As this second edition of personal testimonies is issued (the first edition was issued in January, 2003), a good question that should be answered would be, "Why is the FCA doing this? What's the point of students and teachers writing their personal testimonies?"

It's a good question that deserves an answer! Here are a few of the many reasons why Christians share their personal testimonies with others.

1. We are excited about the difference that the Lord Jesus Christ makes in our lives.
   
   It just seems natural that when Someone who loves us does something great for us, we would want to share it with others just to honor Him, and to let Him that we recognize and appreciate what He has done. .
   
   "For I am not ashamed of the gospel [literally: the "good news!"] of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one who believes…" (Romans 1:16)
2. We want others to know that He can make a wonderful difference in their lives too!
   
   Someone once said that sharing Christ with others is kind of like one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread! When you find something good, you naturally want others to be able to share it with you! .
   
   When Jesus delivered the man called Legion (the Gadarene demoniac) from his slavery to demons, He left him with these words: "'Return to your own house, and show what great things God has done unto you.' And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done unto him." (Luke 8:39)
3. God has chosen to make personal testimony a powerful tool in overcoming our enemy, the devil.
   
   "And they overcame him [the devil--see verses 9 and 10] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." (Revelation 12:11)
4. God has chosen to use the vehicle of personal testimony as a powerful way of touching the lives of others. .
   
   After her encounter with Jesus, the woman at the well shared her testimony with her friends. Her testimony eternally affected the lives of her friends and family. .
   
   "Come, see a Man, Who told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?…
   
   "And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him because of the saying of the woman, who testified, 'He told me all that ever I did.' So when the Samaritans were come unto Him, they besought Him that He would tarry with them: and He abode there two days. And many more believed because of His own word. And they said unto the woman, 'Now we believe, not because of your saying: for we have heard Him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.'" (John 4:29, 39-42) .
   
5. Reading the testimonies of others can be a powerful encouragement to us as we go through the various trials of life. .
   
   When we read the thrilling personal testimony of the apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 11:24 through 1 Corinthians 12:10) and get to his concluding words (12:9-10) we find ourselves encouraged by his example to persevere!
6. Sharing our testimony with others is one of the evidences that our relationship with Jesus Christ is genuine and strong. .
   
   We know what a difference He has made in our lives, so we are not embarrassed or timid about sharing it with others. .
   
   Paul warned his young protégé, Timothy, of the importance of sharing his testimony with these words: "Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord" (2 Timothy 1:8)
   
   Jesus made it clear that His true followers would be happy to share their testimony with others. In fact, He gave us these very strong words: "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when He comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." (Mark 8:38)
7. Sharing our testimonies with others serves as a powerful reminder to our own minds that God has done great things for us. .
   
   "Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done, and Your thoughts which are toward us. They cannot be reckoned up in order unto You. If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered." (Psalms 40:5)

Our hope is that this is only the beginning of many more testimonies to come! We would be happy to include yours in the next edition!

If your testimony is included here, and you would like to add another testimony, or edit this one, we welcome you to do that!

Finally, I want to express thanks to everyone who has contributed a personal testimony for this edition. They are included here in alphabetical order. Special thanks goes to Mrs. Amy Talley, who volunteered (unsolicited!) her time and skill to type the testimonies from your handwritten (mostly very neat!) notes!

One more thing--be sure to read the last section!

In Christ,

Steve Hall, FCA Faculty Sponsor

February, 2003

My name is Tiffany Danielle Blackwell and I am a sophomore here at Tellico Plains High School. I am originally from Lehigh Acres, Florida, where I lived for eleven years. When I was ten something happened to me that was very bad. It probably wouldn’t have been as bad as it is now if someone had done something about it, but they didn’t find it "worthy" to have something done.

It was devastating to my personality and how I felt around other people. It brought my self-esteem down so far, I thought of suicide. I never did attempt it because I always thought people would say, "Poor Tiffany, it’s just too bad that happened." Then they would forget about me. But I didn’t want that to happen or for them to say that. My parents started home-schooling me because they were afraid that what happened to me would happen again. Then my parents had a fight and my dad left. My mom and dad thought about getting a divorce, but as my mom and my other siblings and I were planning to move to Tennessee they decided to stay together.

So we moved to Sevierville, where we started out doing really good. Then, when I started school at New Center, I began cursing and talking about things that my parents really looked down on. One day something happened that made me decide that I would run away, so I did. My mom came after me about half an hour later and I decided I would go back with her. We lived in Sevierville for about four years until we moved to Tellico because things were really getting expensive and we couldn’t afford staying there anymore. When we moved here, I started attending church on and off, something I had wanted to do since I was little, but couldn’t because my parents worked so much.

During the summer after school ended, I wasn’t really having fun because I was constantly being grounded due to the fact that I was doing things I was not supposed to be doing. In my mind, I thought I was being penalized for things I wasn’t doing. Then one day a man from the nearby church came to our house to invite us Vacation Bible School. We decided to go. We had a blast. On the last day I felt a tug at my heart that made me feel like crying, but I didn’t know what it was.

While I was holding the tears back, the sermon was over and everyone was going to the classes. At that moment in time the feeling was so overwhelming I started to cry. At the same time, so did my little sister. She started heading to the altar, so I rushed to her side, and we both got saved. Now most people can remember exactly everything that happened. Like what position they were in, what time it was, and what clothes they were wearing. All I remember was the love, calmness, and peacefulness that swept over my body and just relieved my pain instantly.

I was so happy and I felt as if Jesus was right there by my side. It was the most wonderful feeling I had ever experienced. The one thing that really sticks out in my mind is something I learned in Vacation Bible School. It was the ABC’s of salvation:

Admit you are a sinner

This will always stand out in my mind because it is true. So, if you have that feeling in your heart, don’t be scared or nervous. Tell someone how you feel and they will help you the best way they can.

