Bringing Families Together and Back to Christ in El Paso
Sun., Sep. 18. 2005 4:50pm EDT
This fantastic testimony came to us from El Paso, TX, and now we'll be going to them!
You guys are an incredible blessing, thanks! Because of you, all my teenage kids have found Christ:
My kids got your CD from their youth pastor and at first they were like, "Dad, here is some Christian music for you." Then they heard it and said, "Hey, we want it back!" Well, then and there I knew that ApologetiX were on the right track. Not only did my kids get the message of God through your music, but so did me and my wife. The fact that you take songs that were used not for God and make them a useful tool to send the message of God just blew me away. Having been raised in a very strict fundamental Baptist home, your music would have been banned to me as a kid. As soon as I was out of the house I went crazy to say the least. My walk with Christ became a roller coaster. I'd go up and down and all around but just could not seem to get on steady ground.
Well, I came back from Iraq in February of 2005 with a new outlook on life. I had seen so much death and destruction that the things that mean most in life had really come into focus. They are God, Family, and enjoying life. So when my family and I got to Ft. Bliss we started to spend alot of time enjoying our family. Then my grandmother in Boston died and that really struck a nerve. Realize that my grandmother was a strong loving christian woman that epitomized the term unconditional love. So through this tragedy God was showing me even more what is important. Well the signs kept coming, a girl whom my son, Brian Jr., knows invited him and my daughter to a youth group, and wow. My son was getting up on his own (a miracle for a 15 yr. old boy) on Sunday morning to go to church. My son became a light for me to follow back to God!
Then, my daughter Erlene became the final push to get our family back to God. She brought me your cd and for the first time my teenage kids and my wife and I all had music we all liked. At first the trained beliefs kicked in saying" this is bad" and then it's as if God got a hold of me and said, "All sinners were once like the ungodly songs that these were, used for the wrong purposes, but Christ comes in and changes the person on the inside to be a whole new person like you do with each song." So the way I see it you guys take something that is not used for the glory of God and fix it and make it for the glory of God.
My life has not been the best example but because of your music my family and I can now start again to walk with God.
Thanks again,
MSG Brian Whelan US Army
(and Kim, Brian Jr, Erlene and Hannah Whelan)
Editor's note: Brian just helped bring ApologetiX to El Paso, TX next month!
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