ALON CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP

Testimonies - Ethan & Lorinda

Ethan:

I grew up in what I thought was quite an ordinary home. But my parents often fought and never showed love and affection to one another or to us kids. The mood at home was unstable. One never knew what to expect. I chose to go to a boarding school to escape home. Actually, I really wanted school to be over so I could do my own thing. Following school some friends and I rented a house, but after two years of partying I was worn out by life. The things I had hoped for had ended with a bitter taste. The reality of people’s selfishness and greed and lack of care for others hit me very hard. Soon I had no zest for life. In 1997 at age 20 God saved me. Following this wonderful day my life changed. I was fully involved with my church. Initially I did well, but soon strong temptations came along, which were testing me to revert back to my old ways. This was a terrible up and down struggle; I realized that a big change was needed. In 1999 God led me to this family of Alôn. This was an answer to prayer. Since then real changes have come about in my life. The community life and togetherness helped me to go on …. God has done and continues to do a work of healing in my character … even to enjoy simple and beautiful things in life. Lorinda and I were married in 2001. We now have three children. We put Jesus at the centre of our marriage which has made life an exciting journey. God has blessed us and expanded us in ways that seemed impossible, and given us abundantly more than we ever hoped or imagined for!! We thank God for His goodness and the beautiful family He has grafted us into.

Lorinda:

I have been at Alôn for seven years. Ethan and I have been married for six years and we have three children. There have been so many areas in my life where God has healed and restored me. With this testimony I would like to give all the glory to Jesus for giving me a marriage full of hope and teaching me how to be a “godly” mother to my children. When I first arrived at Alôn my thinking was very distorted and angry towards men. This as I grew up without a father figure at home and experienced poor examples of marriage. My heart was very hardened and angry towards God and I could not grasp his father heart towards me. Coming to Alôn, God used Ethan in my life to see the true condition of my heart. The Lord used circumstances with Ethan to expose anger and bitterness in me. With much counseling and prayer from the leaders of this base, I started to overcome. God used these struggles to start softening my heart. It was not easy, but I started seeing and understanding Gods father heart for me and for the first time in my life started to respect men. I could now see and appreciate the male as being the priest in the home and in that, find my liberty and security in Jesus, my Saviour. Now I can also pass this “godly” order down to my children. I know without Jesus I would have hardened my heart and lived in anger and bitterness for the rest of my life, but because of this grace and mercy he gave me a family. Without this I know I would have ended up hurt, lonely and in despair. But everyday I thank Jesus for setting me free and giving me a future and a hope.