Tiffany Blackwell, Class of 2005

Well, my testimony isn’t one where God delivered me from a drug infested home. No, no, I’m just a born and raised Southern Baptist, who was saved on November 4, 1994. I really can’t say that I did a 180-degree turn around because I grew up in a Christian home. One thing, which has had a lasting affect on me, was my grandfather, Rev. R.C. McDaniel. Before he died he told me that if I continued in my faith and stayed faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ, that in the end my perseverance would pay off. So that is what I have tried to do. And I can promise you that Jesus Christ makes life worth living.

May God be with me as well as you!

Jesse Bunch, Class of 2006

My name is Sarah Cannon. I am fifteen years old. I have gone to church ever since I was eight years old, but I was never true with God until my freshman year of high school. On May 26, 2001, I was put into a foster home. My mother had been beating on me for quite sometime.

The whole time I was there I prayed and begged God to send me home. Five months later I went home. I was home for a year and three months then my mom started making me steal and lie to the cops. She would beat me if I didn’t.

So on December 3, 2002, I was taken back into foster care. I was brought from Lenoir City to Tellico Plains. I was put in a house with a family that went to church. One day at church, I felt God telling me to go to the altar and pray. My foster sisters and I were all up there and we were crying.

My sister and I got saved that night. Ever since December 6, 2002, I have been saved. I have begun to treat people better and I even talk to people at school about God.

My stepfather and I are always talking about God and how He has taken me to a better home and how He has changed our lives. I pray to God that He keeps me in a safe environment and helps me through my bad times.

I feel as if my whole life has changed and that I am starting a new life. I know that if I died today, I would go to heaven. I plan to stay in church and to make something good come out of my life.

I have made better friends and I know that God has a big part to do with that. He has a purpose for my life and I plan to live the best I know how.

Sarah Cannon, Class of 2006

My name is Julie and I am sixteen years old. I have been blessed with a loving family and was raised up going to church. When I was just a little girl, probably seven or eight, I thought I had gotten saved. As time went on I began to struggle with whether or not I really had been. I would try to tell myself that I was going to go to Heaven, that I grew up in church and everything would be all right. I knew that going to church didn’t mean you would go to Heaven and I knew deep down that I had to do something. I spent hours at night crying and worrying. I lost a lot of sleep that way. During church service, I wanted to go to the altar, but I didn’t know what others would think. I had grown up singing in church and have sung at a number of other churches. This made me feel even more ashamed of feeling so unsure about where I stood with the Lord.

This past summer I not only struggled with my uncertainty, but also with my health. Due to sickness, I lost an extreme amount of weight. I spent my entire summer in and out of the hospital. The weight loss caused me to actually look like a completely different person on the outside. People began to talk and tell me how bad I looked. I now knew they were only concerned, but at the time their words were very painful. I lost all the self-esteem I had and I stayed home a lot. I pulled away from all of my family and friends. I was afraid to be around people and afraid to leave home. The thought of the upcoming school year made me cry continuously. I was so scared of what people would say and I knew that there was no way to avoid going to school.

The turning point of my life came two days after my sixteenth birthday. My uncle, whom had recently turned his life around, was teaching at our Vacation Bible School. He put a long white strand of tape on the white wall of the Sunday school room. After placing a single dot on the tape, he explained that dot was like our short time here on earth. He went on to say that the tape blends into the white walls and goes around the room, never-ending, just like our time in Heaven would never end. At that moment it was clear to me that I wasn’t saved and I needed to get saved before it was to late. Immediately, I walked out of the Sunday school room and got on my knees at the altar. I received the Lord Jesus Christ into my heart at that moment. It is the best feeling ever. I don’t have to worry anymore, because I know I’m going to a perfect place. After my sickness was over, I had a lot of weight to regain. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but I also knew the Lord was there with me. Now I feel comfort and strength that only the Lord can provide and happiness I cannot attempt to explain. I hope you follow your heart like I have and remember the Lord is with you through anything.

Julie Duckett, Class of 2004

Then, July 11, 2000, I moved here to live with my real mom and her boyfriend. One night they asked me if I wanted to go to church with them. I said, "It can’t hurt." And that was the first time I had ever gone to church--and I was telling myself that it was the last time.

Then on October 30, 2000, my sister and I got sent off and put into a foster home with a Christian family who made us go to church every Sunday and Wednesday. I guess that’s what brought me to the light of the Lord and all things possible with all the many things that I got through on the way. Then on February 1, 2001, my sister and I got to come back home to everything we know and love. Then I joined FCA and Teens for Christ.

On February 21-23 of 2001, our FCA had a gathering at the leader of the FCA’s church. And on February 23, 2001, I got saved. Although it doesn’t look like I changed any, the people who know me know that I have changed in many ways. But the way I remember that the Lord loves me--even when I am down--is that I always remember John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life."

April Goodwill, Class of 2004

In the summer of 1957, when I was a boy of 10, I asked the Lord Jesus Christ to come into my life. I was at the home of my grandparents, who led me to the Lord. It was a very wonderful and emotional experience for me that I remember vividly to this day.

However, when I was a young man, I went through a lengthy period of time during which I struggled with doubts about my childhood faith. Part of the struggle was because I had not cultivated my relationship with the Lord Jesus. I was so preoccupied with college and all the things that go with the college years that I had pretty well left Him out of my life.

I eventually reached a point when I doubted the truthfulness of God's Word. I wasn't even sure that God Himself existed!

There finally came a day, and I can still remember it vividly, when I looked up to the sky, and said, "God, I'm not really sure that You're out there. But if You are, I'm willing for You to convince me. "

That prayer began an adventure for me that has continued for many years now, and I expect it to continue throughout eternity. Little by little, God began to show me more and more about Himself. And it turned out to be incredibly exciting!

You see, there are two kinds of skeptics in the world. One kind of skeptic has his mind made up. He isn't really open to the possibility that He might be wrong in his skepticism. Of course, there is not much that can be done to help someone in that frame of mind.

