“My Testimony” — by Silas

This week our precious Silas shared his testimony with our church and family and was baptized. Oh what a work the Lord has done. I can’t imagine sharing anything more meaningful….

“Hello. My name is Silas. Most of you know me and as you all know I am here to share my journey to Christ and His revelation of His loving sacrifice. And the ways he has brought me to His faith and love. And I myself realizing that I am a sinner in need of Christ’s salvation and his forgiveness. I have always grown up in church and as long as I have been alive my parents have been Christians and guided by Christ. They have always taught me the right and wrong of things and have tried their best to show me God’s will and loving sacrifice for me. Since I had grown up in church I knew all the classic bible stories: David and Goliath, Noah’s ark, Adam and Eve, Jesus dying on the cross and being raised again on the third day and many more. These were the things I needed to hear, but they were also the things I needed to take to heart and that was the part that I was missing. I had also always known the basics to becoming a Christian: realize I am a sinner, believe Jesus died and was raised again on the third day and know that I have no way to salvation accept through God.(John 14:6) But again I had never applied it to my life or taken it to heart, although I liked to hear about it. I remember when I was about 5 or 6 asking my mom and dad what happens after death, because I thought of it as just another bed time story. At the time I did not realize the true importance of the things my parents were trying to tell me.

One of the hugest factors to me realizing my own sin and need of salvation was my siblings. I have an older brother, Caleb, who I love very much. He has always been my big bro. Caleb has special needs, which I love. It is part of what makes him Caleb. I wouldn’t trade him for anything. He is the best. The only thing is, I never had any way to grow in maturity with Caleb being the way he is. Because although we were siblings, he was too sweet to argue or get in a fight. And although some people don’t need that to grow, I did. I am not saying that arguing or fighting is right, but it does help teach you selflessness and humility towards others.That all changed around the time I turned 11 when my parents asked me what I thought of fostering to adopt. At the time I was all in, but it wasn’t in an act of humility.I thought it would be an easy adjustment and I couldn’t have been more wrong.

I still remember the first time I saw my future siblings Collin,Alexa, and Cheyenne. I remember telling my mom “I am so exited!” I met them and I thought it was great. I played with them and tried to get to know them a little bit. When we left we didn’t really know what was going to happen. We soon found out. They were coming to spend a night at our house, and we were going to see how it went. Although they were shy we got them to open up and talk and we had a pretty good time. We did that a few times and then we found out that we would be their permanent placement. We were so happy. But when they came, they were heartbroken. They cried because they had been ripped from one family to another, which sadly had already happened to them a bunch of times. This is when I got my first real world example of true sadness and I wasn’t even the one in the situation! The first day they came was so sad.The girls wouldn’t stop crying, but Collin opened up to me pretty fast and I was surprised to see him not crying. But what I didn’t realize was he was going through so much more on the inside. The first few months were beyond hard for our fast growing family. I now realize that was my first actual trial. I remember coming to my parents many times crying and saying this is too hard. Their response was always with love and with care, but always ended with “this is what God has for us.” I didn’t understand how someone could keep on saying, “this is what God has for us” when times were so hard. My parents kept on urging me to read my bible and pray for God’s help which is what I did. And I truly believe God changed my heart and started to help me realize my own sin of selfishness and jealousy. I started having a daily scripture time and being in God’s Word which really helped me realize my own faults and helped me have a more focused mind on God during the day. When we adopted them it was a joy and a blessing. We became an official family even though we had already been one for a very long time.

After this hard time I looked back and took this all in. It was through this that I saw my own sin. Then, asking God for forgiveness and putting my faith in him. Which meant that after the “adoption” not just seeing my sin,but turning away from it. I realized that I should have been a better brother, son and most importantly a follower of Christ. And I understood that I am sinner in need of Christ and His salvation. I believe that Jesus died and was raised again on the third day. I believe and understand that Christ died for me so that my sin’s can be forgiven by him. And to live for Christ, is to serve him through my actions and in worshiping him.

It was through this huge 2 year trial that I learned that I am sinner in need of Christ and His forgiveness. That I cannot come to salvation without God’s Forgiveness. I am very blessed to be chosen by God. Praise the Lord!!”

Praise the Lord indeed. God is good. All the time.