I grew up in a small Iowa farm community, one of five children. My parents were good to us and I was happy. My life, up to eighteen, was just plain average. No melodrama! No strange twists; no unusual events of fate! I went to school, played with my brothers and sisters, and like most girls reluctantly did my share of the housework under Mom’s cheerful but firm guidance. Yet something was missing. I know now what it was but did not realize it then. Although my parents lived up to a high standard of decency, they did not insist that I or the other chil dren attend church or Sunday school regularly. I lacked early spiritual training. Many times this lack has shown itself during moments of crisis. It was not until my second school year that I became a Christian. Uncle Howard, Papa’s youngest brother was critically ill in a hospi tal. There in a dying condition he realized his need of soul salvation and accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour. God mercifully spared his life. He became an ardent Christian and began to witness to my parents and urge them to take their family to church. As a result, all of us began to attend a Christian church in our community, and on one Sunday morn ing, at the close of the worship serv ice, I surrendered all to Jesus. Papa and Mamma did too. And so did the other children. What a wonderful change it wrought in our lives. We had a neighbor, a gentle, Chris tian woman, who often visited our home. I remember once as a girl one thing she said to me, as she talked in the kitchen. “Whatever you do, Honey, when you grow up and think about getting married, be sure to choose a Christian man. You know that my husband is unsaved and that my life has been wretched because of it.” “ Don’t worry,” I replied, “ that won’t happen to me.” A War-time Marriage But it did happen —before I real ized it. It was during the war, when I was eighteen. Martin, my husband, had a sister who attended the same church as I did. One Sunday after noon, while visiting in her home, I noticed a serviceman’s picture on the piano and commented about it. “ That’s my brother,” she volun teered. “ He’s in the Marines. Hand some, isn’t he?” Jack, the sister’s husband, took up the conversation. “Why don’t you
MY M A K M A G e
MISTASTE
by Anonymous
Tearful testimony of a Christian wife who now lives as a partner in a tragic mixed marriage.
THE KING'S BUSINESS
12
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