True Story
Harry lives on the Westhoughton side of Bolton with his wife Jean, here he relates in his own words how sickness was overcome with a revelation of joy……….
God
was ignored at home
When I was a boy my parents did not profess any Christian
faith, so I was never encouraged to go to church or Sunday school. If
religious services came on the radio, my Father would change the station
immediately. He also did not think it was necessary for me to be
christened as a baby.
Morning
school assemblies, and short bible stories did have an influence on me,
and I believed in God and in Jesus Christ, but that was as far as it went.
I only prayed when I got into a tight corner, after which I did not give
God another thought. Occasionally when staying with my Grandma I would go
to church with her, but it bored me and seemed so dull that I was pleased
when it was over.
Tuberculosis
at 10 years old
When
I was ten years old I contracted Tuberculosis in both lungs which meant
that I had to go into a sanatorium for a long period. So for the next ten
years, I was in and out of hospital. When I was fifteen years old I was waiting for
admission to hospital, and feeling very depressed because of it. I was
invited to go for prayer to a
When I arrived, I
was very surprised to see that everybody seemed so happy and joyful, but I
did not understand much of what the preacher said at that time, even so,
it was wonderful to be there in such a lovely atmosphere. The friendliness
of the people was a sermon in it’s self.
I
didn’t rush out when it was over but was pleased to linger. At the end
of the service the Pastor prayed for me, but there was no immediate cure,
and I did have to go into the sanatorium.
I went into hospital a different person, because something had happened to
me, I had become a Christian. I had asked Jesus Christ to come into my
life. I did not know that was the prayer he was waiting to hear. I
discovered later through reading the bible that he stands at the door of
every heart and knocks, waiting to be invited in. He makes it so easy for
anyone to come to him. When I went in hospital this time, I went in with
hope and a new found faith in God.
Discovering
a close relationship
I discovered that being a Christian is having a close relationship with
God as my heavenly Father, who loves with an unconditional everlasting
love, and knowing his son, Jesus Christ, who took the punishment for my
sin and everyone else’s, at Calvary. Also, he gives his Holy Spirit to
all Christian Believers and he lives within our hearts to comfort,
strengthen, help and guide. At twenty years of age I was finally free from
the tuberculosis, and wanting to get on with my life.
I was twenty one when I finally started work, after which I met and married my wife, who had recently become a Christian. We were later blessed with three sons and one daughter I am now sixty eight years old, and we have had many things to contend with, but I am glad that I have had Jesus Christ in my life all through the years.
