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| My Salvation Testimony | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By Victor Scardella | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Return To Main Page | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| It was the spring of 1981 and I was on the modern road to Damascus. After spending several years denouncing the very existence of God and persecuting the very name of Jesus, by calling anyone who believed in Him crazy, I found myself calling out to God from out in the middle of no where between San Antonio, Texas and El Passo, Texas. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| For I had resigned my job with the city of San Antonio, parks and recreation department and used my final pay check to purchase several items for my journey. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I had a new back pack, sleeping bag, blanket, pots & pans etc, but did not have a lot of food - (only one can of baked beans) I indeed was traveling with more baggage than I could handle (in more ways than one). I was on foot and attempting to hitch hike across the country. As I sat there watching the cars go by (without even slowing down for me), I began to wonder if I was going to end up dying out there. As I entertained those thoughts I grew weaker and weaker. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I spent four days and four nights out there and no one would stop for me. I grew more and more despondent and by the end of the fourth day I felt totally lost and discouraged. On the morning of the fifth day, I decided that I had had enough and believed I was going to die out there. So, I resolved to do just that: lay down right there beside that highway and die. As I laid there, waiting to die, I began to think about the concept of God. I was in a hurry to die and it seemed like it was taking forever to simply expire. So, I started yelling at God to "Strike Me Dead" !... "Just get it over with already", I exclaimed ! Still nothing happened and I was even more distraught. Why wouldn't God strike me dead after all the evil persecuting I had done of Him for all those years ? I just could not understand why God would not kill me there. I had no knowledge of the Apostle Paul and how God had transformed Saul into Paul on the Biblical road to Damascus. How God opened Saul's eyes to the truth about Jesus. And now it was my turn to be enlightened. As I continued to lay there seeking death, I began to realize that maybe there was a reason why God did not want me dead. Maybe He had a purpose for me to continue living. But, what could it be ? And there was still the fact that I did not believe that God even existed. I would need proof in order to believe. So, I decided to make a proposal to God. I cried out to God and said: "God, if you are real, you know that I don't believe in you and I need proof.... If you are real and can prove it to me by getting me out of this jam that I am in, I will turn my life over to you and live for you". God saw my heart and knew that I was being honest with Him. So, He granted me my request by planting the thought in my mind to dump most of the items that I was trying to carry and start walking back toward San Antonio (about 150 miles from where I had spent the previous four days and nights). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| He granted me a miracle by providing a ride for me (within one mile of where I had dumped my baggage and started walking back toward San Antonio) all the way back into the inner city of San Antonio. Once I was returned to the area near my old job, I sought to get my old job back but, was unsuccessful. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I did not forget my promise to God and found the Salvation Army shelter there in San Antonio, Texas. I went and got into one of their programs and began to study God's Word and learn about His ways. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| After several months, I felt God leading me to Indianapolis, Indiana where I was delivered to a Rescue Mission there and continued my study of God's Word. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| God also brought the paths of some other believers to cross my own and I found great wealth in the fellowship of other Christian believers. God also helped me to find a very good Church, there in Indianapolis where He taught me several excellent lessons (which I still remember to this very day) ! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| It has been several years since my experience on that road in Texas, but, I have not forgotten it | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (or maybe I did for a short time but, my eyes have been turned back toward God) and my heart felt desire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (and strong personal conviction) is to serve Him (the God of Jacob, Isaiah and Abraham) who has Saved me from an eternity in Hell and has set my feet on the path of Righteousness. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I know I have so much more to learn and I look forward to all that God has to teach me. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I trust this testimony has encouraged you as it brings Glory to the name of Jesus Christ. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
