Issue 2010 #1
Table of Contents:
|
New Volunteer Testimony -
Ivy Willems
(Ivy is a new part-time volunteer in the office)
I was raised in a home that taught me to love God and the Bible. My parents took me to church, and I asked Jesus into my heart at 5 years of age. It was then I wanted to be a missionary. At 9 years of age I learned more and didn't want to go to hell so prayed again, wanting to be sure I was on my way to Heaven, not Hell.
I went along with my friends and was baptized at age 13. Looking back, I feel like I took that step too lightly and didn't appreciate what Jesus' death on the cross and His resurrection meant for me personally.
For a few of my teenage years I went along with my friends, trying to fit in. I played the Ouiji Board once, unaware of the seriousness. At age 15 my Mom gave me a booklet to read from Back to the Bible. In it I was challenged to surrender my life completely to Jesus, which I did.
God gave me joy in my walk with Him. He gave me boldness to share Him at school. I took my Bible and was nicknamed Preacher Block. I sensed respect towards me, however, in my love for the Lord. I participated in summer ministries like VBS here, and also in the USA. After high school I went to Bethany Bible School for three winters and graduated. In the summers I worked and God gave me joy in sharing Jesus with those around me.
I met Reg Willems at Bethany Bible College. We married and spent almost 20 years in Spanish speaking places, living in South Texas, Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia and Guatemala. We have been back in Canada since 1994.
God blessed us with five children. (Four are married, one is engaged and we have ten grandchildren, with another one on the way).
It is our desire to be obedient to the Lord Jesus, to walk close to Him, and to share the Good News with others wherever we are.
Over the years God has shown me that my heart is as wicked as His Word describes. It finally sank in just how much I needed a Saviour.
Now it is my desire, greater than ever before, to grow in my love for the Lord, to walk humbly with my God, to turn from any wicked way. I want my thoughts, words and actions to bring glory to my Saviour.
|
