My Introduction
By Janice Bowe, Written October 22nd 2020 at 3:08 PM

Well... Some of you all know me already as the owner of Nothing but Scotties of course...

a small group of you know me from my art and Scottish Terrier art prints PipersMama...

And some of you know me a bit more personally from private correspondence or our mutual membership on a prophecy group called Watchmen on the Wall.

We probably all have long stories of how we came to faith to share - mine would go on for a rather long ramble so I'll try to 'introduce' myself as a believer without getting too long!

First, I grew up in the Lutheran church - and whenever I went missing as a little girl you could usually find me on the next block at my church - I'd actually 'steal' blooms and flowers as I walked so I could decorate God's house. My church was pretty far from the gospel having become less evangelical and more social gospel over the years - but I am betting I had a saved Sunday school teacher who prayed for me.

My parents were older, my dad would not go to church but would read his bible instead....my mother...believed all roads led to Rome - and she was no doubt correct...if Rome if where you really want to go.

Between my sister and I was 19 years - and many many miscarriages for mom - my dad died when I was thirteen.

I hated school, was a terribly alienated child...wanted to read and draw all the time - prayed for rain so I wouldn't have to go outside and play - I really didn't understand other children - school scared the heck out of me. I learned to read before going - and couldn't understand what the teacher wanted me to do sounding out letters - sigh.

And I wanted to know God loved me - loved to swing in the yard by myself and sing 'Beautiful Saviour" at the top of my lungs - neighbors were scant then - thank goodness!

Growing up, I keep searching - after I married at 19 (to my husband George who was then roman Catholic) - I raised my kids Lutheran too - but the church was not teaching really - at least not from scripture - beautiful liturgy - lovely music - no salvation.

Clearly no explanation of my kinsman redeemer, of the Lamb that took the sin of the world - the final passover......

I played with so many things looking for truth - even things like wicca, and transcendental meditation - I believe in God's keeping grace for lack of a better term - He kept me safe through all the strange fire I played with. I learned that evil is real - it has a seductive beauty and it is beyond comprehensible in it's unholy intent -

Somewhere in my mid thirties, I decided to end it all - nothing really meant anything - life was ugly and painful,

I went to my husband's closet where his 38 was kept when he was home - and tried to take the gun.

It was inches below my hand - and yet I could not break the grip of an invisible hand that held my wrist - I was a basket case - sobbing and carrying on - but I had called out the name of Jesus before I went to the closet.

I believe with all my heart that it was his hand that held me back - I cannot tell you how I struggled to break free to reach the gun....

My husband came upstairs moments later went to the closet, picked up his gun, and left the house.

when I calmed down...I knew I was changed, no one had shared the gospel of salvation with me....but I knew I needed to learn how to read the bible...I knew I needed to understand what had happened - and I knew that nothing else in life really mattered apart from Jesus.

I remembered a church in the next town with a weird sign - it said "we teach the old fashioned gospel" it was a Baptist church but I felt compelled to go there - and I did - Sunday morning I headed there - not even knowing what time they meet - when I got there and parked - I saw all these people going in carrying their own Bibles - amazing.

I walked through the door - and a lady in the front stood up..walked to me, took my hand and said "you'll sit with me" - she turned out to be the woman who taught new believers classes for ladies.

Since then I have gone in and out of other doors when we moved - My husband too was saved when I learned to submit and stop preaching at him - getting out of the way of the Holy Spirit.

Then we had a wonderful Godly teacher at an Assembly of God - they can be as divergent as their pastors - this one was solid on the word. But we moved to another state when my husband retired. Over the years I have found that Calvary Chapels are as close to the church of the first century as I can find - and I love them -

So that in a nutshell - is my 'testimony' of how I came to the faith in Christ - I am embarrassed at my previous stupidity - but it is no longer I that Liveth - but Christ that liveth in me.


January 1st 1945 - December 1st 2020

- PS Are you saved? If not what are you waiting for? Time is running out and it is only the most important decision of your life, where you will spend eternity. Its so simple, as easy as A.B.C.