But there is another kind of skeptic who is open and teachable. His attitude is usually something like this, "At this point in life I really cannot believe these things are true, but I am willing to seriously consider any evidence you might have." I was ready to be convinced.

It was shortly after this, that He began to direct me to evidence that, not only was He real and very much alive, but also that He was willing to be a very active and exciting part of my life. He also began to direct me to the evidence, persuading me totally, overwhelmingly, and forever, that His Word could be trusted and that his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, had literally, physically, and historically risen from the dead.

It was very exciting to me to realize that my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ was not meant to be a blind leap in the dark! For anyone who is willing to accept it, our faith is based on very powerful evidence. God does not demand that we use some kind of psychic power to work up faith within ourselves in our own minds. If we have an open heart toward Him, He Himself will provide the faith.

He says, "Call unto Me, and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things which you do not know. " (Jeremiah 33:3) At that point in my life I began to call unto Him, and He began to show me great and mighty things which were more exciting than I could have ever imagined.

For many years now my walk with the Lord Jesus Christ has been an exciting adventure. I simply cannot imagine a more thrilling, confident, peaceful life than a close walk with Him.

Mr. Steve Hall, Teacher

Hello! My name is Heather Lynn Hill. Before I begin, I would like to thank God for our spiritual leaders in our school. Their guidance is very important to my walk with Christ and I am grateful for their service to God.

Let’s see, I was saved when I first moved to Tellico Plains and that was about three and a half years ago. That decision was the best decision I have ever made. That simple decision was the turning point in my life. That decision changed my whole being and outlook on life. Instead of being negative about life, God has placed within me a positive attitude.

God brought me out of a lot of tragedy and emptiness. Along with three other siblings, my single mother raised me. I was raised in poverty. My alcoholic mother raised me in verbal and physical abuse. Around the age of twelve, I was already experiencing witchcraft and fooling around with that. I was already experiencing drugs and alcohol. And I have been sexually abused as a child. I also had been fooling around with guys. I didn’t know right from wrong and didn’t have any guidance.

Many people will look at me in the halls here at school and never would suspect that I have been down that road. I have hit rock bottom many times and like always, the Lord would be there stretching out his hand and I would grab it as He patiently guided me back to the peak of the mountain.

I am so thankful that God knocked on my heart’s door. Because the moment I opened up and received Him, the emptiness that had been so burdensome on me was filled. Jesus Christ filled that place in my heart. Now I have this awesome and personal relationship with him. And I have a promising future to look forward to. When I leave this world I will be walking with Him on the streets of gold in Heaven. Just think, when Satan tries to bring us down, Jesus says, "You best watch it, he/she is mine. That’s my child."

I love Him with all my heart, soul, and mind. 1 John 4:19 says, "We love him, because he first loved us." I stand on this passage of scripture when Satan tries to throw my past in my face – "Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold all things are become new," – II Corinthians 5:17. So stay in the battle, as Mr. Hall would say, and don’t wait too long, you might not have that much time. And remember, God loves you and so do I. God Bless.

Heather Lynn Hill, Class of 2004

Nothing compares to God’s love. When I look back on my life, I think about how the great times in my life out weigh the bad. My relationship with my dad has brought me closer to God, but when I fill you in on what that relationship was like, you’ll probably wonder how.

I have had many talks with God about what I should and shouldn’t say in my testimony. But I truly believe he was speaking through my very good friend and mentor, Chris Hollingshead, when Chris said, "Pray about it, and make it come from your heart." I could go on and on about how God has blessed me but that still would not cover how much of an impact He has had on my life. One sweet day, June 16, 1994, I accepted Jesus Christ into my heart as my Lord and Savior. Undoubtedly, it was the best feeling anyone could ever experience. That is one choice that I will never regret making. But things changed within a few weeks after that. People now have this whole "Zach" made out in their heads that I have always been a strong dedicated Christian. Boy, are they wrong. It’s not something I’m proud of, of course, but in order to at least give you a decent idea of how God has changed my life, I feel like I should tell you a little bit about the "old me."

I was almost a straight A+ student up until the 7^th grade and then something snapped. I still don’t know why, but I got tired of working so hard all the time for grades that didn’t mean that much to me. Jealousy got the best of me when I would hear about what the other kids were doing after school. I got tired of telling them I had work to do because what I really wanted to do was whatever the other kids were doing. I lost it. I lost focus on who I should turn to when I was about to lose my cool. So I totally turned my life around the wrong way. I was mean to everyone except the guys who I trusted. I refused to open up to people because I felt like they would stab me in the back. That was one of my big problems back then. I always thought negatively about people. If you listen around the halls between classes and pay attention to how people talk to one another, you’ll have an idea of how I spoke to people during that time. I’m not saying the way people talk today is ALL bad but if you can think of some of the worst things people have said to each other, trust me, I have said it. Satan has lost the battle for my soul but he knew that he could trick me into saying and doing things. I let Satan have a grip on me but God never let go. He never left my side, but sometimes I would forget that.

If you don’t mind I would like to backtrack a few months to tell you about the relationship between my dad and myself. I had decided to move in my dad’s house for a year to check it out and see what it would be like. Well, it wasn’t the greatest experience in the world but I learned a lot while I was up there. And then one summer day, I had to go to court to get full custody turned back over to my mom. Before the hearing, I spoke with my dad’s lawyer and he asked me if I would like to stay at my dad’s house for half the summer. I said no, but the judge felt like I needed to patch things up with my dad. Well…. everything but that happened. It was a never-ending attempt by my dad and step-mom to give me a guilt trip. I couldn’t take it. I was still just a kid. I couldn’t stay there and deal with what I was going through so I decided to call my mom and ask her to do something to get me out of there. Okay, now here is what messed up my relationship with my dad. Papers were sent to him basically saying back off and that he had screwed up. Well, he knew that I had to have done something in order for him to get those papers so he got really mad after that. This is a part of my life that I have tried to block out. He pushed me down onto the couch and would then push me up and down into the cushions. All I could do was cry. Then he finally asked me if I wanted to go home to my mom. I didn’t have to think long at all about the answer to that question. I had to get out of there so I said yes. After that, I spent four years away from dad. Never saw him or spoke with him except for one or two occasions when he called me on my birthday. During that time I felt like I had grown so much closer to God, but I knew something was missing. God wanted me to forgive and forget. My walk for God has had its ups and downs but there were also times when I thought times were a lot worse than they really were. For example, when I found out that I was going to have to move to Tellico, I got so mad at my parents because I hated the thought of meeting new people. I didn’t want to meet new people. I just wanted to be around the people I already knew and were good friends with. During my freshman year, I grew closer to God more than ever before. I met this guy named Jared Hudgins (some of you might have heard of him) and he helped me so much in my journey to becoming a better Christian, and I thank God for that boy.

