To God Be The Glory For All The Things He Has Done

 For over 30 years my husband and I have been together.  We've gone through so many rocky roads and are still together.   We've had so many test and trials but by the grace of God, we've made it thus far.  I was raised in the True Church of God in Christ from age 5.  Hearing the gospel but not taking heed I married a man outside of the of the faith and I thought that I could change him.  Oh how I was wrong.  He is a good man with good morals. We were blessed to raise 5 beautiful children and by the grace of God they are not in jail and we are not in jail.  They’ve never heard us use profanity and we were somewhat on the same page in raising them at all times.  All of the children are grown now except one and we are a very close netted family. I've learned to love my husband for who he is in spite of the different church beliefs, and don't believe that there's anything in the world he wouldn't do for me.  I’ve also learned patience.  Regardless to what happens in my marriage, it's all in how I react to the situation.  Things are so much better now that I’ve looked in the mirror and saw that a lot of the problems that we were having were because of me and how I reacted. God has really changed my life.  I've learned that even though we don't believe the same that I can't preach to him.  I can only live the life and have a meek and humble spirit in everything I do.  I can't make my husband do anything.

This has really been a task for me because first of all I was wrong for being unequally yoked and secondly it really hurts that we go to separate churches. We’re going to suffer for Christ Name sake; however I encountered some of the sufferings because of my disobedience.    My advice to all of the young saints would be to adhere to the word of God, be obedient and most of all be ye not unequally yoked together because it could not be as good for you and your family as it is for me.  I can truly say that I’ve been blessed.

Sister Lisa Lemons - Lucas Temple Member

A Little Heaven on Earth

My testimony is that I have a little heaven on earth because of the Word of God and obedience to the word.  My home is so happy!  The above statements are true.  I have been married for 34 years to a wonderful man.  He is my best friend, and we can talk about anything.  He is a great provider, consolator, and listener.  There is no confusion, but love, peace and quietness in our home. We have 4 beautiful children.  We raised them believing in, trusting in, praying to, and fearing the Lord.  We have 7 grandchildren that we hope and pray will stay under the wings of the gospel and the blood of Jesus Christ. 

Irvin and I were married at very young ages, 17 and 18.  It was not easy at first because we were so young and immature.  Before we got married, we sought counsel from our late Bishop, the great Bishop W. F. Lucas.  He told us, “In God’s church, there is no divorce.  Come to bible study, listen to and obey the Word if you want to have a happy home.”  We did what Bishop Lucas said.  We came to bible study often, we listened to instructions from the Bible, and we obeyed what we heard. Of course we had to learn each other’s likes and dislikes; to trust, love and communicate with each other.  I learned to value his opinions and his wisdom.  Over time, I learned to obey my husband, to be in subjection to my husband as the Bible dictates, to be submissive to my husband, and to reverence my husband as the savior of our home! My husband treats me pretty special! I am his queen and he is my king.  He even calls me “Princess.”  He supplies all of my needs and most of my wants.  My husband told me, “Look to me, and I will look to the Lord.”  My marriage is now a perfect union.   

I thank God Almighty so very much for His plan for a happy home and marriage.  It’s a great recipe for “a little heaven on earth.”

Mother Claudette Boyd - Assistant State Mother - Lucas Temple

Still Honeymooning

I give honor to the sprit of Christ, to our former Bishops W. L. and W.F. Lucas, and to our present  Bishop B. J. Lawson. My wife (Vevelyan) and I have been married going on 21 years, and as I say sometimes, "we're still honeymooning". By this I mean, we get along great. We don't argue, fuss or fight. We write each other love notes and treat each other like we wish to be treated. We owe it all to God for sending Bishop, who was Elder Lawson at the time, down to Girard and Augusta, Georgia to teach us how to get along and love one another. I will say that when Sis. Vevelyan and I first got married things were kind of rocky, and I must admit that the fault was in me. My wife started fixing my favorite desserts, running my bath water, writing me love poems, and talking real sweet and kind to me, which was strange to me. At home, my wife would put love on me and in the church, Bishop Lawson would put the word on me. I began to see myself and like Jonah, "the fault was in me". I can honestly say that I was won over by the teaching and preaching of the gospel and the "chaste conversation of my wife". (I Peter 3:1)

Thank God!

