Dolores' Testimony

When I was a small child, my parents took me to Sunday School, church, and revivals. I remember hearing people say they were touched and had received miracles. They spoke of how wonderful it was and how they had become different people as a result of their experiences. As a child, I often wondered who touched them, and what is a miracle, anyway? Although these people said they were different, they certainly looked the same to me. Just how were they different? I was confused. Throughout my childhood, I remember watching these people; but I never saw any changes in them.

As I grew up and was able to read for myself, I began to read the Bible and understand the miracles and people being touched by God. It seemed so wonderful, and I wanted to share in these experiences. Many years passed. I married and raised a family of my own. Then, in my eighties, my husband and I were living a quiet, simple life. Together we went to church, raised a garden in our back yard, communing with nature all around us.

One winter, our church held a revival in March. Where I live, it is one of the coldest months of the year, and this one was the coldest I could recall. I didn't really feel like going out in the cold to attend a revival. My plan was to stay in and enjoy the warmth of my home. That was my plan. My plan was obviously, not God's plan. A voice kept telling me to go to the revival. My husband and I went!

Once there, I was glad for the voice of encouragement. My husband and I were enjoying the entire service. After the minister finished his sermon, he gave an altar call. He asked for anyone who had problems or anything they wanted to bring to God, to come forward and place their hand on the baptismal fount.

At this point, I was thoroughly enjoying the music and felt no need to go forward. I was content to sit there and sing. Again, this was my plan. As before, it was obviously not God's plan. He had other plans for me. We were singing the invitational hymn, "Just As I Am", and when we got to the last line, the words filled my heart! "Oh Lamb of God, I come to Thee"! Those words, "I come to Thee"! All of a sudden I got up from my seat and in a daze, I found myself walking up to the baptismal fount. Of course, there was no magic power in the baptismal fount. This act symbolized my obedience to God. Placing my hand on the fount, my eyes were open, but I did not see. With perfectly good hearing, I heard nothing! Just how long I stood there, I do not know; but when God said, "go", I started back to my seat.

Something within me was different! I felt as if I were stepping on fluffy clouds and my eyes were filled and running over with tears of joy. God had blessed me at the baptismal fount, and I was a totally different person and still am to this day.

That night when I said my evening prayers, I asked, "God, what is happening, what is going to happen?" I told Him that I did not understand. Then I asked, "Dear God, are you going to heal me?" Moments later I felt a presence. It kept coming closer and closer and I knew that I was no longer alone. I realized that I was in the presence of our Almighty God. How wonderful! What a privilege to be in the presence of our great God. He was so close I could almost feel His breath on me. It was awesome. Then I felt a quiver on my left shoulder. It went down my back and all the way down into my foot. God touched me! God touched me and healed the painful sciatica that I had been living with for years. God, the great Physician, made a house call to my house that night. That was "The Night I met God". He touched me and gave me a wonderful miracle, my healing. How great thou art, dear God. Oh, how great thou art! Dolores R Guill, Trinity United Methodist Church, Danville, Virginia

Delores went home to be with the Lord February 1, 1908 at the age of 85. I appreciate her testimony and count it a joy to have known her these few months through email.