This month's testimony is entitled:

Submitted by Jared

Ah, where do I start. I got "saved" when I was little, probably following my parents example. I bet I didn't even know what I was doing.. but I did it.

I was your average, rebellious, disobedient little boy with lotsa energy. Maybe I should revise that statement. Part of the time, I was like that. I remember not really living for God until recently, just "playing church". On the outside, I was one of the "good" kids of the church, who would do his best to help anyone. At home, I would let my temper go unchecked, and threw fits. This went on for a few more years, until I was thirteen or fourteen years old. Then, I started experimenting with my body. Then with my dog. Yes, it was sick and wrong (still is), but it felt good to do, so I continued in bestiality. Then that evolved into masturbation. I struggled with these things for almost 4 years. I knew I had a problem, and that I needed help, but nothing worked. I got prayed over, asked God to take it away, even had counseling, nothing worked. All this time, I knew that God wasn't pleased with my fakeness, but I loved the rush and pleasure I got from it. There were times that my parents caught me during it, but that didn't stop me. Finally, when our new youth pastor came, I felt drawn to talk to him about my problem. He prayed for me, gave me advice, but ultimately left it up to me to decide if I wanted it or God. Through his counsellings, I was encouraged to not give up, to continue to fight it. I went through youth camps, revivals, and conventions, one after another, but none set me free permenately. Then I was led to a site called SettingCaptivesFree.com. They have a course for purity, especially for masturbation and pornography (which, thank Jesus, that I have nothing to do with), for free. So I signed up for it. In just the first week, I learned that I was trying to be set free, to be proud of MYSELF. That was why I wasn't being set free, because it was all about me. I learned that I should be doing it for God, for His glory, not mine. When my attitude towards freedom changed, so did my problem. Now, I've been free from it for 3 weeks, a miracle thanks to God. Before, I couldn't go without doing it at least once a week. Now, I have little or no desire to return to that. The freedom in Christ is just too good. Sure, Im not perfect in my walk, but I will never do those evil practices again! All glory belongs to God for this, not me. Without God, I could do nothing and I am nothing. He completes me, and leads me. Now a free man, I'm following my Jesus until the day I die.