My Testimony
Twylla Sundin
As young children, my two sisters, a brother and I were raised in a small town near my father’s family. My mother’s family lived in the country fifteen miles away. Her parents were farms of Polish decent and they were Catholics. My dad’s father died when he was nine years old and my grandma never remarried. She made her living as a midwife and also took in boarders. Grandma was a Godly woman, and everyone loved her. She and her family went to the Missionary Bible Teaching Church close by which we also attended. As children we really enjoyed going to Sunday school and church.
I used to stay with grandma a lot in those young years. I remember before coming to bed she would drop down her thin, long ponytail that she would wind and twist up for daytime. She never cut her hair. No matter how tired she was she would read aloud from her Bible before blowing out the light. Between my grandma and the church, I believe some seeds were planted in my heart that began to grow late in my life. My father was far from being a Christian, but his sisters were and always prayed for our family.
I was twelve years old when we moved to Duluth> We attended church now and then but soon quit going altogether. After two or three years in Duluth my dad was called into the Navy. My mother decided it was a good time to go back to her church and course she took her four children with her. I was not happy about going there at first but many of our new friends were Catholic and that helped me to make the change.
By the time I was sixteen I was working. My sister and I also took Catechism lessons, were baptized and confirmed that year in the Catholic Church. My younger sister and brother took catechism lessons in church with kids their age. That was the start of 37 years in that denomination.
In 1947 my sister and I got married at a double wedding in the church rectory. My husband wasn’t raised in any religion, so it really didn’t matter to him what religion I was. He just had to sign papers saying that our children would be raised Catholic. Eventually he turned Catholic.
Life went on for many years while living in the world. We weren’t really bad people either but regret not setting a better example for our two children. All my life I felt the need to help people and did whenever I could. This kept me busy but never gave me the peace I found in the Lord.
Our two children were married in the Catholic faith but never attended much church wile their children were growing up. My husband and I attended church regularly, but there was never any change in our lives. One Sunday upon leaving church I made the remark to my husband, “I wonder why we even go to church as I never get anything out of it”. I think that is when I made up my mind that I was going to look at other churches. It was also at this time that I started to make a few changes in my life. Looking at the lives of some of my friends, I decided that I didn’t want that in my life. When I was alone at home the words, “I love you”, kept going through my mind. Whether this voice was audible or just in my mind I don’t know. At the time I wasn’t sure what it meant. Later I knew it was the Lord trying to get my attention and letting me know He still loved me. I’m sure He was right there to help me as the first changes came so easy. Just before this awakening and changes, I became very sick. I was unable to enjoy the fun things or the things I thought made me happy. I believe God had to lay me low, pick me up and help me change my life. It wasn’t long before I was able to try out a few churches but none of them seemed to be the right one.
A friend had talked to my sister and asked how her kids were doing. She told her that her kids and made a complete change since they attended the church on the hill. This friend was curious enough to call and visit them. Of course, they explained all about their conversion, how they were baptized and received the Holy Spirit. Their lives had changed and they were on fire for the Lord.
This friend called me to tell me all this good news. Of course it was interesting news to me, as I had not heard of these things. After I had made a few calls to ask questions, my niece and husband suggested a Bible study. We gathered together about ten people and started a ten-week Bible study. Dinner was included at the Bible study, and we really enjoyed having it.
Before this study started, I had already started my own study. It was a daily thing with me. I got everything I could find on the beginning of the Early Church after the Apostles lives ended. I had the King James, the Catholic Bible and early church history on the kitchen table day and night. I had to find out the truth. I had to know what I was coming out of and going into. I soon knew I wasn’t being taught the Word of God. It was only church doctrine or man-made doctrine. The way the church was formed by force and power, and many cruel deaths were too much for me to even consider going back. Now I know the Ecumenical movement will mean death to the religious and the end of real Christianity. Many will unite with the Roman Catholic Church. It is a religious trap Satan had set for the church, and most Christians do not realize or are aware of what is happening. Jesus talked about this deception. Thank God I had the sense and wisdom to check out things for myself.
The way my life was going was not the best. I did not present my body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto my God. The hardest part came when I knew there were friends I had to give up. I knew deep down that I wouldn’t rub off on them but that they would rub off on me. The Lord solved that also. It was like one little miracle after the other. Some not the way I would have liked, but nevertheless, it was in my best interest.
Throughout my own personal study and the Bible study we were having, I began to go to the little church on the hill. My husband soon joined me. It wasn’t long before I went to all the services. I enjoyed our get togethers once a week for the Bible study and also the church services. After all the research I did I knew our pastor was telling the truth. After all these years I finally felt like God was real and alive. Our pastor was not teaching traditions of men, but the Word of God.
