TESTIMONY: Thomas Lambert

So, where to begin. I guess everyone has a story to tell when you get to this point in life. I’m just thankful I was able to get here again. 

Growing up I went to church as often as I could. It was by choice. My mom encouraged it, but never forced it and for that I’m grateful. Faith should never be forced on others. I’ve always had a relationship with Jesus, but up until a few years ago it had been one sided. By some miracle He never gave up on me. I remember my first and only year of college I was called to preach and into the ministry, but as I so often told people I got the call but hung up. I can remember going to a McDonald’s with friends and walking up to complete strangers and asking them if they knew Jesus. I was fearless in my faith. But as time went on, looking back on it all now I can see how I became less humble and more prideful. I slowly started hanging out with different people and that in turn led me to pursue things other than a healthy understanding of my faith. 

There were many warning signs, I was just too oblivious to see or even care by that point. He never left me, I left Him. While I am sure I did many things that anyone but Him would have said I’m done with you, after all of it, He stayed by ready to answer when I was ready to come back. It took almost 20 years for me to do so. While I never blamed Him for all the things in my life that went wrong, I think I resented the things I asked for that never came to be. The biggest of which I now understand. 

March 2nd, 1998 my daughter was born. Her name was Ehlana. I always wanted to be a father. She died that same day due to complications. My life was changed forever that day. For the next 18 years I kept getting worse and worse, thinking I was fine. I wasn’t, in fact I was far from it. Failed relationships, estranged family and friends, alcoholism, jobs I hated. I had no purpose or understanding until one morning sitting on a bucket at work by a dumpster I hit rock bottom. This caused me to pray to Jesus like I had when I was young. Not in anger or spite, but in desperation. I was so very tired. I finally realized that when my life was good He was my best friend. I used to talk to Him like it was the most normal and natural thing. I would have a conversation with Him like I’m talking to you right now. And when I abandoned Him, because He Never left me, that’s when my life fell apart. Reminds me a lot of Jonah actually. God says do this, I do the opposite and look where it got me. I am just so grateful that He never gave up on me. He just waited patiently for me to come back to Him. When the time came that I did return, He was right there, with outstretched hands. He lifted me out of the despair and darkness that was slowly killing me. I don’t know what He has planned for me and I’m ok with that. It is enough that I know I can just let Him lead me where He wants me to be. I tried to do it my way and failed miserably. I’m gonna let Him do His thing in me.

In church it is a truly awesome thing when the bands playing and the words are on the screen and everyone is into it and all. But, if you ever get a chance stand where I do at the beginning of service at Legacy Church and close your eyes, what you hear isn’t so much the band, but all the kids in the rows behind singing away His praises without a care in the world. They are not trying to impress anyone, just the joy of a child. It reminds me of when He said to have the Faith of a child. It reminds me to stay humble and remember what it was like when my Faith was like that. When I didn’t care if people thought I was crazy or weird for being a Christian. It reminds me of where I want my faith to be again.

Author: Thomas Lambert a member of Legacy Church

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