Min. Nathaniel Turner, Jr.- Burke County and Augusta True Church         

The Honor Belongs to God

 I thank God  for The True Church of God in Christ, for  Bishop Lawson and for every elder and minister who preaches the Apostle's doctrine. Because of  the gospel, I have a mind to do what's right. My husband and I married young.  We were both nineteen years old.  I was  not a member of The True Church of God in Christ at that time, and I went through hell. I told my husband up front that I would not share him with anyone.  We departed time after time.  Well, to make a long story short, I was ready to divorce him.  I went to my pastor, Elder Emmitt Robinson, Sr. and talked briefly to him.  Elder Robinson advised me not to divorce my husband.  Because of my obedience and the prayers of  my pastor, God blessed our marriage.  Now, we can put up with  each other.  I can go to my husband and tell him that I thank God for him and that he is a blessing to me.  Some people think that when you want a divorce there is someone else, but not in my case.  If Elder Robinson had been a weak preacher and gave in to me I would not have this testimony today. My blessing came through obedience.  I'm working out my salvation with fear and trembling.

 Sister Nancy Brown- Henderson Temple Member

The Case of God vs. Divorce Court

I thank the Lord for Holy Matrimony.  It is my ultimate goal as a married sister in Christ.  Mother Girlie Dean, once said to me, “There are some sisters who will go to hell for being a disobedient wife”.  To me, that meant I have to take advantage of all the time God allows me to get this one thing right. I also thank the Lord for our former bishop, Bishop W.F. Lucas, who opened up Holy Matrimony and the requirements of the husband and wife’s relationship.  Coming out from the world, loving my husband was solely based on conditions.  My natural love for him soon proved insufficient to hold us together.  I realized we needed the absolute truth of God’s word to maintain as a peaceable couple. I married my husband because he had introduced me to a True God.  You see, a God who delivered him from a life of drugs and crime.  Only, I met my husband at the very beginning of God’s miraculous work on him.  At this time, I was completely of worldly mind and entanglement. Although, it was never my desire to pull him into my world but to find out if his life changing God could do something with my self-destructive life style. There were many differences between us and even more obstacles for us to overcome because we were two products of S.E. Washington’s Crime District.  There were also, a few challenges to overcome to this newly wedded union and they were family, education, and finances.   My husband became mentally and physically abusive to me because his dad was physically and mentally abusive to his mother.  A cycle we now know that God specializes in.

So, there I was a senior in college and married to a very charming but unpredictable man.  The one thing my husband and I as babes in Christ agreed upon is the fact; We Married Until Death Due Us Part.  Our hope was in Christ, to help us be what he would have us to be, until the Holy Ghost came to seal us up with unconditional love. The teachings and instructions we receive from the weekly bible study and other evangelistic services along with in dept sessions I receive from the mothers, encourages me to seek Christ’s guidance. This strengthens my depth of love to my husband both spiritually and naturally.  Further enhancing my desire to please God by becoming a faithful wife to my husband, to be his "help meet", obedient to righteous instruction, and submissive to him, while still possessing my own identity as a sister in Christ Jesus.

With eight children and seventeen and a half years later, through the teaching of our great Bishops, Elders, Ministers and Mothers, I sister Murphy, strive to love my husband, in peace, submission, and reverence.  Reverence to a husband who is a strong believer in the faith of The Apostles Doctrine, who provides for our family both spiritually and naturally.

May God increase your desire to seek Him in spirit and in truth.

Your Beloved Sister in Christ Jesus,
Sister Ramona Murphy -  Chattanooga Member

Newlyweds

Four years ago October 6, 2001, I spoke to my wife Sherika on the telephone. I was introduced to her by my younger sister, to whom I appreciate very dearly. At the time I was serving in the military in South Korea and finishing my three year term. What I've learned from her is endeavoring because she gave me the strength to be a better listener and a stronger person.