Thanks God and thanks Jared.

Anyway, God had blessed me so much in my life. It has been like a roller coaster, but I wouldn’t want to change anything because everything that happened helped make me who I am today. This is really the first time I have ever written out my testimony so I pray that you will get a blessing out of it. I am not the person people think I am, but I am a Jesus freak and there is no disguising the truth. Take care, everyone and God bless.

Zach Hitson, Class of 2004

Although I received Christ at a young age, I still struggled, as many do, with my Christian walk. As a young person, I got away from God. I subconsciously tried in many ways to push God out of my life…or just out of my mind. You see, I thought the world had more exciting things in store for me than did God. Man, was I ever wrong! Notice I said I got away from God. God has never and will never get away from me. That’s what’s so sweet about Him. In the book of Hebrews, Paul writes that God "will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Heb. 13:5). Even though in the past I have been out of the will of God, I’ve always known that He was right there waiting for me to call on Him for help. Since June 28, 1986, Jesus has lived in my heart. And, when someone lives in your heart they will always be in your mind. No matter how bad or how many times I’ve failed God, He has never moved away, and He has never failed me.

I was raised in a Christian family, and as a child was taken to church regularly. However, as I got into high school I gave God less and less room to live and grow in my life. I thought I could take care of myself, and all I needed I could find somewhere else than in Him. Looking back, this time in my life is one the biggest regrets I have. When I think of all the time I wasted – time I could have been working for the Lord – I wish I could go back and change it all. But, of course I can’t. That fact reminds me of how important and crucial each day is in a Christian’s life. What our lives should all boil down to is the realization of the fact that it’s all about Jesus. Nothing else should matter. Everything we as humans think, see, imagine, and live should always be about our Heavenly Father. Jesus is the answer to the question of the meaning of life; the meaning of love; the meaning of everything! That’s definitely why…IT’S ALL ABOUT JESUS!

I am a firm believer that God will allow certain things to happen in a person’s life in an attempt to "wake them up." I know this to be a fact because it happened to me. The Lord’s greatest desire is for us to live for Him, but sometimes we need an alarm bell or a light to switch on to pull us back to where we need to be. When we get out of His will He will usually try something small, hoping it will be enough to revive us. However, if we do not come around, those unfortunate events may get worse and worse. This very thing happened in my life.

After I graduated from high school and entered college, I continued to live out of the will of my Lord and Savior. I simply wasn’t where I needed to be spiritually. The Lord tried little things to bring me around with small happenings such as relationship problems and the loss of happiness in my life. But, when I continued to ignore God, the events grew into more crucial circumstances. I began to experience family problems, but I still continued to sleep on God.

The Lord finally got my attention and woke me up during my sophomore year at Tennessee Technological University when my life almost came to an end. I was playing basketball one evening at the university’s fitness center when my heart rate began to increase tremendously. I began having tunnel vision, and drove to the nearby hospital, scared out of my mind. I had never felt anything like it before. I had always, since I was a small child, been an athlete. My heart had never given me a single problem. Little did I know, the Lord was telling me something. He was saying that it was time to get my priorities straightened out and put Him front and center in my life. God had a work for me to do, and He was tired of me wasting the time He had given me.

As I entered the hospital’s emergency room and explained what my problem was, a nurse began to take my pulse rate. She put her fingers on my wrist and looked at her watch. A few moments later, she looked up at me with wide eyes. Then, she looked back down at her watch for another few moments. The nurse then went and got a doctor to come over to where I was sitting. As they approached me, I overheard the nurse tell him to take my pulse because she thought she was doing something wrong. The doctor did just that, and assured the nurse that her count was correct.

An average person’s heart rate is 60 to 90 beats per minute. My heart rate was an unbelievably high 210…and it wouldn’t come down! The next thing I knew, I was rushed into a room, placed on a bed, and hooked up to various machines. Cords and wires seemed to be all over me. This was the most scared I had ever been in my entire life. I honestly thought I was going to die! And, what’s even scarier is I think the doctors and nurses thought so as well. I was given many different drugs intended to lower my heart rate, but none were effective.

Finally, a doctor came to me with his last ideas and options. As I lay terrified, he looked down at me and told of how he had only two more things he could try. He had two medicines left. He said that if the first didn’t work, he guaranteed the second would. The only problem with the second was it would drop my heart rate so low, I would have to be shocked back up to normal! Just as he told me that, an electrical shocking machine was rolled into the room…just like the ones you see on TV. I was frightened more then than ever. I could just imagine someone yelling, "Clear!" and bouncing my body off the bed with those electrical waves.

I had been praying the whole time I was in the hospital, but never more or harder than that very instant. I began to beg God for another chance. I promised Him I would pick back up my cross and start working for Him again. As I was praying, it was like He told me, "I am right here with you, but you shouldn’t just call out on me when you’re in desperate need. I like to hear from you everyday…in the good times and the bad." When I completely turned myself over to Him, and rededicated my life right there on that emergency room table, a miracle began to happen. The first medicine of the last resorts worked! My heart rate began to slowly and peacefully relax back toward normal. God never left me, nor forsook me. He was right there with me through it all. And, He will be eternally.

