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Great News from Grace Fest
Wed., Apr. 12. 2006 12:41pm EDT
Here's a great email from a fan in Pensacola, who had some wonderful news she shared with us at Grace '06 last weekend:
My son Dallam and I met you (for the third time) at Gracefest in Pensacola last week. It was great seeing you all again! I promised to write our testimony to you, so here it is. You have permission to print it on your website:
Dallam and I became Christians in the Fall of 2004. Apologetix helped influence us to open our hearts and minds to Jesus. Your unique method of witnessing through your music and your genuine love for God and your fans shines through! You don't hit us over the head to get the message across! Having a unique, low-key approach is an important method in reaching skeptics like myself.
After a 27+ year marriage, I went through a difficult, long divorce in 2000-2002. In that period of time I also lost my elderly mom to Alzheimer's and cancer, and my sister (and only sibling) to a sudden heart attack. To say the least, my son and I had a lot to deal with and we were entirely alone. A friend suggested we start going to church. I had many Christians cross my path and witness to me during my life, but I was forever the "doubting Thomas". I had gone to church sporatically as a child and teen but never was "saved" or a true believer. In high school I even was best friends with a Lutheran minister's daughter! I had gotten away from church during my marriage, although I was hungry spiritually.
In 2001 I started "church shopping" trying out about a dozen different churches and denominations. We kept going back to this one Southern Baptist mega-church because it had so much to offer my son and I. The church became our family and support group. We went to our first Christian rock concert at that church (Rebecca St. James and others). That turned us onto Christian rock music and showed that you can live a clean, Christian life and still have a good time! We later heard about Gracefest in 2003 and volunteered there and saw Apologetix for the first time! We were instant fans, bought CDs and came back to volunteer again in 2004. We also started listening to other Christian artists.
We still had not become believers, however, but we had become very active in church. Besides going to Sunday School and to church socials, Dallam volunteered in the church's "Skateboard Ministry" weekly and we both volunteered in the television ministry. At some point in 2004, both Dallam and I accepted Jesus and became saved and baptised! I know God has had a big hand in helping our lives. I truly believe he found both of us our current jobs. We both have jobs at the church as well as jobs outside the church. God works in mysterious ways! My main job outside the church is with a firm that helps design buildings for a Christian college! I work with wonderful, Christian people.
We lived through Hurricane Ivan in 2004...I was still not officially a Christian at that point, but I prayed hard all night long listening to the winds and rain, terrified. Coming outside the next morning was like seeing the aftermaths of a war! Seeing how God spared us and our neighborhood from the storm helped me gain faith in Him, made me realize he was looking out for us. Seeing how churches and people helped each other for the ten days we were without power also helped me see how God works and protects his children!
God is still moving in our lives daily. I feel it very strongly. I see the influences every week. It took me 51 years of my life before I was "saved", so there's hope for anyone! I am living proof! Dallam and I feel that Apologetix helped us come to God. Looking back on my life, the Christians that influenced me the most, who witnessed the best to me, were the ones who were "soft sell", the ones who lived their lives as a testimony to their religion, the ones who witnessed without preaching at us, the ones who were just there to listen, to give me a hug.
Keep up the good work. Your music and your influence helped opened up the door to both of us. Remember that you never know how your "life" witnesses to non-believers. You sometimes have a bigger influence than you think you have!
God Bless,
Debra Oliver
Pensacola FL
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