I fell in love with Sherika and wanted to share the rest of my life with her. On July 19^th, we will be married for two years and it has been wonderful. Not every moment has been peaches and cream but we make the best of it. We have learned a lot from each other. Even when we disagree we can still say we love each other. The word of God brought the light out of us, and we are living stronger and stronger every day. My wife is very exciting to me with her unforgettable conversations, her smile, laughter, and her love. She is graceful, kind, caring, true to others and herself, and some say she has an old soul in a young woman's body. She treats me with respect, gives me the chance to feel important, and loves me no matter the faults. She truly inspires me to be a true believer and keeps me focused on the true way of living. It comes from the true teaching of the True Church of God in Christ.

My testimony as a young  married man in the church is, God has blessed me to overcome obstacles the world has offered me, and has helped me to  grow and understand the marriage lifestyles. Some say it is hard being young, married, and both couples in college. But I am a true witness, my wife and I have made what many thought was impossible the possible. We have faith and believe in God.  

Brother Robert Stafford – Deliverance Temple Member

Still working after Fifty-One years

I thank the Lord Jesus Christ for all of his blessings, but most of all I thank him for his Holy Word. I was blessed to marry a good man, from a good family. We were not saved but we loved each other as best as we could. We had been married for nine years when we were blessed to meet Bishop W. F. Lucas, a man of God who lived a saintly life before us .He teaching and preaching encouraged us to live for the Lord Jesus Christ. He also taught us the meaning of true love. There is no doubt, if you put into action the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ you will be blessed. We tried it. It has worked and is still working after fifty-one years of marriage. Thanks be to God, for forty-two years we are so blessed to be taught the true word of God from the ministers of the True Church of God in Christ, Inc.

Yours in Christ,
Deacon & Mother Grady L. Davenport (Bettye) - Lucas Temple Members

Friends Forever

I thank the Lord for blessing me with a wonderful husband. About 22 years ago I met Dwight Camp through some church friends who had invited him to play for our choir anniversary.  After 2 years of meeting, we were married on November 10, 1984. At that time he was not a member of St James but he visited regularly.  After several months of attending and listening to the gospel, he became a member.

After several years of being a faithful member, he became a Deacon. We have seven children ages from 19 to 10.  The True Church has taught us how the husband and wife must conduct themselves. My husband is the head of my family and has always worked hard to provide for us. Things have not always gone my way. It was some give and take on both sides. I was having my children every 14 to 20 months. I quit work when I was pregnant with my second child and stayed at home with them until my last child was 8 years old. We have always done things as a family. 

My husband often travels miles away. He calls everyday when he is away to check to make sure his family is okay. I actually look forward to hearing from him. I thank God for blessing me with a wonderful man.

Sister Sand Camp- St. James Member

Thirty-One years of Continuous Love

The Lord has truly been good to me. He has blessed me with thirty-three years of marriage to the same man.  We are thankful to God for our twelve children, six sons, six daughters, and twelve grandchildren.

I came into “True Holiness” around 1980 with only three children and a husband. My marriage was falling apart and we needed help.  Not knowing altogether the right way to pray, I begin to pray anyway talking to God honestly. I believe God heard my prayer by directing me to the True Church. I can truly say I could not have made a better decision. First, I became a hearer and then I became a doer of God’s holy word.  By applying the word to my life and not being a “forgetful hearer”, my husband began to notice a difference in the life I was living.  I did not have to preach to my husband. With a meek and quiet spirit, through the life I lived and with the love that was shown to him, I was able to gain him.  Now he is a God-fearing deacon of the True Church.

Through the teachings of Bishop Lucas I learned my place as a wife in the home. This has helped me to have a long and happy marriage.  I use to hate to see my husband coming, now I can hardly wait for him to get home. Oh, what a change!

Thank God for True Holiness, the True Church, Bishop Lucas, Bishop Lawson and the teachings of the other elders and minister.

Sister Nancy Hutchinson – Lucas Temple Member

Putting Forth An Effort

I thank God for where I am today in my marriage.  At one point in my life I could not say those words and mean it. I use the word “I” because I feel that in order for the marriage to work, each spouse needs to work on him/her self.  I could not change my husband and he could not change me. The changes came when both of us started putting forth an effort to obeying God’s word like we’re supposed too through the teachings of true doctrine.  To have only one partner making an effort there may be peace in the home but is there happiness in the marriage? Is there freedom? Is there respect?  Is there acknowledgement? I don’t want a silent death of my marriage.