Since I turned my life back over to Jesus, He has blessed me beyond imagination. My entire family is in church (and the center of God’s will). I have a great marriage with a beautiful wife…and a baby on the way! I am also blessed to be a part of great church (New Providence Missionary Baptist Church) in Tellico Plains that is on fire for God. The Lord has also placed me in the youth ministry at the church, where I function as the youth leader. I try to always humbly listen to, and obey, what God wants me to do. There is a great peace in knowing you’re working for the Lord. It’s definitely great to be a child of the King!

Mr. Chris Hollinghead, Teacher

Well I have really two different testimonies, but I am going to put them together. It all starts when I got saved in Dallas, TX. I was saved at a young age. I was about 7 or 8 when I accepted Christ into my heart. Back then I had a best friend whose name was Ben Davis. We did everything together. And we did everything that two little boys would do at that age in a big city. His family took me to places that I had never been before. We had so much fun together.

One day I was over at my Grandfather's house and my mom called. My brother answered and she told him to keep me there, and not to let me go anywhere. So when she finally got there, my brother and I got into the backseat. My mom got in the back with us and she was crying. I had no idea what had happened. But she told me that my best friend Ben had died. He was sick that day and went to sleep on his mom's bed. While he was asleep, he had a seizure and suffocated himself on the side of the bed. When I heard it I was crushed. I didn't know what to do. My best friend wasn't there anymore. Even worse, I didn’t know if I would ever see him again. I had never asked him about his salvation. I never thought about it. But at his funeral his mom had confirmed that he had accepted Christ and I would definitely see him again.

After a while I got back into all the things that I had done before. I was into smoking, cussing, and drinking. I never even thought about what could have happened to me. I was getting into some pretty bad stuff.

Then, in 1999, I moved up here to Tennessee. It was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. I wouldn't have admitted it then, but now I am really glad we did move. I have so many great Christian friends here and nothing can change that now. I can look back now and see what I almost got myself into. But only because of the Lord I am here today and can stand as a witness that He can do anything and He can change lives. (2 Peter 1:15)

Jared Hudgins, Class of 2004

My name is Clinton Jump. I am 16 years of age and I recently got saved. My life was a lot different before I came to know the Lord. A long time ago, around two years or so, I thought that I had accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior, but was I ever wrong. I had it in my head but not in my heart. That makes a world of difference. I got caught up in trying to keep up with everyone else. I lived my life on what people thought. I was trying to constantly impress everyone. My life went day by day and I never really stopped to thank the Lord for the many blessings He had bestowed upon my life. You see, the whole time they were right in front of my face, but I never really saw it. Here I was, thinking I was saved, going about my life with confusion and suffering. I didn’t suffer physically, but spiritually, and that was enough. To me, at the time, I saw getting saved as a step to take in life just to keep up with the times. I kind of saw it as a "tradition" or step to take. It seemed as if everyday got worse and worse and my life was going downhill. I went into a deep state of depression and for a while kept to myself. It was obvious. I didn’t have Christ in my life. Finally, I snapped out of it, or so I thought. I started going to church, but I never listened or even got interested in the message that was being brought to me. I would say another year or two went by and here I was--the same old me, same old ways. What was it going to take?

If I had paid attention to all the signs God was giving me, I would have found the answer to all my problems. The only thing I needed to do was call on Him and ask Him to come into my heart that would solve everything. I would still have problems, but with the Lord with me they would be much easier to handle. All of this was true, but at the time I couldn’t see it. It was surrounding me and all I could do was ignore it. I saw it in other people and always wondered how they always felt so good and stayed constantly in a great mood. I wanted that so badly, but could never find time to really ask them how they inherited this "great mood" gene. I just thought some people didn’t have a care in the world. What I didn’t know was that they faced the same problems I did and dealt with them everyday. It was just much easier for them. I thought they were perfect! "They’re lucky, I wish I were them," many times raced through my head. It’s not fair I thought. Why me? Why do I have to have tribulations and they don’t? I went on a jealousy streak (I guess you could call it that). I was making fun of people and calling people awful names. I got into fights and was always concentrating on the negative things.

Well, now it was time for me to start high school. Oh boy, I dreaded everyday of summer because I knew it was getting closer to the first day of torture. When I got to high school, I did all right for a while, but later into the year I almost got into a fight with someone and got suspended. The end of the year came and I was glad to get out of that place. The summer flew by and I got a little more mature and started realizing things. I went into my sophomore year and it was totally different for me. I got to know more people and met some new Christian friends. They started inviting me to church every week. I didn’t have anything to lose so I decided to give it a try. New Providence is where I went and really started getting into it. About three weeks went by of going regularly when suddenly a conviction began. I felt God’s presence lying on my heart. I knew it was time to give my heart to God. So, on November 10, 2002, I gave my heart to the Lord. Now everything that had been missing was now filled. Like I said, God had a plan for me. I became a member of New Providence on December 1, 2002, and got baptized December 15, 2002.

God had changed my life dramatically and has helped me through everything that has come my way. My father recently passed away this past Christmas. It was a terrible shock and still is. It will never get easy, but God will help me every step of the way. I believe God knew this was going to happen and I got saved as a preparation to this. If I didn’t have God with me, I would have never made it through and been able to help my family. God’s grace has strengthened me tremendously and I thank Him everyday for His eternal love and care. God knows your problems and what you’re going through. He will always be there to help you no matter what you’ve done. His love endures. He has helped me so much and can do the same for you.

Clinton Jump, Class of 2005

Hi. My name is Brandy, and I’m forgiven! However, this was not always the case. Eight months after I was born, my biological mother and father split up and my "mother" and I moved to Florida with my grandmother and grandfather. I haven’t seen my father since then. When I was four, my "mother" married her second husband. For the next seven years my younger brother and I were abused mentally and physically. In addition to that, I was molested by an older brother. During this time I knew who God was, but I couldn’t imagine why He would allow bad things to happen to me. So, I turned away from Him. A few months after I turned ten, my brother and I were put into state custody. During this time, I was so confused and angry at the world that I tried to commit suicide. I was just lucky that God had placed me in such a wonderful facility. Finally, after seven months of foster care, I was placed in my aunt and uncle’s custody, and we all moved up here to Tennessee. I was adopted in 1996 by my aunt and uncle.