About two months after attending services in the Apostolic Gospel Church, I was filled with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. One night I felt a need to go up to the altar and within a few minutes of prayer, I received His Spirit and spoke in a heavenly language. I cried, I laughed and jumped for joy. I felt I could fly home that night. I could not believe how good I felt. That night God wrote His laws in my heart just as He had promised. The brightness in my vision that I experienced was fantastic. I was looking through new eyes with the brightness of God’s light in my life. I’ll never forget the next couple of days as it looked like two suns shining instead of one. I felt like standing on the top of the hill and telling everyone what God can do. This was just another way God wanted me to know He was with me and in me. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness. I was blessed. My husband and I were both baptized a week later.
This experience happened twenty-one years ago and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. The Lord must have known that someday this couple would come to the “knowledge of the truth” for He kept His protection on us for many years. We have never regretted our life change and only wish our family could find salvation and peace through the love and obedience to God’s Word. We can’t find peace living like the world because the world can’t give it.
The Bible is God’s masterpiece. It is not on trial, you are. I thank God for showing us the way.
Narrow is the way and straight is the Gate and few there be that find it. That is a strong statement but God never changes and cannot lie. Most people want to get to Heaven their way instead of His way. The Word will be the same, yesterday, today and forever.
Many of us that were not raised in the truth find it easy to get side tracked at first. We may want to hang onto a few old habits and think all of this holiness is not necessary. But it is important. Holiness is for our protection. If we dress like a lady we will probably act like a lady. There is safety in modest dress. What we take in with our eyes and ears comes out of our mouth. It will also affect how we act, so it is important what we look at and listen to.
Not many seem to be following Do’s instructions today. Now women cut their hair short and men have theirs long, just the opposite from His Word. Women are working men’s jobs and men are working woman’s jobs. There are women that are now head of some Churches, which is another complete reverse. Many Christians today want to look, act, dress and go to places they would never have thought in years past. Today they want to blend in instead of being a “separated people.”
We may also lose a few friends when coming into the truth. Many people hate the truth and some will avoid being around you. But remember, Jesus said, “If they hated me, they will hate you for my name sake.” I lost maybe three friends at most, but look what I’ve gained. The whole Church is your friend, our brothers and sisters.
Sometimes we may put on a good front with some people and act differently with others. It is really too hard to live two different lifestyles, a little in the world and a little in the church. Our stories get mixed up and we find ourselves in trouble, then we feel bad. We cannot feel good living a lie. To straddle the fence is a non, no in God’s eyes. If we do it His way we will have nothing to regret.
Other than the absolute truths set forth in the scriptures, convictions may vary from person to person. Be assured, there are absolute truths outlined in the scriptures. Everything is not up for discussion or debate. Our opinions don’t matter where these things are concerned. Holiness is not just referring to standards. Holiness is being Christ like. Pursue the practice of living holy as He is holy.
There are some people who feel if they leave the church and get involved in a lively Charismatic movement or church, they may even get closer to God. Within a very short time they could feel comfortable and feel at home. You may see people receiving Christ on a regular basis. However, you may never see or witness anyone receiving the Holy Spirit. They may even take a person to a different room that wants to receive the Holy Spirit. I have seen this happen.
We need to make sure we have church leaders who are rooted and grounded in the Word. Good worship leaders are few and far between. There are usually people who can play a musical instrument. Anyone can praise or put on a show of praise. For someone to actually worship God takes “Spirit and Truth.” We shouldn’t sacrifice the spirit of worship just to make sure we have music.
Beware of churches that believe God is good all the time. They may not accept God as having wrath, judgment, anger and vengeance. Some believe all will have healing, all you have to do is to believe and receive. Thet ruth is that everyone does not receive healing. Some churches do everything they can to make you feel important and God is working all this in your favor. You feel free to make changes in your appearance. The enemy will take all the things that mean so much to us, such as appearance and use them to deceive us. The lie to distort the true God-given beauty each of us has. “You fit right in.” You think you’ve been enlightened and influenced you friend. Reading the wrong books can damage you and convince you that the things you once believed are not important. They may even have fellowship groups, leadership conferences, marriage classes and so on. You may notice that after a short time there will be a whole lot of “control” on the part of leadership. They refer to it as accountability to each other. They will say Apostolic’s are bound, but they have a level of control over their people. This can invade your personal privacy and relationship with the Lord. John 4:24 says, God is Spirit, and they that worship Him, must worship in “Spirit and in truth.” Charismatics to don’t have the truth and therefore could not truly worship God.
Most of these churches do not have altar calls. If they do it is rare. Don’t let books or people lead you away from the real truth. We had better get it right now, because after death then judgment. There will be no second chance.
Once we know the truth it’s hard not to notice when a person tries to distract us from it. The more we know the scriptures and have a love for it, the better chance we have of not failing God. We are not bound in sin. When God sets us free, we are free indeed. Nothing is worth losing our soul for.
We have a church family. When we need someone to talk to, which we all do now and then, there is always someone that you can feel comfortable with hat would be glad to talk with you or just listen. We also have pastors who are willing to do the same. God has made a “new creation” of us, so let’s live like it, and enjoy it, because “someday it’s going to be worth it all.”
God bless you all.
