Cherie

Dear Friends,  

Hi! My name is Cherie Andrews. I
am 31 and a wife and mom. I live in my hometown Orange Texas.  I grew
up here, next door to my present home. I was raised in a Southern Baptist
Church almost all my life.  I received Jesus as my savior at age of
eight at Vacation Bible School. I was baptized there. Then I grew up in
the youth department at this church and was on fire for God, my senior
year. In between time,  I had allot of teens wandered a way off for
awhile in a effort to be “cool”.  When I went to college I hooked
up with a christian club and we all became best friends and did everything
together. I met this guy that was a christian but yet, he went out to dance
hall and drank, in following in his footsteps was deceived into thinking
if he can do it and be a christian so can I. I fell into sin and went wayward
of the world along time. But after,  he used me and then dumped me.
I still was partying harder than before. Drinking like a fish. I never
did dope though. But alcohol was the thing of cool for me at the time.
I was hanging out with this girl and she was dating someone, and they introduced
me to the guy’s twin brother. Well we met at the dance hall. and we started
to date. Well one thing led to another and we became engaged. Met in January
of 1986, and engaged in March of 86, then was married in May on my 20th
birthday, MY parents were not to keen on idea but saw that we were serious,
and said if  I came back home, had moved out for a week.  They
would help us, and we couldn’t be “together” until we were married. Well
I didn’t like those rules at the time but adhered to them as best as I
could. Anyway, we married. Had a long road ahead financially. Lots of hardship
financially along the way and bad feelings in the family toward him. We
had a girl and I decided to go back to church to the Baptist church. But
couldn’t deal with taking my girl by myself. So I quit, after that we were
on the verge of bankruptcy, and was scared to death. I was washing dishes
one day when the Lord whispered to me, I am still
here, I have not left you, come back to me and I will take care of you
and your family. So I started back to baptist church again with
a new fervency. I got pregnant with my son. I was baptized again as adult
since I had reconciled with God. When I had my son, I was in the hospital
30 miles away from hospital where my husband ‘s grandpa was dying. So he
was torn in between us and saying good bye to his grandpa. Our Son was
born Thursday, September 17, Grandpa died Saturday September 19. 

It was a sad night for us all. Anyhow, after that awhile later Gerald was
saved, Hallelujah! He started going to Baptist church with me. We were
watching TBN all the time and we were listening to his aunt tell us of
Baptism of Holy Spirit. I became increasingly hungry for it. God prepared
me, He had me watch TBN and all they were talking about one day on every
program was the power of the Holy Spirit baptism.  So I started asking
God for it, I called Gerald’s aunt she answered some questions and invited
me to a prayer meeting in her church (tiny full gospel) and I went the
next day. The ladies prayed for me to receive the Holy Spirit,. I did right
there. I saw it in a vision God showed me the day before where, how and
the exact spot I would be . I told God if this is Real I want it too. Next
thing I knew I was speaking in tongues. We started going to her church
for the next two years and as we grew,  the church didn’t so God led
us elsewhere. My husband desired it also after seeing the change in me.
He was baptized eight months after me,  at home after a church service. 
He was baptized in water at the tiny church.  We both now serve God
on the Internet counseling people online. And we go to another church which
is Spirit -filled. We did go to another church in between. God has expanded
our gifts of the Spirit and given us a ministry in our own home. Praise
the Good Lord,  This was only a short version of all the happenings
in my life with serving God. Thanks for reading and hope it gives hope
to those who are seeking God and His son Jesus our Savior and Redeemer.  

God Bless you all,   

Cherie