The testimony Don Steiskal

I was not raised in a Christian home. The only time I remember going to church was when my dad made my brother and I go to confirmation of which I didn't remember anything except the Apostle's Creed. 

I grew up living for myself, doing just what I wanted to do. 

At the age of 23 I got married.  I became a father at the age of 25.  Eighteen months later we were blessed with a daughter and sixteen months later our second son was born.   

Now that we had a family, my wife decided that we should start bringing our children to church. We decided to go to a nearby Lutheran church, since I knew some people who went there.  A few years later a new pastor was called and it was at that point I realized that pastors were just ordinary people who God called to the ministry.  

Through the ministry of this pastor and his wife, both my wife and I came to a saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  That means that I didn't just know about Jesus or who He was, I saw that I wasn't perfect, asked to be forgiven and that Jesus would be a part of my daily life.  

A couple of years later we started going to an Evangelical Free church about 10 miles from our home.  This is the place where God became really important to me and I let Him be more in control of my life.  I got more involved with different activities through the church and really started to grow in my faith through Bible studies and the friendships and testimonies that the people there lived out.  Later we even helped to start Hope Evangelical Free Church where we belong now.

Since my salvation and letting God lead me, I have softened my temper, shown more affection toward the members of my family and spent more time reading scripture and talking with God in prayer.   Though I have a lot of growing to do I feel my walk with the Lord is getting deeper all the time and I know that with God, whatever life gives me, I will be able to trust Him and know that my hope for eternal life in heaven is real. 

Don says:

How important is the church to me?

The people at Hope Church are family to me.  I know that I can be myself there and they will still love me and care about me.  

What is the importance of praise in worship?

When I sing and worship Jesus either by myself or together with my church family, I am talking to the One True God who created the entire universe and all that is in it.   How amazing is it that He should care enough to listen to me?