Even though God had done such wonderful things in my life, I thought that I could deal with things on my own. I loved God, but I just was too stubborn to turn my life over, until earlier last year. Before I got truly saved on September 17, 2002, my life had been a living Hell. But all that has changed, because like I said before, I am forgiven. I could not ask for a more amazing feeling now that I have given myself to the Lord Jesus Christ. And, I’m sure if He changed my life, He’ll do the same for you!

Brandy Lakes, Class of 2003

I want to thank the Lord for saving my soul. I want to thank God for all that He has done for my family and me. In the past few days the Lord has helped me get through so many things in my life and I thank Him for everything. God has saved me from a bus wreck and I thank Him for keeping me safe. If it had not been for God’s grace and mercy, I wouldn’t be here today to tell people and God and his love.

Jessica Hope Lee, Class of 2005

Hi. My name is Tina Miller and this is "my testimony." When I was seven years old, I went to church on a normal Sunday night. That night my preacher gave an invitation. I don’t know what come over me, but I looked up at my mom and said "Mommy, I want to get saved." So on the 4^th of April 1994 I began a new life. But peer pressure, boys, and other things became of interest and my life went downhill. I started cussing and doing bad things that I knew were wrong. But I did them anyway.

When I was nine or ten-years-old, God tried to open my family’s eyes and mine by putting me in the hospital with a temperature of 106.9. The doctors gave up on me but I know someone who didn’t…God. After six years of God working on me, I finally got right. There was a big change in my heart and a load off my back. Today I am a good God-fearing Christian.

Tina Miller, Class of 2006

I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ at the age of twenty-seven and this is the best decision that I have ever made in my life. At that time my wife and I had been married eight years. She was a Christian and it was her concern and prayers that influenced the pastor of the church to visit me. A group of men came and witnessed to me about the Lord and He turned my life around completely. After serving the Lord for about a year, I sensed the Lord calling me into the ministry, and I surrendered to His calling. In order to prepare for the ministry I decided to enroll at Clear Creek Baptist Bible College in Pineville, Kentucky. We took a leap of faith and moved to Kentucky.

I had the honor of being a pastor of churches in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana. God has blessed me over and over again. I have seen many people saved in my lifetime and it was all the working of the Holy Spirit. Before I was saved I was on my way to Hell, just as fast as I could go. But I am thankful someone cared enough to witness to me about the Lord.

I have been blessed to see all four of my children "born again" by the spirit of God and also several of my grandchildren.

My favorite Scripture is Romans 8:28. "And we know that all things work together for good to then that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

Mr. Bill Moore, Teacher

My name is Joshua Morgan. I was born on December 29, 1987. I am going to tell you a little about my family and what Jesus Christ has done for us.

First, I would like to tell you about Jeff Morgan, my father. He was born on October 7, 1964. He was saved in August 1973. He sang in a gospel group called "Committed." In November 2000 my dad’s life took a turn for the worst. My dad lost all sight in his left eye. The doctors looked at him, shook their heads and told him there was no cure. However, in 2002, by the grace of God, he recovered his eyesight. Because of this the eyesight in his right eye increased as well. Now my father can see, almost, better than I can.

Second, I would like to tell you about my mother, Sandra Morgan. She was born on June 17, 1968. She was saved in 1977 when she was nine years old. My mother, as well, has had her difficulties. In May 1995 she was diagnosed as having a colloid cyst on her brain. This was not the last time she had this problem, this occurred again in August 2000. My mother also went through disc replacement surgery in June 1999. After all this, with her faith in Christ, there were no negative effects.

My sister, Courtney, was born on January 2, 1990. She was saved on July 18, 1996. My sister has had many past illnesses. She developed pneumonia at seven weeks old. One Sunday morning, my father and mother went to get my sister and I. They found my sister in her baby bed crying and my sister could not move. Doctors could not tell my parents why. Then on Sunday morning, during worship services, fifteen different churches had special prayer for my sister. As a result, the doctors discovered my sister’s illness, Transverse Mialitis, a spinal cord infection that leads to immune deficiency. She was paralyzed from the chest down. But, the Lord Jesus Christ saw to give her a gift. She received a full recovery. Now my sister is like every other 12-year-old, she likes to aggravate her older brother.

I was saved on June 17, 1994. As a very young child, I developed severe asthma. With the help of Jesus, I grew out of it.

In 1993, my house fell with my mother, my sister, and myself in it. With lots of prayers and help from others we rebuilt our house.

There is no one way I can put into words everything Jesus has done for my family, but we are very thankful that he has put and kept us together.

Joshua Morgan, Class of 2006

God has been so amazing and done so many wonderful things for me in my life. In my early childhood days, my parents partied and did drugs. When I was three years old my eldest sister, who was fifteen at the time, sneaked out with her boyfriend one night and was involved in a car accident that killed her. After that, my other sister started taking me to Bible School at Unicoi Baptist Church. She said she couldn’t handle taking me because I wouldn’t stay in a classroom by myself. It was around the time of revival, how I knew, I don’t know, but I started asking my mom to take me to church. She finally got tired of me begging her and she gave in and took me. As soon as we got in the church I laid down on the bench and fell right to sleep (God works in mysterious ways.) That was the night my mom changed her life around. She accepted Jesus as her personal Lord and Savior.

We started going to church regularly, and when I was ten years old, I knew what it meant to be saved. God put me under conviction one night at my house and I went downstairs and told my mom I wanted to be saved. I was so scared that I actually didn’t pray, I only cried. It wasn’t until a couple of months after I turned fifteen that I realized I had never prayed and asked God into my heart. I was so scared and I knew that if I died right then and there, I would not be able to enter into Heaven.

