Matthew 7: 13-14 says, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
I was on that wide road leading to my destruction for a very long time. But I’m now on that very narrow road and have found that sharp rocks can also be on this narrow road and, if you are trying to walk along it barefooted, it is very hard. Psalms 10:1, “Why do you hide in times of trouble?” comes to mind.
But, as I am walking I see what looks like an oasis ahead and am reminded of the verse in Matthew 11:28, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” You realize that your feet aren’t hurting anymore and look down to see that you have hit a smooth patch in the rocky road. I know that I will hit both rocky and smooth patches on the road; but I also know that my Oasis (Yahshua) is also on this long narrow road to give comfort, to encourage us to keep going and to help us reach that much sought after destination.
My husband and I were worldly people, and we thought we were having fun. But when my husband died in 2008 everything changed. I became really depressed and pushed my family away, (thinking in my depressed mind that if I didn’t love them too much they wouldn’t die). I stopped doing family functions or going any place except work and home.
One day my daughter-in-law asked me to go to church with her. I did, and went for a while but it just didn’t feel right. So I stopped going but I felt better about life and started searching. I had heard about Sabbath keepers, and started doing Bible studies with them. I was really interested in what they had to say about the right way to keep the Sabbath.
I started keeping the Sabbath (the best way I knew) at home. The Sabbath keepers taught me about Xmas, Easter, etc., and was OK with that also; it made sense to me. (I was starting to see the light, so to speak.) I started feeling something again and noticed that I wasn’t feeling so sorry for myself anymore. I always looked forward for the next Bible study booklet to come in the mail.
Just when I started getting my head wrapped around all this new and wonderful knowledge, they threw in keeping the Feast days, and how we are to observe them. I didn’t know what to do or to whom to turn. So I prayed.
Then one Sunday I was flipping through the channels and heard this man say that the Father’s name was Yahweh. (Say what!) I listened to the program and I watched and listened the following week. The program was Discover the Truth and the man was Elder Alan Mansager.
I wrote to YRM and asked them if they would send me anything and everything they could about this new information I had heard. It wasn’t very long before I received a package full of “HOPE.” I was baptized in 2014 at YRM during Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. I have never regretted it, and I never want to be in that dark world again.
Picture YRM like a beacon in the night. When you reach it and look inside, you see warmth, love and kindness. Picture a sign hanging over the door saying, “Wipe off your heart and come on in.” As you go through the doors from the darkness outside, you first feel shame because you aren’t used to the real kindness and love that you receive.
It’s hard to trust because you have come from a dark untrustworthy world. Eventually you feel a warmth creeping in and, then, trust. You eventually realize that the only thing that these wonderful people want from you is nothing. They just want you to have exactly what they have – hope for a new beginning in Yahshua.
I have peace now, learning to forgive, learning to give, and learning to love my neighbor. When I go to the YRM assembly, and am with the brothers and sisters, my heart feels full of love when I leave to go back home. I am so grateful and blessed that Yahweh led me to YRM.
by: Lendia Ball
