Donna Martin's Testimony

I was born into a family that did not go to church, into a family of a periodic alcoholic father and mother weighed down by shame. A periodic alcoholic is someone who may be sober for years at a time, drunk for years at a time, and in our case, absent for years at time.

While my family didn't go to church, I think I was allowed to go with a neighbor. I don't remember going, but I believe it must have been there that I learned the song "Jesus Loves Me" and another simple chorus.

During sober years dad collected apartment buildings. Two of these were across the avenue from the Arkansas state capital. One afternoon dad got a call to go to one of these buildings. After much discussion between parents I got to go. I'm not sure how old I was, I guess 3 or 4. I know he was gone before I started kindergarten and didn't come back until the end of 3rd grade. And I was still young enough to do as I was told.

I stayed in the car while he went into the building. It got dark... and darker. People began to stop by the car and look in. The darker it got, the creepier the men looked. I began to sing a chorus to myself , sang it over & over; "Whenever I'm afraid I will put my trust in thee; Whenever I'm afraid I will put my trust in thee"

Eventually I fell asleep. I sang the chorus again whenever I'd wake up and a face would be at the window.

It was well into daylight before dad drove me home. I went home knowing that I had a safe place, a refuge, and that whenever I sang "whenever I'm afraid..." "THEE" was right there with me.

In October the year I was 9 the little church down the street had revival meetings. Mom and I went with someone. The music for the invitation began and I started to get out of the row. Mom said I didn't know what I was doing and wouldn't let me go. But the next night we went back. I don't know what the sermon was about, but "THEE" was there and nothing could hold me back from Him. Peace broke over me. I knew God was my Father. There was a man who sometimes lived in the same house, but God was my Father, my Abba.

Salvation is a church word that means you know you need Jesus to fill those hurt and scary places and you want His presence in your life so much you willingly give up anything that would keep you away from Him. Just ask Him to do that. Tell Him you want Him to be all the things He wants to be in your life. Let Him love you. Love Him back. You can learn church words later.

Donna Martin