My 23 years of marriage did not come without struggles. With the absence of family members, weekly teachings from true doctrine, and constant separations due to military life, stress can take its toll on a marriage. I thank God for having the mind to not let go of the teachings that I had received, but to make more of an effort to implement them in my life.  It’s amazing the transformations and blessings that occur when two make a decision to truly live a holy and righteous life. We honestly feel that even greater blessings are coming our way.

Thank You True Church,

 Sister Sherrie Turner - Lucas Temple Member

One Wife for forty years

I have been a member of the True church of God in Christ almost thirty-eight years. I always honor the Lord Jesus Christ and praise him for what he means to me.  He has blessed me to be the husband of one wife for forty years and a father of nine beautiful children from that one loving wife.  Bishop B.J. Lawson has been my pastor all these years. I really have been blessed from the Lord by being under his faithful leadership, strong, firm, uncondemnable teaching.

I am desiring the prayers of the Saints to pray for me because I am determined to go all the way with the Lord.

Deacon James Holmes - Burke County Member

The credit goes to God Almighty

I Minister Vista Domenenoor Jeffries and Toni Renee’ Holmes was united in Holy Matrimony on May 5, 1995.  We have been together now for 10 years and now have three children.  We give the credit to God Almighty.

 I was nineteen years old when I married.  There were many temptations.  It is through the Gospel of Christ we’ve learned that we don’t have to yield to temptation. I love my own wife and have forsaken all other women. I don’t believe in divorce and didn’t want to marry someone who did. I knew that marriage can be a difficult journey at times and if you had a spouse that believed in divorcing then you could be left alone in the midst of a struggle because they could find the easy way out. Have we had struggles? Yes we have. My wife and I both received instructions to learn one another.  We have learned one another and through the struggles our bond has grown strong.

 I thank God for the examples that we have in the True Church of God in Christ. My mother and father did not stay together, but my mother kept me under the gospel.  Bishop Lucas taught me through the word what to look for in a wife.  I’ve learned I should not be unequally yoked together with an unbeliever. I was concerned about pleasing God and wanted to marry someone with the same concerns. 

 It was through the counsel of both our pastors in the True Church that I found my wife and help meet.  I thank God for a good marriage, for when a man finds a wife he finds a good thing.

 Minister & Sister Vista Jeffries (Renae) – Chattanooga Pastor & Wife

The Word will bless families

I thank God for blessing me, saving me and filling me with the Holy Ghost.  I thank God for the True Church of God in Christ.  The Word has been a blessing in my life and to my family, to be the husband of one wife and to have a saved wife. I thank God for being a young man in the truth.  I have been married to my wife for twenty three years and work and provide for my household.  I am a witness, this gospel will be a blessing to you if you listen, take heed and obey it.   This gospel will bless families.

 Minister Clayton Andrews, Jr. – Henderson Temple

Enjoying One another

We were married on June 28, 1981 by the late Elder H.O. Henderson. Nearly twenty four years later, we have three grown sons and a grandson. And we still have each other.  My husband is the type of person who never  meets a stranger.  He is a very friendly and outgoing individual who will lend a helping hand to anyone.  I am not the jealous wife.  I learned before my marriage not to let anything or anyone come between us.  Of course, there are times you hear things, but we always discuss the situation and come to a mutual understanding.  We enjoy one another.  We laugh together and spend quality time together.  We have been through difficult times, but we stayed in the marriage.  As in the wedding vows...for better or worst, richer or poorer, in sickness or health, we remained together.  We don't have a lot of money, but God blesses us with all of our needs and many of our wants.  If I didn't have God on my side, no doubt we would be divorced, but through the word of God I am anchored in the Lord.  I am not looking for many material things, but I am seeking spiritual things. 

I am getting older and I just want to rest in the Lord.  I am becoming settled, stablished, and content with the Lord.

 Brother & Sister Curtis Searcy (Bernice) - Henderson Temple Members

Having Love, Joy, Peace & Happiness

I thank God for blessing me with a mind to meet and marry someone in the church. I thank the Lord for my wonderful husband of thirty years and how he has blessed this union with seven beautiful children.  