I went to my friend’s house one night, and I was talking to her about it and she told me I needed to make sure that I was saved. So I called my pastor and told him how I was feeling about the whole situation. And right there in my best friend’s bedroom floor, on the telephone, I accepted Jesus into my heart. I know now that I am truly saved, and I try my best to live in such a way that is pleasing to God.

It doesn’t matter where you are, whether it be in a church, in a house, or even in a car, you too can have Jesus. All it takes is overcoming your pride and asking Him into your life. The Bible teaches that any man can come to know Jesus. Even if you feel you are the worst sinner, God forgives you no matter what. If you don’t know Him, it is my wish that you would before it is eternally too late.

"Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee." (Mark 5:19)

With His love from above,

Holly Powers, Class of 2005

When I was seven years old, I remember being at New Providence Church at Vacation Bible School. It was the last night and at the end of the service the pastor gave an altar call. I was scared and shaking. I remember stepping out into the aisle, but I don’t remember walking to the altar, it was like God took me to the altar. I prayed with one of the Sunday school teachers and that night my life changed forever.

Every year I go to Vacation Bible School at New Providence. Each time is a new and exciting experience for me. Even though I no longer attend church there, I will never forget what all the people at that church have done for me.

Even though it was so long ago that I gave my life to the Lord, He is still the same today as he was ten years ago. He has never left me. I have always felt a hedge of protection over my life. There has never been a time in my life when I have felt alone. There is always someone there with me.

Desireé Quintana, Class of 2004

It first happened in June 1996, at Vacation Bible School, when I was saved that summer. It was so great for a while but then, in the summer of July 1998, God spoke to me strongly and very deeply. He told me (while sitting in the same church where I attended Vacation Bible School) to get up and go to the altar. That was the day I was truly saved. That day I felt better than ever.

In January 1999 my mom and dad split up and he moved out. Then my life went downhill. My mom started dating this guy and we moved in with him. He was okay, but after about five months he thought he could rule us and act like our dad, which I was not okay with. They were together for about a year and a half. We left one day when my mom really found out how he was.

She told me the day we left that she had been praying for a long time to get out of the relationship, but we just had to be patient. Those two years were the worst time of my life. There were things that happened that shouldn’t have. And he just broke me to pieces. I knew I had to get back closer to God, but yet I didn’t. But I still loved Him. We moved back to our house and tried to start over again. In that short time my mom met this wonderful guy and he was the best thing ever to happen to our family.

Until two weeks ago, I didn’t really care what happened to me. But then I did some very bad things I shouldn’t have, and God gave me a wake-up call.

Since January 11, 2003, I have rededicated my life to God and I am doing so much better. All I needed was the wake-up call from God to keep me going on and living for Him.

I want to tell you that no matter how big or little a sin is, it’s still sin. But God will forgive all. I want to thank my friends who helped me realize that because of God, I am here today and so are you. So always remember--God loves you.

Briana Scarbrough, Class of 2005

When I was asked to write my testimony. I had no idea what to write. As I prayed about it, the Lord made it clear what to write about. I was saved when I was a little girl. I have lived my life for the Lord as well as I thought I could. However, I have failed Him and myself many times. Many people I know think I have never done anything wrong, that I am very innocent.

The summer of my junior year, my strength failed. I began thinking that I was the only one that had never tried anything. That I was the only one trying to do right. After I had been told too many times that I was too perfect, and I never did anything wrong, I decided I would fix that. What I am about to expose is proof that Satan DOES start with getting someone to do something little then that something grows in to something bigger and worse. I started out smoking a couple cigarettes a week. Before I knew it, I was enjoying smoking, and drinking every once in a while. This went on for only about two months, however, during this time I managed to get drunk once, and make a complete idiot of myself. Also, during this time I completely ruined my reputation, but most importantly, I ruined my ability to witness to the very group I was then hanging out with.

Thank God, when I did get drunk, I got sick and I also remember exactly how idiotic I did behave. Also, as many people know, I won the Washington trip for the Fort Loudoun essay contest my Junior year. The night before I left, I smoked my last cigarette. Thank the Lord again, I also got sick from the cigarette. God was truly looking out for me through my confusing time. I do not think we realize sometimes until after the fact how much God takes care of us. The more I think about it, the more I am so thankful that I have a Father that can see everything I do and can whip me back in line in His own way. I love Him so much for that.

The real turning point, however, was the trip to DC. When I got to DC and began to meet people, I realized that many people I met were just like I was two months earlier. There were people there who could honestly say they have never tried anything. It hurt me so bad not to be able to say the same. The greatest thing about that trip was that I was not defined by what my last name was, or my previous record. I had no previous reputation with the people I met there, and I loved it. I had a clean slate on that trip, no one knew anything about me and I was my old self. Being my old self again, made me hate what my new self was. I made a promise to myself on that trip to always be me and not try to be something I am not. After all, I made some of my best friends on that trip just by being me. In fact I am rooming with one of those friends in college.

Once I got back home, I promised I would not do what I was doing before I left. So far I have managed to keep that promise.

God has forgiven me for what I did. It was very hard to ask God’s forgiveness. However, It is still very hard to forgive myself. Right when I think I have forgiven myself and I think I can witness to people again, what I did gets thrown in my face. People like to say "You did it." I know this is Satan really saying that to make me feel inferior, but it still hurts. I think the hardest part about this whole mess was telling Mom and Dad. Seeing how much it hurt them to find out that someone they loved would go behind their backs and disobey like that hurt me more than the guilt did. I do not think any harsher punishment can be given than to see a mom cry from disappointment. But, God even gave me strength through that.

Before my Junior year, I thought I would never give in to peer pressure. I thought that because I was a Christian and went to church and lived a sheltered life, that I could not be pressured into anything. I was wrong. Peer pressure is real and I did give in. I hope my testimony might help someone to not give in to peer pressure because it is not worth all the guilt and disappointment you have after you do it.

