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 My parents and myself along with my brother, moved to Pittsburg late in 1957. We hadn't been attending long until we had a revival with Sister Abigail Solis, currently Sister O'Keefe. She was giving an alter call. I don't even know what she preached, but she said, "If God comes tonight your mother and brother will go to meet him, but you will be lost." Now, I didn't want to be lost, and I was sure she was talking to me since I had a mother and brother, so I went to the altar. It wasn't long until I received the Holy Ghost.
Then a few years later I felt that this life was too strict for me; so I turned my back on God. I still came to church, because I was only 15 and living at home, and this was a requirement. I stayed out of church long enough to get married and have a couple of children. My mother drove from her house in Concord to my house in Pittsburg to pick up my daughter, to take her back to West Pittsburg to go to church. After we had our second daughter, I told my husband this wasn't right, we needed to take our children to church; Tina was only 2 at this time and Tonya was a baby. So we started going to Sunday school and as soon as Tina and Tonya were brought out of the nursery we took them and went home.
One Sunday, Brother Edwards decided to have church for all, instead of Sunday school, the only children that were dismissed were, of course, the nursery. When the first song was played I took a hold of Jim's hand and said, "They are trying to trick us." Shortly after that I started to cry almost uncontrollably. Sister Edwards left the piano and walked back to where I was sitting, passing by her own daughter, to come to me and pray with me. God works in mysterious ways. I had no idea that I was ready to once again serve Him, I just wanted my children to have the same opportunity to know God that Jim and I both had. That was in March of 1971; from that point on I took my children to church. Brother Edwards referred to that service as "ambushed by God." I have had my ups and downs, but the thought of turning my back on God again has never entered my mind.
We left Pittsburg for a while to attend another church, still United Pentecostal. God has seen fit to bring me back here and I am so thankful. God has always been so good to me blessing me with three wonderful children and five precious grandchildren. Two of my children are going to church, and one of my granddaughters has been baptized in Jesus Name and received the Holy Ghost. I am holding on to God's promises and keeping my children and grandchildren in prayer for God to work his will in their lives.
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