I’m thankful for life, health, strength, food, clothes and shelter.   I thank him for his holy word and how he has blessed me to hear his word and gave me a heart to receive it. I thank God for blessing our marriage and home and for giving us a mind to live and work together with the church. I’m thankful for his great benefits, his loving-kindness, tender mercy, his faithfulness and saving grace. I thank him for blessing us with love, joy, peace and happiness in our home. I thank God for knowing he is no respecter of person and just like he has blessed our home and family he will bless others also.      

We are always praying, believing and trusting in the Holy Ghost that we will be found worthy when he comes for us. So we can boldly say come Lord Jesus and he will welcome us with open arms.

May grace be with us all that love our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in sincerity. 

Deacon & Sister Martin Pullin (Brenda) - Lucas Temple Members

Love, Trust & Communication

I have been asked many times why I decided to get married so young. Well, I got married because I am in love with the man that I married.  I have been in training since I was young to know what to look for. I knew how to weed out the bad from the good. I knew that if he didn’t attend church regularly then he wasn’t worth my time. I knew that if he treated his mom well he would treat me good.  I was blessed to find my husband in the True Church (Thomaston member. I say that I was blessed because it’s truly a blessing to find a man in the church that believes the way that I do. That means that there is one less thing that we have to try to see eye to eye on. We both come from two different backgrounds and we are bound to have problems along the way. The key to a disagreement is to disagree agreeably, meaning that you disagree but end up with all of your teeth and no black eyes.  I know and have learned that if I continue to have a mind to want to do great then I will.  

I have learned that as long as we have God, love, trust, and communication we can make it. God is the one that brought us together and love is the reason why we got married so it is also the reason why we should stay together. Trust has to be there because there is so much that we are learning about each other and neither one of us want to have our business in the street. I have learned that if we continue to communicate we can avoid a lot of problems. My husband and I have learned to notice when we are lacking in one of these areas and wherever the weakness is we work on it together.

There are times when I feel like I can’t get things to workout the right way, I get frustrated, and sometimes my mind tells me to leave but I can’t let the devil win in his race. I’m running for God and I have learned that anytime I show him I’m working for him, he shows me that he’s on my side and working for me.  I have learned that when it gets tough to fall on my knees and tell the Lord thank you.  I ask God to bless me to stay calm and submissive and ask that he bless things to be alright and to continue to give me the strength to endure.  Sometimes we have issues that we have to table and come back to; we also have issues that we have to table and leave them there.  In our marriage we have learned that we have our peaks, there are going to be times when we are getting along great, then there are times where we (so to speak) are just barely getting along. When we are having those low peak times we have learned to think about the good times that we have shared. Then we tell each other what we are thinking about and it relieves the stress. After it’s all over, we laugh and begin to talk more about the problem.

Through the almost two years of marriage my husband and I have learned more and more about each other and it has brought us closer. I know and realize that if we have gotten closer in two years we can only get closer as the years go by. Marriage is hard work but when you look at it with a mind to make it till the end then it’s not hard at all. My husband and I have learned how to make it through with the foundation of our marriage being God, love, trust, and communication. I feel that if you are looking to get married or if you are married just remember that God blessed you to have that person and he can bless you to keep them.

God Bless,

Sister Sherika Stafford - Deliverance Temple Member 

Peace & Harmony

Minister Davis and I were married at an early age. People said that it wouldn't last. In fact, if God had not placed us in the truth, I myself believe we wouldn't be together. I thank God for the teaching that we get from the True Church because we have learned how to truly love each other. I've learned how to be an obedient wife; how to respect and honor my husband; where my place is as a wife and how to do things to please him. He tries to please me likewise.

God has truly blessed me with a WONDERFUL husband who works very hard to take care of his family. He has learned how to do all of these works through the teachings of the True Church. It is such a good feeling to live in your home with peace and harmony. God has truly blessed us since we have been in the True Church. I wouldn't exchange my life or my marriage for ANYTHING in the world!

Minister & Sister Thomas Davis (Nell)- Cochran Member

View a list of couples in the True Church that have experienced marriage for 20+ years.