideful. The more I got into that life style the harder it was for me. I was always unhappy and depressed with my life. That was unless I was under the influence of something. I always had a hard time handling life sober. When I thought life couldn’t get any better and I was at my lowest point in life God did something that changed my thinking around. He brought a blessing into my life. Her name was Jolie. God truly blessed me. We got married on August 26th, 2000. and then in 2002 we had our daughter Kaitlyn. We started going to church only to get our daughter in church. But sadly most Sundays consisted of more football and beer and less of church. But at this point I still would tell other Christians I was a Christian and believed in God, but my life style didn’t match up to anything close to a Christian. It was sad. I was a true hypocrite and pretender.

Well God had a plan for that to change. So then it all leads up to the December of 2006. Jolie, Kaitlyn and myself went on a wonderful trip to Disneyland with her side of family. It was a grand time. We came back from Disneyland the day before New Years Eve. Everyone but Jolie's dad and mom flew back home. They drove down because they brought the pet dog maggie and where going to drive back home. They planned on leaving the day after New Years Day. Well Jolie's mom got sick and it progressed through the week and only got worse. She didn't make it and the Lord took her home to be with Him.

It really flipped my world upside down. I had a real hard time with losing my mother-n-law. But the amazing thing is the work God did in my heart because of that hard time. I remember the weekend. It had been about three weeks since she passed away. We had not been to church in almost a month or so. I woke up one particular Sunday and told Jolie we have to go to church today. She didn’t want to but I insisted that we did. We went to church and received an eye-opening message that made Jolie and I question our salvation. I looked at my life and knew that I was not saved. God was stirring my heart in a way I had never felt. That week I said a prayer asking God to use me in anyway He wanted to. I wanted to be a living sacrifice for His glory and honor. I repented of my sins and gave my life in full to Jesus Christ and now live for Him. A few days after that prayer I felt God calling my family to our home church now which is Grace Bible Church in Marysville WA. This was the church that her family went too. We never wanted to go there before this. It was a pride issue of mine. The support Grace Bible Church offered her family during that time was something we had never seen a church do, and we knew this would be a special church family to be apart of.

Since the decision to give my life to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, He has done so much in my life. I am not prideful with my relationships anymore. I understand it is not about me, but about Jesus Christ and the price He paid for me on the cross. I have stopped drinking and praise Him for taking away that addiction from me as this would only be possible through Him. I live for Him. I look to glorify Him in all I do. I love digging into God’s word. I can’t get enough of it. I enjoy teaching Kaitlyn about God’s word and training her to build a solid foundation for Jesus Christ. Jolie and I do a weekly study in His word. I thank God for allowing Jolie and I to grow together in our faith. It is awesome building each other up. We understand it is not about perfection, but about direction. Jesus Christ has given me a new life and with that new life I hope to make an impact for many generations to come. Jesus Christ gives me a peace in life I have never had. I always tried to find that peace in other things, but my true peace comes from Him who lives in Me.

It has now been just over 2 years since the Lord saved me. Jolie and I now have another daughter of 17 months by the name of Addison. We love our family. God has blessed us. Thanks for reading my personal testimony. May God bless you and encourage you this day.

Blessings,
Ryan Hall