I am now getting to where I can again witness to my friends. The time that has been wasted due to my weakness was very precious time. And, I know I will have to answer for that time.

Many of you might be saying "This won’t happen to me. I go to church. I am from a Christian family, and I try to do what is right." Don’t be blind! I was the same way. If I could take back what I did, I would. However, it HAS made me a stronger Christian. As Mr. Hall says, "Stay in the battle!"

Lindsey Stinson, Class of 2003

I decided to accept Jesus Christ as my personal savior one Saturday morning in my mother’s bedroom. I had been feeling the convicting power of the Holy Spirit for some time. I wanted peace. I wanted to make things right between God and myself. I got down on my knees and prayed. I didn’t tell my family about my decision right away. I didn’t know how to tell my family. I didn’t grow up in church. I was raised by a divorced single mother who didn’t feel comfortable taking me to church by herself. God, Jesus, and the Bible were discussed by my extended family but never on a personal level. The knowledge I gained about Jesus came from going to church with friends and Vacation Bible School.

A couple of months later the opportunity for me to tell my family presented itself. They were happy. We then tried to find a church. That struggle lasted a couple of years. I finally joined a church my junior year of high school. Since then my church life has waxed and waned. But it has all been on my part. God has never left me, even though during the rough patches of my life I didn’t always listen to Him. Attending church, reading my Bible, and praying have really helped me grow spiritually.

The three things I am most thankful to God for are His forgiveness, His love and His peace. These three words sum up what God is to me. First, He is my Savior. He died so I could live eternally. He forgives me of my sins and takes them upon Himself. Second, He loves me. When I think no one else can love me, God still loves me. Third, He gives me great peace.

If you have made the decision to accept Jesus as your personal savior, tell someone. They will be abundantly happy.

I am glad I have had this opportunity to share my testimony. I leave you with my favorite Bible verses: Proverbs 3:5-6. "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

Mrs. Amy Talley, Teacher

"Destination: Known by God"

Walking with God is literally a life changing experience. As you walk with God, He will lead you into what we would call unthinkable, but to God all things are possible. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8a). He knows the outcome of all things and He wants us to depend on Him through everything (Proverbs 3:5-6). Most importantly: He knows your destination (Jeremiah 29:11).

It was supposed to be the most exciting day of the year. The date was May 20, 1999, in Madisonville, Tennessee. The kids with straight A’s were allowed to skip school that day. Since I only had one B, I stayed out also. While at home, I helped Mom with the housework, "If you have the house cleaned up when I get home, you can have some friends over," she said. Mom was gone for a couple of hours at the most and most of the house was clean, when the phone rang. On the other end of the line was my Grandma. Instead of her usual cheerful voice, she had a sense of hopelessness, "Be ready in five minutes," she said.

For some reason, I had an awful feeling. I sat on the couch and began to think, "Where am I going?" I wasn’t sure if I was in trouble, because the tone of her voice scared me. When she called it didn’t sound like her. In that very moment, another terrible feeling came into my mind, "What if I don’t come back?" I quickly pushed that out of my mind. I tried to disguise my fear and prayed for protection. At this point I was shaking all over.

It seemed like only a second had passed when my grandparents pulled up. The next thing I knew, we were headed for the intermediate school to pick up my little sister, Amina.

As we stopped in the parking lot, Amina’s face was blood red. Every time she would wipe her eyes, they were filled with more tears. "What’s going on?" I asked. With a trembling voice she answered, "I don’t know. They were calling me to the office like crazy. Then the next thing I knew, you came."

It seemed like I was in an ocean of impossibility. As I was trying to cope with my fears, Amina’s tears burned my thoughts. She needed me the most and I didn’t know what to do.

At this point, we came to the DCS (Department of Children’s Services) Office. My worst fear was taking place. My heart was searching for answers. "What did I do to deserve this?" was the question that repeated in my mind. While in the building, a social worker explained to us that we had been independently neglected. I thought it was normal for children to stay at home while their mother has a different "father" in the house nearly every night or to see your mother in the hospital nearly every week. It seemed okay to not know where the next meal was coming from. It seemed weird to hear that it was wrong. I didn’t understand.

Our destination was a foster home. When we walked into our new home, there was an atmosphere of security and love. Although we were scared, Jesus had it all under control. This truly was His plan for our lives. Little did we know that on November 14, 2001, a beautiful woman of God would adopt us. Our names were changed from Amina to Callie and Safien to Haley. Our lives will never be the same again. I had accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior at the age of eight, but I never experienced that wonderful peace of God until I came to Tellico. Now my best friend, Jesus, is more real to me than I could ever imagine. He made all the difference. If it wasn’t for him, I don’t know what I would have done. I give him all the praise. I can’t thank Him enough. If you are going through something, hold fast to the Anchor that holds through all storms. Jesus is the answer, you don’t need the world, you just need Him. The world can’t give anything worth having, but Jesus is the Everything. Also remember: He knows your destination.

Haley Taylor, Class of 2005

My life was simple, for me, for many years. My family attended almost every church service that our church had. We participated in Sunday school, youth groups and every other activity the church had available. I had the normal hang-ups and sins of most church going kids. I did the normal Christian things, which made me feel good and I even felt like I was a Christian. But, there was no desire to grow and no desire to follow Christ, even though I prayed every night and knew about what Jesus could do for me and other people.

In my senior year of college a group of Christians came to our church from South Carolina. They were lay people, but they had a fire for the Lord that I wanted. That Sunday evening after they had left, I realized that I needed the Lord as my personal Savior and I wanted a personal relationship with Him. I got up in that service and proclaimed, "I know that I have Jesus and He has me."

From that point onward, I have wanted to grow in Christ. There have been the usual problems associated with growing, but God has been faithful. I have fallen down at times but He has picked me up and loved me. In Jesus the best is yet to come. There has never been a time when he has failed in his faithfulness to my family and me.

Mr. Mitchell Witt, Teacher

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