My Testimony

I was asked to give my testimony to our Sunday School class last Sunday (Palm Sunday).  Here is the text of the testiimony.

 

My father-in-law was George Hawkes.  He had a motto about hospital visits:

Be bright, be brief, and be gone.  I share the same motto regarding testimonies.

My testimony is very simple.  It is built on a simple faith in God, trusting Him, and trying to listen to his calling.

First some background.  I came to this church as a 1-year old baby.  Kay Ellen and I shared a nursery bed, so I tell folks we slept together long before we were married.  We started dating some during my junior year in high school and got more serious during the latter part of my freshman year in college.  We were married when I was a junior in college.  We were both 20 years old.  It’s been a very nice 43 years, at least for me.

I mentioned earlier “a simple faith in God”.  In April 1957 we had a revival in our church.  During one of the services I was convicted of my sin and knew I needed Jesus as my Savior.  I didn’t walk down the aisle, I ran.  Later in the week my brother also accepted Christ and we were both baptized by Dr. East (he was still Brother East at that time) the following Sunday.  From that time on I’ve truly tried to listen to God’s direction and put my faith in him to lead me where I should go.

Verne and some of the others can tell you many stories about me as I was growing up and some of them are true.  While I sang in the Youth Choir, I was no “choir boy”. I got into my share of mischief.  Still, I tried to listen to God and follow His lead in my life. Let me share some of those times.

At 8^th grade youth camp I had a dream that Kay Ellen and I were going to get married.  At that time I hardly knew her and the dream seemed to be more of a nightmare, but I really think it was God talking to me.  She was prim and proper and I was not.  She was musically gifted and I was into sports, primarily basketball. 

It wasn’t until youth camp of my junior year that we began dating.  She asked me to be her “date” for the Sadie Hawkins’ evening at youth camp.  We continued to date over the summer and at the start of the school year.  However, I was going to school at Fort Worth Eastern Hills and she was at Arlington High, so we agreed to date other folks from our respective schools.  Still, I wanted her to go to one of my basketball games.

I selected the game when we would be playing Arlington Sam Houston in our gym.  Another Arlington couple was supposed to with us but they backed out the day of the game.  Still, Kay agreed to go.  I had one of the best games of my career.  I scored 17 points and didn’t miss a shot all night.  At that game was the son-in-law of the President of East Texas Baptist College.  He told ETBC they needed to get me to play basketball there.  That is how I was introduced to the school and why I went there as a freshman.  I’ve always felt God had a hand in this.

My roommate was a preacher.  He had been an All State basketball player but quit another college after a salvation experience and came to ETBC to prepare himself for seminary.  On Sundays he pastored a small church 100 or so miles away.  We played a lot of basketball together and he saw all my home games.  One day he asked me, “Are you a better player when you get mad?”  I was hot tempered and blew up rather quickly.  It was expressed with cursing, mostly under my breath, and some physical hard play – fouls that the referees didn’t catch.  I thought about it and responded, “No, not really.  I’m probably a poorer player when I’m mad.”  He suggested responding with a scripture verse rather than a curse.  I adopted John 14: 1-3.  “Let not your heart be troubled.  You believe in God, believe in me.  In my Father’s house are many mansions.  If it were not so I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you and if I go I will come again, that where I am there you may be also.”  When I get angry or face trials I remember that verse, do what I can do, and trust God for the rest: Simple trust, Simple faith.

While at ETBC I took some music courses to enable me to appreciate and discuss classical music.  I realized, I think this was God talking to me, that Kay would be my wife.  She was prepared to come to ETBC for college but I knew she was not cut out to be a coach’s wife; and, being a preacher or a teacher were the only real degree options at that time at ETBC.  I decided to come back to UTA and get an accounting degree.

We got married in the summer of 1971, the summer after my junior year.  We were both 20.  That fall we started teaching a co-ed class of high school seniors in Sunday School.  That started a 30-year SS teaching career for me.  Kay was the church pianist, a job she had begun when she was 16, so she didn’t continue teaching after that first year.  I spent most of the remaining 29 years teaching 7^th grade or sophomores.  The last year I taught was the year we started this class.

Throughout the ensuing years I continued to try to follow God’s direction.  I was ordained as a deacon and served as Chairman one year. I also served on numerous Finance and Budget committees as well as a sponsor for many Youth Choir trips.  We have 3 kids and 7 grandkids.  Emily is the associate Minister of Music here at FBC, Jack is the Dean of Humanities at Dallas Baptist University, and Ben is the Controller of a very successful oil and gas company.  All attend FBC.  Our grandkids range from 1½ to 17 and I make sure they come and see me each Sunday by providing them some donut holes.

Listening to God’s call is why Kay and I agreed to help when Verne came to us to 12 years ago or so to start this class.  I think God’s blessings on this class are proof that the calling was real.  As I close, let me share a couple of other more recent times when I’ve exercised my simple faith.

Early last year I discovered a small lump in my cheek.  My GP took an X-ray, saw a growth, and sent me to an ENT.  The ENT took an MRI, saw a couple of growths in my salivary gland and sent me for a biopsy.  The biopsy was “troubling” but inconclusive.  The ENT recommended a surgeon in his office and scheduled a surgery.  Our lifelong friend, Jean Cagle, runs the Mission Arlington Dental Clinic.  Concerned, she talked to an oral surgeon who volunteers at the clinic.  He scheduled an appointment for me the very next morning.  That was God working.  He looked at all the reports and said, “I refer patients to your surgeon all the time, but not for this type of work.  This is malignant and for that you need a specialist in Dallas.  He’s the best in the west.”  Again, I think that was God’s leading.  I scheduled an appointment and went to see the specialist.  When I told him of the oral surgeon’s “best in the west” label he said, “No, I’m the best”, period.  I believed God directed me to this surgeon and I simply trusted that all would go well.

The surgery was a difficult surgery and I could have ended up with a Frankenstein face.  Immediately after the surgery, the surgeon met with Kay and the kids.  He was very concerned and said he was afraid he’d had to beat up the major facial nerve.  Jack and Ben nearly passed out listening to him tell about the procedure and its possible consequences.  Then he came in to see me as I was coming out of the anesthesia.  His assistant surgeon was with him.  He said, “You probably won’t remember this conversation.  The surgery was rough, but I need you to try to smile.”  When I responded and smiled he was obviously surprised and pleased.  He had me do some other facial exercises.  He couldn’t believe I was responding so well.  I think that was God at work.

A day or two after the surgery, as I as trying to sleep, I had a severe pain in my ear on the side of my surgery.  I wanted to slit my throat but that had already been done.  You see, I had been cut from my ear to the middle of my neck.  As I was lying there my Mom came to see me.  As you know, she had passed away 2 years earlier.  She shooed everyone else out of the room and said, “Let’s talk.”  I don’t remember anything we talked about but we laughed and she said, “Go to sleep now.”  And, I did.  I believe God sent her to comfort me.  She was always the best nurse I ever had.

A few weeks later I had to start radiation.  The radiologist affirmed my choice of surgeon.  He said he sees hundreds of folks with my type of surgery.  Many patients of other surgeons experience serious facial flaws.  “Your face looks great.”  I believe that was God’s hand.

I never worried about my surgery.  I simply trusted God to take care of me as I have throughout the years.  I don’t have the scriptural depth and knowledge of Dr. Bob and Dr. Wade. I just have a simple faith and trust in God.  I know it is real and try to follow where He leads.