One of my first recollections in my walk with God was when I was seven years old. I was moved with compassion for a boy in my class. He had sandy blond hair, was a bit scruffy and often in trouble for his lack of neatness. I remember sitting next to him one day after school by some steps and explaining to him about love of God by sending Jesus to die for our wrongs on the cross. I still remember Duncan shooing people away so we could pray. That day Duncan gave his life to Jesus.

I remember so much about my thoughts with God and the songs I would sing to him. God still speaks to me often through music and a song will come to mind. It’s really rather romantic. Some profound songs that stuck with me and in a way reveal my walk with God are: I Have Decided to Follow Jesus, What a Friend We Have in Jesus and Blessed Assurance Jesus is Mine.

I’m not proud to say that when I was young I fought terribly with my older brother. I knew this was wrong. I knew I hurt him with my words. I also knew God expected more of me. I often bought this problem to God. One day when I was asking for His help, I was filled with such an explosion of love for my brother. From that day when we would disagree I saw him with eyes of understanding. Even though that was more than ten years ago I still have that same unconditional love for him that covers all.

When I was ten years old my family emigrated from South Africa. I remember this as a profound moment of adventure that I knew to remember. A verse that God gave my parents in our immigration was about having a future and a hope from Jeremiah 29:11. They also had the verse about coming to a land flowing of milk and honey. The other day I was eating honey comb from our bee hives and in my hand was a glass of delicious milk. My whole family and I are grateful to have our home in this incredible country.

When I was eighteen years old my dad had a heart attack. I remember he fell down in front of me. I tried to catch him but I couldn’t. I called for my mom and then knelt down by him and we prayed. We didn’t realize the correct medical procedure, we just prayed and prayed. We prayed with such intense earnestness. God had mercy and bought my dad back to life. All four of his arteries were more than 80% blocked. He mentioned how he had peace about dying as all his children were following Jesus. After this I went through a grieving process as if my father had died. God comforted me and spoke to me through Psalm 23. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for you are with me. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life. Since then I have seen God watch over my own life and my family’s. There must also be many times when we do not even see how the hand of God intervenes on our behalf. His mercies are new every morning.

When I was in Prague in a rather large but deserted shop, I felt a vague feeling of not being safe. I reasoned this away with the thought that this was after all a shop. It was coming on dusk and I was quickly looking through the leather jackets and hats so that I could get back to my hostel before complete darkness. I had a conversation with the owner who asked if I was on my own. I tried to give a non-committal answer. I could see that he knew I was on my own. As I was looking at a few beautiful hats a lady came into the shop and asked the owner a question. I then heard an audible voice say; “Go now!” The voice was outside of me and yet at the same time I knew no one else could hear it. It spoke to me just as when I was little girl and my father would tell me something with complete authority and strictness. I remember thinking that I wanted to try these hats on, but that that must be God speaking to me, so I better listen. I started to leave and the shop owner turned to me to encourage me to stay and go out with him and some friends. I gave my excuses and hastily fled.

When I was very young I had a desire to preach. I devoured autobiographies of Catherine Booth, Kathryn Kuhlman and Aimee Semple McPherson. I have found this area in my life I have come up against the most discouragement. My lack of a XY chromosome and studies at a biblical college were like walls I came up against. Whenever I would seek God about studying at Bible College I encountered a lack of peace. I am sorry to say I did allow myself to be discouraged and it was a while before I sought God again about something to preach. I learnt an invaluable lesson in not allowing discouragement to hold me back. When seeking God about how to share these sermons, the idea came to me to start a website. I was not overly capable on a computer and felt God help each step of the way. I am still amazed at the fact that I have a website and am thrilled in how much I have learnt technically. My website is www.allforgiven.co.nz.

Seven years ago I joined a group that was worshiping and preaching in Aotea Square, Queen Street, where I would help with the evangelism. One day I saw a man sitting and listening. I asked God for something to say and all I got was; “Have you met Jesus”. I thought that it sounded a bit cheesy and waited for a different introduction line. I got nothing. As he was getting up to leave I thought I better just say it. This man looked at me and said he had come out to meet some-one as he was lonely. I explained the gospel to him and he then gave his life to Jesus.

I never thought I would end up preaching on the street but I said to God that I have no courage, but if I am asked I will. The next time I was there the leader Surgio asked me; “Grace, do you want to preach?” From that day I have been street preaching. I have even had opportunities to street preach around the world. I share my testimonies, poems and give illustrations that God gives me of His gospel.

A significant person in my life was Rick Pierce. I remember going to the Young Adults service at Windsor Park Baptist and speaking to him. After a while I tentatively told him about my desire to preach. Rick encouraged me often to share during open time and gave me the opportunity to do my first church sermon. I felt God restore courage to me during the time Rick was my pastor. I was nervous about my first church sermon as I felt my life had been building up to this moment. That night I preached my favorite sermon called Lay Your Burden Downs. In its essence it’s a revelation from God on His full work on the cross and all it entails. I often found the world a broken place where people’s brokenness and my own makes it hard to be reconciled with. I now know and can confidently speak of the hope and redemptive power of God in and through every situation. As I preached it was everything I had hoped for. I could feel the presence of God. I could see he started his healing work on my family in Christ. I felt as if my Prince Jesus came.

This revelation of the cross was th

e beginning of understanding my identity in Him. When I was overseas and I broke my arm I was asking God why. He told me through a sermon I listened to by Kim Walker to ask instead how much He loves me and what He was thinking when He made me. He instantly showed me He had called me and He was thinking Grace. I remember then my mother sharing how she was going to name me Laurette if I was a girl (after her mother). However a few weeks before I was born God said to her to name me Grace. My personality is one that tends to strive and expects perfection from myself. When God said grace I knew I was to humbly receive His mercy and sufficiency for my life and share about the grace He offers.

A few times I asked God about His love. I asked as I realized I had fears He wanted to drive out through His perfect Love. He revealed His love to me through scripture and when I was at Niagara Falls, where I was sure I’d hear His voice (His voice being like the sound of rushing waters).

I have since encouraged

God leads us one step at a time and we head where we think those steps lead us. But ultimately we follow Him and He knows the big picture. We can just takes steps of faith and obedience.

students and people I have met to ask God these two questions about His love and their purpose. The other day two students shared how God spoke to them about these questions. I was amazed at the picture God gave the boy and how similar verses that God spoke to me were given to both of them (John 3:16-17).

In this testimony I would like to say something about the Bible. This is the main way God speaks to me. I encourage people to read the Bible as one can discern what one hears. I share how sometimes I am about to go to sleep and then I think, “What if God, the King of heaven wants to say something to me?”

One of the things I love about teaching is that it is a profession of learning. Currently I’m learning about photography through Community Education classes at Rangitoto. I would like to further my knowledge about Creation/Evolution so as to better speak to people I meet about this. I also repotted a plant for the first time the other day. It made me think that we always seem to need repotting. It’s not comfortable but it’s important as we experience greater maturity and freedom. So this is part of my story, of being repotted many times.

My Personal Statement of Faith.

I hold to the Apostle Creed. I believe that the Bible is inspired Word of God. I believe in the Creation account given in Genesis and not in Evolution. I believe in a full gospel of Salvation by Faith with repentance.