Ok, so this blog is going to be a plug for my friend’s Christian radio station that he has just started – theone.net.nz.
He asked me to share the details to my home church contacts and I am more than happy to do so because I know first-hand the impact good Christian radio stations can have in people’s lives.
Christian radio was hugely influential in my decision to accept Jesus as my saviour.
Here is my testimony for those of you who have never heard it.
My Childhood
I was born into a non-Christian household to parents who were very career orientated and just let me do my own thing the majority of the time. As long as I wasn’t causing any problems, they basically didn’t bother me too much. The result was that I had a pretty cruisy childhood, a lot of friends and a fairly happy time at school.
When I was 14
When I was about 14 I switched schools. That was a massive culture shock for me because I had to leave my friends who I’d known all my life and go to a much bigger school. I struggled to adjust, struggled to make new friends and struggled to adapt to a new culture that emphasised the individual over the group.
I really needed someone to talk to during this time but my relationship with my parents didn’t allow for that, so I just internalised all my issues.
It was at this time that I first started having thoughts about Christianity. I never knew much about it, although I had a friend who went to church and I went once with him, but it never really interested me.
Christian Little Old Ladies
Unfortunately, the idea I had of Christians was not a positive one, so I dismissed it. I saw church as a place for “little old ladies” of both genders. I couldn’t understand why anyone would sit in a dusty old church, singing boring hymns and talking about matters that were out of touch with reality.
“The World” Offered to Me at University
After the lonely time of school, I headed off to university to live in a hall of residence. This was an amazing time for me. There were an abundance of beautiful and easy women, cheap alcohol, loud music and free drugs.
Most of the other people in the halls were in the same sort of boat as me, having their first taste of freedom away from home and the classes were like an optional extra. I made some great friends and forgot about my depressing school days.
I thought I was sorted, I thought I was in heaven and that my life could only get better from here.
Yet, there was this nagging thought in my mind that I should accept Jesus as my Saviour.
After my first year of university I moved into a flat with some friends from the halls. I expected this year to be the same as the last. I was on top of the world and indestructible.
Unfortunately, this year was a solid return to reality. The loneliness was back, along with a feeling of depression that I couldn’t shake. No matter what I tried, I couldn’t get rid of it. I tried filling the gap with alcohol, drugs and women. At the time it felt good, but afterwards I realised that it only made things worse. I even tried to escape it by moving to Australia.
Nothing helped.
And still in my head was the persistent thought that I should accept Jesus as my Saviour.
After returning from Australia, I moved in to my parent’s rental property and was living there by myself for at least two months. I found some work as a cleaner at an indoor swimming pool facility. This was good for me, because I was able to get away from the crippling loneliness and depression I was experiencing at home by myself.
I Discovered Christian Radio
During the nights cleaning I would generally listen to the radio loudly because no one else was around. One day I was getting bored with listening to my usual station, so I flicked over to see what else was on.
I found a Christian radio station and I thought I’d give it a listen to see what these ‘Christians’ were all about.
They were talking about how the family is supposed to function together and love one another. It blew me away to hear the things they were talking about. They seemed to genuinely care and love each and every member of the family.
I never knew family was supposed to be like that, I just always assumed that I was supposed to internalise everything and that no-one really cared about what I was going through. I started to listen to this station every day and my heart started softening towards accepting Jesus as my saviour.
The words I heard were like water quenching a parched desert.
The Vision That Changed My Life
Then one day while I was cleaning a thought came in to my head,
“What if I die tomorrow and stand before God and he says to me, ‘I kept reaching out to you and offering you help, but you rejected it, why?’”
I imagined my response being,
“I thought Christians were pansies and I didn’t want to be like that.”
Then I imagined his reaction to that and the condemning hand pointing towards hell. I felt awful the whole day. Not long after that, while I was cleaning, I sat down in the men’s changing rooms with my head between my hands and just said,
“Okay, I give up. Jesus, I accept you into my life as my Saviour.”
Immediately I felt like all the water in my body was starting to bubble and I started weeping uncontrollably. I had no idea what was happening, I just knew that men shouldn’t cry, but I just couldn’t seem to stop myself!
Without that radio station, I don’t know where I’d be now.
I would probably still be hardened toward the things of God. I could have even done something reckless and be dead and damned forever. I just don’t know, but I thank God for that Christian radio station and the message they were sharing.
So I encourage you to listen to theone.net.nz. It is “all about Jesus and His gospel, the way He preached and taught it. Without compromise. Even the oft-ignored, hard-to-hear bits, that help deny ourselves, spurring us on to be more like Jesus.”
Check out theone.net.nz and click on the red ‘Play’ icon in the top right-hand corner to listen now.
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