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| http://www.tellyourtestimony.com/LoriWilliams |
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| Status Update |
Lori is praising the Lord through the good times and the bad
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Scott is tired! 7 hours ago...
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DALE is Blessed with 5 homes to air duct from 1 phone call thank you Jesus ! 20 hours ago...
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Scott is playing with his new Zune! :) 30 hours ago...
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Scott is sore from snowshoeing! 69 hours ago...
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Scott hopes everyone has a wonderful and Blessed New Year! 127 hours ago...
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| Lori's Testimony |
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I was born into a Christian family. My father was a minister. We went to church everytime the doors were open and were involved in all the ministries. I asked Jesus into my heart when I was 5 years old and followed Him in baptism as well. It was awesome growing up in a Christian home and being a part of a loving family. I can't think of anything going wrong until the year I turned 15. I fell head over hills with someone for the first time and when he dumped me I was totally devastated. Then one night that same year, I was raped. In the home I was raised in, I was brought up to save your virginity for your husband and your wedding night. I don't know how to express in words the damage done to me that awful night. For the next 15 years or so, I was damaged goods, trash, used up, not worthy of God's love or forgiveness. Back in those days, if you were raped it had to have been your own fault, which of course it was not my fault. I developed a very low self esteem, was rejected and abused more and more and made some terrible decisions that affected my life and my future. I was living in my car when I met an older man who claimed to be an evangelist. We married in 6 weeks and I soon found he was a con artist, junkie, thief and he abused me physically and mentally, but by then I was 3 months pregnant with my first child. Divorce was against my beliefs, plus I believed that if my faith was strong enough, if I was a good enough wife, if I loved him enough, etc., that he would change. He didn't. I'll skip a lot of pure hell I went through. It would take too much room to type it all. I will tell you I recall many times lying on the floor prostrate crying out to God to deliver my babies and I. I was serving God with all of my heart, soul and might and was trying so hard to stay strong. I can also recall desperately needing food for myself, my small child and my unborn baby. We'd be left for days sometimes weeks with no food, outside communication or anything. God told me to make out a grocery list, so I did. I wrote down everything we needed. I dared not to write Peanut Butter on the list, that I was craving so much, thinking it was a luxury or a "want" and not a "need". Then I prayed and gave thanks and glory to God for hearing my prayers, my cries and He told me to just trust in Him and I did. A couple hours, maybe passed by and then there was a knock on the door. I hesitated to answer because we'd just moved there and I didn't know anyone. When I went to the door, there was a woman from a nearby church with 2 large sacks of food, giving to me, telling me the Lord had sent her! WOW! She wouldn't stay and after she left I was putting away all of the food, which by the way was everything on my list! ...and do you know what was at the bottom of the sack??? Peanut Butter!!! See God knows our every need and our wants too and provides for us. Gosh, I could tell you of so many instances when He rescued me. One night a couple of drug dealers came by to collect money my ex owed them. That happened often. Sometimes he'd hide in the closet and send me to the door. One time they broke in the window and came in. I had a newborn baby and a little girl that was barely one. He'd been gone for a couple of weeks and we were starving. I prayed like crazy that they wouldn't hurt us and even tried to tell them about Jesus. You know what they did? They bought diapers for the babies and took us to a safe place where we got food to eat! One of the worst times I recall is when he was coming down off of crack or meth and was very violent and angry. He put a gun to my head, pulled the trigger and all I can say is that an angel had to have jammed the trigger because the gun that shot fine the day before wouldn't shoot. PTL! Jesus is continually my "Savior"! After that I finally found a way to escape where he couldn't follow me or find me. He ended up going to prison for a long time and I went to college in another state and divorced him. I lived in Tulsa for 3 1/2 years and continued going to college. I did fine, I guess, for a while but I had so much bitterness, hatred, rejection, fury and yes, some rebellion to God in my heart. I seemed to focus more on the horrible past I'd had rather than praise the Lord and focus on my new future. Go figure. Well, when we look back like I did, death and destruction is close by. I couldn't seem to find any Christian friends and didn't fit in anywhere. One day I met a group of guys and a girl that became my best friends. I crawled in a bottle of liquor for a few years. I got into things that weren't pleasing to God. He still continued to rescue me and keep me. Being in Satan's territory, as I was, death was so close and my life was too close to ending too many times. Lots more stories of this time in my life, how I was at the edge of destruction and God pulled me back...even in my rebellion to Him. At the end of that 3 1/2 years, my self esteem had grown a lot and I found I didn't need a man to take care of me, I could survive on my own. I was around 27 years old. I'd spent most my life struggling to survive, raise 3 children on my own and also I gave my all in trying to make it in the music industry. By this time I'd sung on television shows, radio shows and airplay, and sung everywhere I possibly could. At 27 though, I still felt such awful emptiness inside me. I wanted to be loved for who I was on the inside, not just for what I could do for someone or what I was on the outside. I knew I needed God back in my life full time. I cried out to him one night as I was rocking my 3rd baby. I asked God to please deliver me from the lifestyle and road to death that I was taking. Well, within two weeks I was in Knoxville, TN. I had to get more schooling to update my skills on the computer and then I got a decent full time job. I worked 3 nights a week singing trying to supplement our income that way. Of course I still sought out making it big in the country and southern rock music industry. I spent every other weekend in Nashville singing in showcases, hot night spots, talent contests and anywhere I could. It gets so very discouraging. I must have met every single scam artist that Nashville had to offer. I was told "bend over my desk baby and I'll make you a star" to "give me a couple hundred thousand dollars and I'll make you a star". I still continued to try to find just the right person who would help me. I had gone back to drinking again during this time in my life. Remember the scripture where God talks about a person returning to their sin after they'd been delivered as a dog returning back to his own vomit?? Well, that was me. I don't know why God is so loving a patient but He is.
