A few months before going to dwell with her Savior, in May 1995, Karlene Lynn wrote her testimony. Pastor Mike Gendron led her to the Lord, baptized her, discipled her, and buried her. Karlenne had accepted the Lord, eighteen months before she died. She had been a nun for ten years and had never heard the Gospel or opened a Bible. After Vatican Council II (1962-1965) made some recommendations modifying the restrictions that surrounded nuns in their daily lives, she saw how unimportant religious life was for the nuns around her and narrowly on an attack of nerves.
Even in their nun robes, these people were secular in nature. Eventually she wrote a letter to Pope John Paul II asking for a dispensation of her vows as a nun. A letter was received during the summer of 1967 dispensing his wish. She left the convent and went to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where she found a job teaching at the local school as a fifth grade teacher.
This is her story, how she wrote it and how it was read by Pastor Gendron at his funeral. The introduction and verses of Scripture, which tell the truth and assure her eternal life with the Lord, prepared her for her death.
Why did I write my testimony?
I am 55 years old and have been battling cancer for seven years. I have been moved to write this testimony before I die, which I believe will be very soon. I was a Catholic for fifty-three and a half years and a nun for ten years. I was saved, by the grace of God, eighteen months ago.
My first contact with the truth
One day I met Pastor Mike Gendron, who was leading an evangelistic campaign to reach Roman Catholics called "Proclaiming the Gospel." He was spreading literature especially written for Catholics. As a Catholic I was never interested in reading any of that literature because I was sure I was going to heaven. I had never had a Bible until recently. After all, I was a Catholic, I didn't need one. In fact, for ten years I was in the convent with more than two hundred nuns, we had a Bible among us, but we never opened it. I remember that during my ten years in the convent, all I wanted was to know Jesus. I never knew how easy it was to meet him. The Bible was so close! However, we were not motivated to read it on our own.
A Clear Contrast
The Holy Spirit did not leave me. Weeks later, we were invited to a small gathering to study the Bible, pray, and have fellowship. Mike shared the Gospel with me and encouraged me to read a publication that taught me the difference between what the Catholic Bible teaches and what the Catholic catechism teaches. When I read it, I was upset with it, because it made my church look bad. Little did I know, he just wanted me to choose between believing the Word of God instead of the teachings of men for my salvation. He knew, it was impossible for either to believe both of them. “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other ”(Matthew 6:24).
It was because of Mike's explanation and approaching me to examine "my faith" in his mistakes that I understood that I was not saved. This gave me a new desire to dedicate myself to Christianity, leave the Roman Catholic Church, and receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. "I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14: 6). “Truly, truly, I say to you: He who hears my Word and believes him who sent me has eternal life; and it will not come to condemnation, but it has passed from death to life ”(John 5:24). Very soon after, Pastor Mike baptized me making my faith public. I knew that my infant baptism was only an insignificant ritual. I always begged God to let me find Jesus and be used by Him. He granted me that wish, and now I am a Christian,
Redemption through His Blood
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we might be holy and without blemish before him, in love having predestined us to be adopted His children through Jesus Christ, according to the pure affection of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He made us accepted in the Beloved, in whom we have redemption through His blood, forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace. (Ephesians 1: 3,7).
Baptism of Believers
"For we are buried together with him to death through baptism, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also may walk in a new life" (Romans 6: 4).
My death prayer
I am at death's door. I am ready to go to my Lord. He has called me and I have received him. Pastor Mike will soon be officiating the “my going to heaven” celebration. My prayer now is for the salvation of my Catholic family who will be at my funeral. I hope that my death brings you life as the wonderful News of my Savior proclaims. Then they, too, will be in love with Jesus and will receive His most precious gift of eternal life! “I am the resurrection and the life; He who believes in me, even though he is dead, will live ”(John 11:25).
[Source: https://bereanbeacon.org/es/todo-lo-que-queria-saber-era-conocer-a-jesus/]
No comments:
Post a Comment