My Testimony
written 29 September 1997
Background
My name is Nathan Howard. I was born on 16 May 1972 in Toowoomba, a country town in Queensland, the second largest state in Australia. Both my mother and father are teachers (commercial arts and music respectively) and, at the time of my birth my grandfather on my mother's side was a minister in the Uniting Church of Australia (formerly a Methodist minister). My Father's brother is also a minister in the Uniting Church. One of my great uncles is also a minister in the Uniting Church, and one of my uncle's brothers is a Baptist Pastor. Everyone in my family is either a teacher or a pastor. Every living relative of mine has given their lives to serving the Lord Jesus Christ. A family history was traced back to my great, great, great grandfather on my father's side (ie my grandfather's, grandfather's father), who was the first Howard to come to Australia from England. He is buried in Adelaide with the scripture Rev 14:13 "Then I heard a voice from heaven say, 'Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Yes,' says the Spirit, 'they will rest from their labour, for their deeds will follow them.'"
There is also other evidence to suggest that this man's family was Christian. In addition, given the convict nature of Australia at this time, it is not too great a supposition to make, to say that his father in England was also saved.
On my Mother's side, as I have already mentioned, my grandfather (before retirement) was a pastor of a church, and he has testified that his father was also a Christian. It is not known is anyone further back in my mother's line was Christian. So I am indeed blessed to 'be surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses', so to speak and to have such a wonderful Christian heritage.
One might say that it was a forgone conclusion that I would also take this line of faith... not so! Yes, I was raised into a Christian home and went to Sunday school and all that, but the decision was still mine to make as to whether I gave my life to Jesus or not.
Salvation
We had moved to Brisbane and I was about 13 years old when I made my decision; about halfway through grade 8 at school (first year high school). Unlike most testimonies, mine is not one of any spectacular miracle or amazing circumstances; I simply made a decision. I lay on my bed before I was to goto sleep, and the thought occurred to me that in Sunday school they had said 'You can go where Christians go and do what Christians do but you are not a Christian.' As a matter of fact, no one had actually said this, I had simply read it on one of the sheets. Well I thought that I had better rectify this situation immediately and asked Jesus into my heart right there and then.
After I had prayed, I looked around the room for angels or bright flashes of light or something, but there was nothing but the room as it always looked. I thought to myself, 'well what did you expect Nathan?!' and went to sleep. I haven't had many miracles in my life because I haven't needed them - I live a life of BLESSING. However, the miracle of salvation, was one that I DID need.
About a week later, I was in my grandfather's study and was telling him of what I had done in my bedroom. Being the wonderful man of God that he was, he thought that he had better make sure of a few things. And took me through the book, 'Four Spiritual Laws'. He led me in the prayer at the back of the book, inviting Jesus into my life, and there was a rush of tears. I knew that Jesus had entered my heart. Not the world's most spectacular story, but the greatest miracle of my life nonetheless.
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