Good morning, Bishop!
This is the word: gratitude! Eternal gratitude!
Bishop, I never went to church. I was the kind of person that whenever someone said “God bless you!” I replied, “Thank you!” And this is how I came to the UCKG more than 13 years ago. I was practically an atheist, with a drinking problem and harboring a lot of grief.
My husband, who was my boyfriend at the time, was the one who brought me to the UCKG. This journey of faith began 13 years ago, but I’ve only known God for 5 years. Before, I would come and go as a visitor to the Church. I used my husband as a crutch to give my tithes and sacrifice. But after hitting rock bottom, my faith was awakened and everything changed!
I endured a very difficult situation, where my husband and I were separated for 3 years. We would only see each other on the weekends, and he, the backbone of our family, began to break down. He would ignore me, say that he no longer had a reason to be happy and threatened to leave home twice. We couldn’t seem to find a solution for any of our problems. Except, at that time, my faith was already built over the Rock. Thank God. I was already an assistant and knew the way to fight for and conquer my blessing: the Altar!!!!!
This was the first time in years of coming to Church that I generated my own sacrifice. I sold cupcakes on the street, and was overcome with joy with each sale! Every day that I went out to sell, was a day of strength, renewal, where God spoke to me and guaranteed my victory. And this is what happened. I went to the Altar in July 2014, with the conviction that God would change my life, even though everyone said there was no solution.
In December 2014, my family was together again! What joy! But this wasn’t enough for me. There was a constant revolt in me, because my husband, who was so fervent, seemed very cold in the faith. Everything seemed to cause him to waver and get upset, so I went to the Altar again to fight for him. Things got better, but my God isn’t a God of improvement, He’s the God of transformations. Therefore, in July 2015, I went in stronger, with a revolt that God would change that situation. There was no other way around it!
Today, Bishop, I can say, “Me and my house serve the Lord”. My husband is spiritually renewed, revived, strengthened; he is a new man. He has joy and peace. Why is this? Because he received the Holy Spirit. And I, who only asked God for him to be born again, had the privilege of going to the Temple on November 29 to see him be consecrated as an assistant.
God is fair, He never does anything halfway. He always goes beyond what we ask for, when we go to the Altar with our all and conviction of change!
Am I satisfied? No! I’m giving it my all, going with the same revolt and faith as Gideon, because great things are yet to come!
I thank God, you and all those who contributed to this day. Whoever wants to see the Power of this God just has to come join our Universal family and surrender their life completely on the Altar!
God bless you and your entire family!
Thank you so much!
Vivi Santiago