My testimony is not one of deliverance from another religion, the occult, drugs, or even alcohol. But my testimony is one of many who have been caught in the same dark deception. Let's put it this way, I was on my way to hell, and I didn't have a clue.

I was raised going to Sunday School and Church all my life. I was baptized when I was 12 years old and even read my Bible and prayed occasionally. I tried to do what was right in my own eyes. I always tried to be a good person. But I learned later, that being good is not good enough according to God's word. "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death" (Proverbs 14:12).

I grew up believing and knowing things about God. But I lacked the most important thing. I didn't really know God. I had never accepted God's son Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. I had never made a life changing commitment to follow Christ and commit my whole life to him. I only knew what my church taught and they never taught me the true way to be saved. In my twenties I even got on the church board. I was on the committee called the nurture committee and after three years of that, I got on the witness committee. By then I really thought I was doing something neat for God!

I also had another life style besides just going to church. I had other gods that were very important to me. These were the gods of materialism. I had a huge collection of Heavy Metal albums, horror and science fiction movies, video games and books. I also played lead guitar in many local heavy-metal bands. The last secular rock band I played in was a band named "Paradox". I would get in very late on Friday and Saturday nights and somehow I still managed to drag myself out of bed twice a month or so, to go to church Sunday morning. I was careful to wash the smoke out of my hair from the smoky bars I played in, so no one would know. I forgot that God knew.

I was a good person. I never hurt anyone, I just went from day to day following my own desires and only when it was convenient I would try to do something for God. I always thought that if I was doing something against God's will, He would surely let me know. The truth was that God had already left me know in His word that I had neglected to understand or obey.

I believed that if I did what was right in my heart, that was all that really mattered. God's word disagrees, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9). So I went through life believing and even calling myself a Christian, but neglecting what God has said about certain things. I can honestly say I didn't even know what God said about many things, which is no excuse!

One of the things that I was aware of was the sin of fornication (this is to have sex without being married) I knew it was wrong but I conveniently ignored it. I felt that God would overlook it. My boyfriend (now my husband) and I were going to get married anyway and we did love each other, so I believed this would make it alright. Nothing makes this sin right in God's eyes; "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (Galations 5:19-21).

I thank God that I did come to know him after reading a book called "No Fear of the Storm" by Tim Lahaye. This book woke me up from out of my darkness and changed my life. I learned that I was separated from God because of my sins and that I truly needed a Savior. It also taught that Jesus Christ is coming back for all those who have made him the Lord and Savior of their lives. This book shared with me the true Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and this is when I truly asked Jesus Christ to come into my heart and life and save me.

As time passed, after I spent lots of time reading and studying the Bible and eventually finding a new church that preached the true gospel of Jesus Christ, I began not to desire some of the things that were formerly a part of my life. I eventually quit the band I was in, and eventually after some more time I burned all my music CD's and albums, movies, video games and books that were undesirable to God and replaced them with Christian ones. I learned that these things that were Christian helped me to grow in the Lord and were even much more enjoyable because they gave praise to my precious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I began playing my guitar at church and even started a evangelistic band called "Torn Veil". Years later, I started this website ministry called "Fill the Void". With my Lord's help I am now writing songs about the love of Jesus. This is by far much more fulfilling than playing in any secular bar band. Playing and singing about Jesus Christ and His great gift of salvation is truly awesome!

The Bible teaches that we must make Jesus Christ our Lord. This means that we put Him first in our life. This will cause us to obey Him. We must also make Jesus Christ the savior of our life. This means that we acknowledge that he died on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins.

I am writing this testimony because Jesus Christ has truly changed my life and has filled it with complete peace and joy. He is the best thing that's has ever happened to me! He has completely filled the void in my life. It is true freedom to now look away from following my own heart, but instead look to the Lord's guidance and strength. I also have unspeakable peace and hope that one day Jesus Christ is going to return for all those who know Him.

Like I said, my testimony is not one of drastic change that drew me out of an ad normal physical bondage, but it is a testimony that saved me from a spiritual bondage that kept me from really knowing God. A bondage of blindly believing that I could get to God by my own works or my own path. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

I needed God's forgiveness just as much as a serial killer, a rapist, or even a Satanist. I would have gone to hell if I had not gotten to know the only one who could save me out of it. I thank God that I came to realize that I along with every other person on the face of this earth is separated from God because of sin; "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:23). But thanks to God we can be reconciled back to Him by His Son Jesus Christ who shed His precious blood on the cross, so we could be forgiven. We can only come to God the way He has said, not any other way. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6).

Good works mean nothing to God until a person accepts His Son Jesus as their Lord and Savior. The Bible is clear if we know him we will keep his commandments, and then our life will produce fruit for God's kingdom. "And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him" (I John 2:3-5).

Honestly ask yourself, are you where I used to be? Do you believe that there is a God, but you don't have a relationship with Him? Do you go day to day relying on your own heart to guide you while ignoring what God's word may really have to say? If this is you, I invite you to make the most important decision of your life. Call on the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world and ask Him to save you. "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).

Learn more about how to receive everlasting life: Divine Appointment?