Charles Damron

I am thankful for what the Lord has done for me. Sometimes I think I have more to thank God for than a great many people. I was brought up in a Christian home; my father was a minister; and I heard accounts from the Bible for as far back as I can remember. In fact, I was taught how to read, before I entered my school years, by reading out of the Bible. You would have a right to think I should have been a Christian, but my desires went the other way. I wanted to do the things I knew I should not do. Getting somebody else into trouble was a great delight in my life. Now that’s a miserable way to live, and I was ashamed of it at times. I used to go to the theater sometimes, but I did not want anybody to see me go in. I would look around to be sure nobody that knew me saw me enter the theater. I could not enjoy the first half of the show, because I kept wondering if somebody had seen me enter; I could not enjoy the last half, because I kept wondering if I could get out without being seen.

One evening, at church, I realized I was not getting the enjoyment out of life that I should be. I knew I wasn’t serving God and living like I should. When the service ended, I went forward and knelt at an altar of prayer, where I prayed earnestly. I had prayed many times before then, asking God to get me out of trouble, but I had never asked Him to take the sin out. I had wanted to get out of trouble without getting rid of the sin. That night I wanted a change of heart, and that’s what God did for me. He took out the swearing, the lying, and all the sin that made me do wrong. He put His peace down in my heart. It was the joy of my life then to do the things I knew I should do.

I am thankful for the years God has given me in the Gospel. I have proved it in many different places. I have proved it in the United States Navy. That is a place where the old-time religion is proved under all circumstances. Sometimes you hear boys praying in foxholes or while ships are going down. I have been in a few situations where it was only the Lord that took us through, and I found that it is better to have your prayers said ahead of time.

Some of the boys said that if they stuck with me, they would stay out of trouble. But some said, “After he has been with us a while, he will be just like the rest of us.” Another boy came to me and said, “Are you writing to your wife?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “You can certainly tell her we didn’t change you.” I’m so glad the Lord can keep a person every day—living right, living happy, and enjoying the old-time religion. Salvation is real.

I have proved that God can take care of your body too. One time, when I was in the service about six thousand miles away from home, I had an obstruction in my throat. I could not swallow my own saliva. I was desperate and so I went in to the transmitter room, through the radio shack. I locked the door and got down on my knees, on the steel deck, and prayed. I was right between two radio transmitters. They made quite a little noise, and the audible sound of my voice never penetrated that steel overhead, but God heard me. I prayed! I told God I needed help, and in a few minutes God came down and removed the obstruction.

God can take care of you when you turn to Him with all your heart. He can do something for you. He has kept me for many years, including through two wars. I am thankful I still have the victory.

Today I cannot always do the physical every-day tasks and the work I have enjoyed so much, but God has been with me. He keeps me every day with that joy in my heart, and these days I am thankful for what He has done for me.

As I hear requests read for people who are in need of healing, I think of the time I was injured while at work in the post office here in Portland, Oregon. I was taken to the hospital in critical condition with internal injuries, as well as a broken shoulder and ribs. When I regained consciousness, the nurse asked if I wanted to call my minister. I told her who to call, and soon two ministers came to pray for me. They said they had also asked our congregation to pray for me during the morning church service. It was Easter Sunday, 1958.

Even though I was in intense pain, it seemed I didn’t have a worry in the world. I knew God’s people were going to pray for me. All at once the pain left. It was 10:45 a.m. Later, I found out that they had prayed precisely at that time. It increased my faith tremendously to know God had heard and answered prayer. In these days, it is the best thing in the world to have the Lord on your side.