Testimony

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My name is John, (Charcoal to CMA mates) I grew up in North London in the 40’s & 50’s.
Life was simple, I didn’t do anything particularly good or bad (just a kid making his way in post war Britain, who believed in God, Queen, and Country) many of my friends went to Synagogue with their parents, but my parents sent me to Sunday school so I was obviously a Christian.
We all believed in God, but Christians learnt about Jesus, a man who healed people, told us to turn the other cheek (YUK), and was crucified by his own people.
We also read stories about the Holocaust, and Jesus style crucifixions in the war, but not about Jesus as our way to salvation, and a personal relationship with GOD, our loving Father in Heaven.
In my mid teens Bikes, Dinghy racing, Girls and the Pub were far more attractive than religion.
When I was 21 my father died unexpectedly, I was very angry, my world fell apart, my boss a lovely Christian man KNOCK tried to guide me but I wasn’t interested. I was bitter and decided money and power were the solution, so nobody could get to me.
When I was 24, Ken my sailing partner invited my to church KNOCK I went with Ken & Val his wife a few times, but it encroached on drinking time so I stopped going.
When I was 28 Barbara came on the scene KNOCK (we have now been married for 33 years) but she continued to go to church alone, except for family events.
I’m sure God KNOCKED many more times, but I didn’t hear until early 1993 when I was 48, I had accepted an invitation to a concert at the church near school from our sons friends parents (I had no idea he was the vicar) that night a truck drivers testimony seamed to nail me to the cross, and I pleaded for Jesus to forgive me for all the wasted years, and come in to my life and be Lord of my life.
JESUS ISN’T ABOUT RELIGION AND ITS RITUALS
Jesus is about something far more important, he sacrificed HIS life on a cross so that anybody, including me could stand before God with the slate wiped clean of all our sins, if we repented, ask for his forgiveness, and invite him into our lives as Lord of our lives. Please don’t look for a harder way, I know it sounds too simple and easy, but dropping to your knee’s before God may be the hardest and best thing you do in your whole life on this earth.

From 1996-2002 I was part of our church outreach activities to the homeless and drug addicts in N Wales.
I met up with CMA at Abundant Life Men’s Xcel weekend in November 2006, the theme of the weekend was Band of Brothers, and how we all need a few trusted Christian brothers we can share with to help us through life.
I had that in my church, but somehow not in as intense a way as one feels the support of fellow bikers, Barbara sums up CMA as Christianity in action not words, and that certainly describes 2007 as we have faced some very difficult situations with CMA support, practical help, and loving guidance. Please invite God to bless you too!
Charcoal