Julie Stevens

 

Julie Stevens

I was born in 1956, a daughter of a TV/radio engineer and shop owner. I had a generally good childhood. Dad never commented or showed any interest in God, but Mum always said she was a Christian - she had awards for 100% attendance at Sunday school to prove it! However, despite them encouraging, on the whole, decent morals, they never saw the need to go to church nor encourage me to go to Sunday school.

I grew up sceptical and when I started senior school, I very quickly discovered the "Jesus Loves You" group in my year. I found them VERY annoying and avoided them if at all possible. As time went on, I became more and more cynical and considered myself to be an atheist.

When I left school I trained to be a Radiographer and started work at St Margaret's hospital. It was there that I met the man who was to become my husband. We were both 21 when we went for our first date and it was then that he told me that he was a Christian - not only that (and that was bad enough), he had been friends with the " Jesus Loves You" group from school. I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me, but decided that I could accept him as long as he didn't press the Christian bit. We carried on seeing each other and to my relief, he gradually stopped going to church events, probably in part down to my influence. 

Fast forward a few years when we were married with 2 beautiful children. However, life was tough. Money was short and my husband was struggling very badly with depression. Then a series of events took place that was to completely change me. First of all, my husband was led by a series of coincidences (God-incidences), to talk to someone who turned out to be a Baptist Minister, and through him was led back to Christ. When he arrived home that day, I could SEE something was different. I can't explain it but as he walked in the door I just KNEW something had happened. I was confused but at the same time had an indescribable peace in the midst of it. I just KNEW everything would be OK. A few days later, the Baptist Minister asked to see me. I didn't want to talk to him but thought it best to see him and "get him off my back". He went through the gospel with me. I had heard it all before and wasn't at all interested but gave him the answers I thought he would like to hear in order to get rid of him quicker. Afterwards, he said that he thought I was closer to the Kingdom than I realised. - "What an idiot!! Of course, I wasn't!! 

A couple of days later, I found a book called (I think) "In pursuit of God" sitting in a drawer. I had not seen it there before and felt compelled to open it. It was as if it knew every barrier I had put up in my head against God and one by one smashed them down. It took me 2 days to read the book and then:-

I finally surrendered and gave my life to Jesus - all on my own, with the children in bed and my husband at work. I suddenly found that for the first time in my life, God made sense!! 

I can honestly say I have not been the same since. Did life get any easier afterwards? No, it certainly didn't for a long time, but now we were not going through it alone and I began to see God was with us in every circumstance, both good and bad. I was baptised on a beautiful Easter Sunday morning and after our 3rd child was born, had the 3 children dedicated. My life has been so greatly enriched by knowing Jesus and I am so very grateful for what He has done in my life.

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