Caroline Santing’s Testimony

The only thing that I can testify is that God is good! He has been so incredibly good to me it’s amazing.

I was born in Sligo. I can’t remember what age I was when I became a Christian. I think I was around 3 or 4. I grew up knowing that Jesus was with me and that he was the most important thing in this world. Growing up I was a Christian and I loved Jesus but it didn’t go that deep. I usually enjoyed going to church and I loved the bible studies my Dad always did with me and my sister before we went to bed. My mother had had cancer since I was about 7 and when I was 11 she started to get worse and worse. At the same time I started going to my youth group in the nearby town of Athenry. I think these things really contributed to me growing closer to Jesus. I can remember how scared I was as my mother went from walking to sitting in a wheelchair, then to being in bed all the time. Through these times I knew that I could depend on Jesus to look after me whatever happened to me or my family.

In February 2004 my mom died. All in all that was a really hard year as my father felt led to marry another woman (a family friend of ours) a few months after my mom died. I was angry and stuff so I allowed myself to build up a lot of grudges and angriness against my dad and my stepmother. It is always easier to forgive my Dad as he is my father and he is my only parent left and I love him (duh) and so it was easier to make life hard for my stepmother. Over time I felt God really telling me that I have to let go and forgive and just move on instead of acting out my anger.

God’s been so faithful. He’s been helping me the whole time. Now when I think of something mean to say, I find the ability not to say it and I just shut up. It keeps a lot more peace in my house. Not that I always do the right thing, but God will help me to learn in the end.

We’re so privileged to have such a great God, he wants to know us personally and forgives us every time we mess up, he never ever yelled at me even though at times I really, really deserved it! He loved us and so I want to love him and serve him with my life. He’s given me everything I need and more. I’m really, really blessed.

God gives and takes away (like in the song). He has a plan for your life and he has one for mine. The bible says that “we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) And so I know that even when times were tough, God was teaching me something that I needed to learn (or maybe I had to go through it for some other reason). The most important thing to remember is that “I(or you) can do all things though him who gives me(you) strength.” (Phil 4:13) You don’t have to face anything on your own; the one who created the whole world is with you as he is with me. He helped me and he will help you if you only let him.