One night while I was doing a show in a night club in Knoxville, a man walked in the door. Something about him...I was instantly drawn to him. He was unlike the other men that had come to hear me sing. He introduced himself as Bruno and he was scouting for a backup singing for Waylon Jennings. He'd heard about me and had come to check me out. I gave him a cassette I'd recorded and a portfolio package and he left. During the years I'd met all kinds of people who promised me all kinds of things so I didn't know if he was serious or not but it didn't hurt to hope. He called me from the road and told me Waylon had hired someone else but he'd like to go out with me sometime. I did and we did and we fell in love even though neither of us would admit it at first. He'd been doing music on the road with many big named bands since he was out of high school. He was burned out of the road and was ready to settle down. He'd always wanted to work for Garth Brooks though and two weeks before we got married he got a call asking him to tour with them and he turned them down and got married instead. That was his decision. I had nothing to do with that. I would have wanted him to go if that's what would have made him happy. Bruno and I formed our own duo and were known as Bruno and Lori Lynn. We made a good living doing music for many years singing in night clubs, shows, parties, and anywhere they'd pay us to sing. "Be A Star" called me from Nashville to be on their television show. I was so excited and went and filmed my part and later found out they'd canceled the show. Boo hoo. I was disappointed. Seems like with my music I've always been so close yet so far. I had dreams my whole life of making it big and being successful financially so that I could have enough money to help other people. I'd like to help single Moms, the ones that want to help themselves, to get an education. I'd like to feed lots and lots of hungry people. I want to help orphaned children. Well, at this point in my life and looking back, I've never made that kind of money. I did find that as I was singing I would see hurting lost people that needed reaching out to. If I had a beer in my hand I didn't feel right about telling them about Jesus. I saw I needed to get my heart and my life right with Him so I could be a witness. I may not have money but I do have my voice, my heart filled with love and compassion for others and God that fills my vessel with His Word. When God started really convicting me I lost my heart for singing. that and also at that time our family was going through some difficult times. Sometimes, it seems we have to be stripped of everything completely before we raise our hands and our eyes to God. I did and I was. Singing in night clubs and places like that was how Bruno and I made our living and provided for our children. We had 4 kids then. How could we start going to church and serve God? Well, we took it a step at a time. Bruno got a day job and I did too and we slowly quit. We both have given our whole lives to the music industry so in some ways that really hurts. It's like something missing. I remember sitting on the back row at church trying not to stand out, to blend in, so that no one would talk to me or ask me what I did for a living or anything personal about my life. I'd just soak in the praise and worship and the preaching of the Word. When our youngest was in Kindergarten his teacher was a pastor's wife and she invited us to their church so we went and then Bruno would go with us. Now it's been almost 10 years! I sing in the choir, my sons have all played instruments in the church, my husband sings solos and sometimes we sing together or as a family. I started a class for 17 - 29 year olds called Crossroads - "Choose Jesus at Your Crossroads in Life". I know from personal experience that the decisions you make during that time in your life effects your whole life and it's so important to have someone direct you to the Cross and be there for you to talk to, confide in, lean on. Wendell is teaching the class now and is an awesome teacher! I am there to help. These kids - I love them like they were my very own. I've seen so many come and go...druggies, alcoholics, abused, rejected, lost...and I'll keep on praying for, loving them and doing all I can to direct them to Jesus.
Tonight I'm singing a solo at church and I've been praying and asking for God's annointing on me to reach the people in the congregation. When I'm on the platform singing..singing Jesus' songs, I can reach out to the hurting, the dying the lost, the lonely and I can feel God's presence fill the room. When I sing in the choir, I can praise Jesus with all that is within me and know He is there and fills the room. I "see" people being touched by God. I "feel" His presence.
My anthum:
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now I'm found. I was blind but Praise God NOW I see."
No Jesus
No Peace
Know Jesus
Know Peace
I KNOW these things...truly personal to me.
Sin is pleasurable for a season but in the end is death thereof.
Serve the Lord your God with ALL of your heart and lean not unto your own understandings. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths!
He is my wound healer, my heart mender, the restorer of my soul. Without Him I am nothing. In Him and only in Him am I made whole!
Jesus does not see me as damaged goods. The label I felt I wore across my forehead of condemnation, sin and evil is replaced with REDEEMED, FORGIVEN, VICTORIOUS! Praise God He rescued me and set me free!
Everything that is within me cries praises to Him for He is holy, and yes, He's an on-time God. Everything in His timing, in His season.
I am now a 46 year old woman. I'm not young and youthful anymore. I'm not energetic like I used to be and for the life of me I can't figure out WHO is that OLD woman that moved into MY MIRROR!!!!! BUT, I am a declared vessel for the Lord God Almighty and hey, Abraham was old, Moses was old, many others way past their prime and youth and yet God still used them in miraculous ways!!!!
So, my cry is here I am Lord, use me. My hope is in You. Nothing else matters anymore. It can all be taken away but the glory of the Lord will forever remain.
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Lori's Testimony Info
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Which categories of people did you belonged to before you were saved?
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The Partier, The Abandonded, The Abused, The Preachers Kid, The Musician, Other
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| Who have been your best examples? |
Jesus
Job
Paul
David
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| List books, music or ministries that have helped your walk: |
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| List ministries you are involved with: |
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| List ministry websites: |
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Church:
Church website:
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Sixth Avenue Church of God
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| Prayer requests: |
God's perfect will in Bruno's and my life.
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| Occupation/Business/School: |
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