AccessJesus staff - Michael Astbury
One day I was at the manse (minister's house) helping to copy the church
magazine when the minister suggested that I go to a young peoples
week-end away organised by my church's denomination. I liked the idea
and asked my parents, who readily agreed.
At this event I met young people who were different to those in my own
church, and different to me. On the Sunday afternoon I heard God's call
on my life when the speaker asked people who wanted to know God better
to go forward, but being terribly shy I did not move. When the session
was over I went to look for the speaker but could not find him. I was
then told that he had left as he was preaching that evening elsewhere.
This caused me a problem as I was too shy to ask for help from anyone
else.
The next day (Monday) I could not wait for the maths lesson so I could
speak to Mike. I told him that I now understood what he meant by saying
that he was a Christian and did he know anyone who could help me. He
invited me to the youth club at his church. There I met the youth leader
who later counselled me and brought me to a saving knowledge of Jesus
Christ.
Since that time God has helped me through both major and minor events
and decisions in my life. He has guided and guarded me through the years
in an amazing way. I am now married with a son and a daughter, both of
whom know Christ as their personal saviour.
I was born and brought up in Manchester, United Kingdom in a Christian
home. I was sent to Sunday School and when older I went quite happily
to church because that was a place to meet friends. In my last year at
high school I got friendly with another boy called Mike. I sat next
to him in maths lessons and, as both of use hated maths, we talked. He
told me he was a Christian, to which I replied 'Yes, I go to church as
well'.
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