Ed Benedict

I am so thankful that God in His love and mercy helped me to realize what it would mean to be lost. As far back as I can remember I was sent to church and Sunday school. I was raised in a good Christian home and was taught the right way to go. The Bible was an open book in our home.

I was taught to pray, but I thought religion was too tame for a young person. I thought while I was young I was going to have a good time and have my own way. As I grew older I drifted away from the church and broke away from home ties. I thought the world had something to hold out to a young person. I loved sporting events. I went to the ball games and places of amusement, but at night when I would return home after reveling in sin, God would deal with me. I would toss and turn and wonder how it was all going to end. I was constantly condemned for the things I was doing.

I told the Lord if He would only put that peace back in my heart that I had known as a child, I would give Him the balance of my life.

One morning, I went to the Apostolic Faith Church in Port Angeles, Washington, and I sat there with a heavy load of conviction. I told the Lord if He would only put that peace back in my heart that I had known as a child, I would give Him the balance of my life. I am glad that God in His love and mercy was faithful to my unworthy soul and dealt with me until I was willing to bow my knees at an altar of prayer and call on God for mercy. I told Him that I was through with the frivolous things of the world and that I would turn my back on them if He would only plant that peace and happiness in my heart and give me power to live above sin. I can say that God came into my life and did that very thing. He put in peace and rest and happiness and took out that old tiger that was always raging in my breast—that something that was always seeking the green spot over the hill.

That hasn’t been just a day or two ago, but that has been many years ago, and I feel it is time enough to prove whether or not it is real. If this wasn’t real to me you wouldn’t find me in this place—I would be out with the old gang trying to find something to satisfy. I can say I have found the satisfying portion in the Gospel.

There is one purpose in my heart and that is to give my life more fully to God than I ever have before, that I might meet Him one of these days face to face and praise Him for His redeeming grace.