We asked our members of the Axis leadership team to submit their testimonies to share with everyone. So here they are:
Cari Downie
I grew up in and out of church, never really understanding who Jesus was or how to have a relationship with him. When I was 12 my pastor helped me understand my need for Jesus to forgive me of my sins and to give me eternal life through Him. I trusted Jesus to forgive me one Saturday in seventh grade, and my life was changed in that moment. My relationship with God has traveled many hills and valleys, but what I have learned in all of it is that God is faithful and He loves me with an everlasting love. My favorite things about having a relationship with Jesus are knowing that I am never alone, and knowing that I have the hope of heaven, especially when things seem so crazy and hard here on earth. As I continue to seek Him, He is changing me, healing me and showering me with love and grace and I am so, so grateful.
Daniel Lilly
We all have a past a present and a future, we have all done things we regret, things that, if you've answered the God question, you have been forgiven for but for some reason we still hang on to those. I answered that God question along time ago at the age of ten and for two years, I was as on fire for God as a prepubescent boy could be. And then it happened girls came along, and then my pride became a factor and respect was big issue. And slowly but surely I let all of these things become bigger than God, in my life. After a long time on the wide path, of which there is too much to tell here, (just ask and I will gladly give you more details my life is an open book) I had a moment of clarity amongst the fog and realized the narrow path was where I needed to be. So God provided a cross over to the narrow path in the way of being a counselor at youth camp. Since then its been running and gunning with no looking back.
Lizzy Lilly
I grew up in AWANA, started as a Cubbie and graduated with my Citation Award, became saved when I was a Sparky. Looking back, it is fascinating to see who God put in my path to help guide me to where He has me know. I started playing the piano when I was in 6th grade; my piano teacher, who played for Church on the Rock, took the time to teach me how to play for a church. She told me one day I would be playing the piano for a church. In September of my Senior year in high school, the AWANA missionary asked me to play for the AWANA Conference. Having never played for something like that I was extremely nervous, but it went well. In January, Mark Forrest, the pastor, along with the music minister of Murphy Road Baptist Church came to my house and explained that they had seen me play at the conference. They went on to tell me they were feeling led to ask if I would come play for Murphy Road as their pianist. I prayed about it and trusted God that everything would be fine and it was. That summer I meet my husband at church camp when we were both asked to be counselor's by the pastor of Murphy Road. Daniel wasn't going to Murphy Road, but Mark knew him from his previous church and knew he would make a great youth camp counselor. Nine years later Karl came and asked if I would lead worship at Axis church. While playing the piano at Murphy Road, God was preparing me to become a lead worshiper. He allowed many different people to come through the doors at Murphy and He gave me tons of different opportunities to grow in. He is an amazing God and as it is scary to see where He is leading sometimes; it is so incredible to look back and see where God has lead you and who He has brought by your side to help/encourage/push you through the journey.
Addi Clemens
Hello! I'm Addi and I am on the worship team at Axis. I have been in a relationship with God since I was little; I don't remember a time when I didn't know Him. For most of my life I was more sheltered than most people. I didn't realize everything that was out in the world until I staffed a probation camp during the summer before my senior year of high school. I knew God could work in crazy ways, but I had never really seen Him do it until that summer when rebellious kids could change their life around with an encouragement towards Christ. It was then I saw Him totally changing me and my outlook on what my life was and should be all about. It started slow at first ( I can be a slow learner at times), but then, within the last year, He started moving rapidly in what He was teaching me. He has been changing my convictions and attitudes towards my life in Him and how it should look. He has been pulling me closer and closer to Him everyday, and it's the most exciting thing that has ever happened. Knowing God wants to be in relationship with me and wants to use me for His magnificent will is a concept that far surpasses all others.
Nick Cliborne
Growing up my family was never involved with church. Sure we went with the Boy Scouts once a year but otherwise nothing was ever said about God. After graduating from school I was given an opportunity at a career in IT. I excelled in almost every aspect of my job and received one promotion after another. After many years of success I met my future wife and we would have discussions about religion and what we believed. Because I was never part of church or any God thing then I was more than positive that I had done everything on my own and church was a waste of time. One afternoon I was on my way home from work and I met up with a drunk man in a SUV. I rode a motorcycle to work almost every day. I was hit from behind I was thrown over the handle bars in front of the bike. I was able to see my motorcycle and the SUV heading straight at me before I was run over. The SUV drug me 597 feet down the highway at which time witnesses said I was underneath the vehicle. While I was underneath the vehicle something wonderful happened to me. Once I was lying still on the highway I remember calling out to the Lord and asking forgiveness for my life. I also praised him for all he had allowed me to have and asked him to allow me a little more time on earth with the ones I loved. Looking back at my life I can see that everything that has happened to me was God moving in my life. He continues to move mightily in my life to this day and I'm so grateful that he gave me a chance to live my life for him.
Glennda Bayron
Hey guys and gals!! I'm Glennda Bayron and I co-facilitate the Young Married's Small Group with my husband! I remember the first time that I actually felt God's presence in my life. I was 13 years old and in a state placement facility. I remember being a very angry child and hardly ever smiling. But on that day, something amazing happened. I know it sounds cliche, but I actually felt myself becoming a happier person. I remember not knowing what to do so much that I just had to sit down and I started sobbing. From that day on, I was a completely different person. I was happy all the time and I knew that it could only be because of God. I was an active member of my youth group, but when I became a freshman in high school, that became a difficult subject. I started dancing on drill team and that quickly encompassed my life. I began partying and drinking every weekend if not more. Nobody seemed to have a problem with it as long as we were having fun. New Year's Eve of my senior year I decided that I wasn't going to drink anymore. The las sememster of my senior year was the best that I have ever had. I was growing closer to God and learning more and more about Him. I began my Freshman year in that same mode as a member of a campus ministry. I got to lead one of my best friends to Christ and was standing next to her when she was baptized. That is one of the strongest connections that two people can have. There is no feeling like it! I now know that I was created for His glory and to serve Him. I love being around His people and couldn't imagine my life any other way!
Andrew Arnold
People think that their testimony is something that happens just once in their life. I'm finding it just a bit more involved than that. I grew up both in and out of church. My family was a big church-going family until I turned 9. Coincidentally that's the same year I got saved and baptized. After that we stopped going to church except maybe for Easter and Christmas Eve and we didn't really go to all of those. Me and my mom started going again when I was 14. I was basically going through the motions to make my mom happy. I realized this when I was eighteen. Since then I've gone to a couple of different churches and even participated in the BSM(Baptist Student Ministry)praise band. of course during that time up until I was 26 I only went to church a couple of times.. Then God led me to Axis and now I'm really starting to learn about the relationship and why change is so important in that relationship. This may be the end of my printed testimony, but if I keep changing in this relationship, it won't end.