Deb’s story:

 Part 1

As many of you know, I’m not from around these parts! I was born and raised in England. I lived close to the east coast about 65 miles from London in a very small country town called Manningtree in the county of Essex. I came to America in my late teens seeking a new adventure. I wasn’t raised in anything that remotely looked like a Christian home but The Lord had always put a longing in my heart from even a very young age for the things of God. It is also interesting that the two things I loved to do as a child was play school and look a travel brochures dreaming of the places I would go when I grew up.

I have a story of how trauma and tragedy shaped me and because I didn’t know any better these events drew me very far away from God. My dad died from cancer when I was 13. My response was like many, was that I was angry at God and wanted nothing to do with Him. This lasted until my early 30’s until through again several very traumatic events in my life faced me with the reality that I was a mess and on a road that would only lead to destruction.

I started attending a local Baptist Church and about 5 months later got radically saved. I guess it took me that long because I really weighed the cost of my decision. I knew if I was going to do this Christian thing it would be all or nothing!