Titus 2 Men And Women

Personal Testimony - Mary Ann Young
by Mary Ann Young

My name is Mary Ann (Wilson) Young. I was born in upstate New York and grew up on an apple farm on a dirt road. Just a country girl!! There were three children in our home. We were a devout Roman Catholic family. We were faithful to all things concerning the Catholic Church. My mother was a particularly devout person. She had a great reverence for God. She often prayed with us, even though they were vain religious prayers, she was sincere. I am reminded of Cornelius in the book of Acts when I remember my mothers prayers. God honored Cornelius's sincerity and faithfulness and said in Acts 10:31 "Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God". Later, my whole family would be saved, I believe because of the faith of my mother.

My family, although not saved, was a conservative family with very moralistic values. My father was a strong leader and head of our home. When I was a senior in high school my father was in an automobile accident. Six weeks later he died as a result of the accident. it was a devastating time for our family. We did not know what to do without Dad. I remember asking the priest the morning my father died where my Dad was, he could not tell me. I will never forget that. It had a profound effect on my faith. I began to doubt the faith I had grown up with. It seemed to me that our faith was not working for us. That was in 1970.

That same year I left home to go to college to study nursing. What a rude awakening that was for me. Things were definitely different on the college campuses of America, than in the little rural town I grew up in. Young people were beginning to "shake" the old moral codes. Drugs were everywhere, illicit sex was common , and drinking and partying were in the "curriculum" everyday. This was all new to me. There was so much change in my life and I felt very overwhelmed. My father dead, my mom had a stroke, the farm sold and the moralistic beliefs I was brought up with only a memory. For the next two years I was very miserable, and I could not understand why. I tried to go to the Catholic Church on campus, but that was empty too.

On night in the fall of 1972, I was up late in my room. I was so depressed I could not stand it anymore. I remember crying out to God "if you are real, reveal yourself to me". A couple of hours later I decided to walk to the nursing lab early. As I walked along one of the nursing instructors stopped to ask me if I would like a ride. I got in her car. I felt strongly impressed to talk to this lady about my depression. She agreed to talk to me and took me to her office. I did not know at that time that she was a born again Christian and God was about to answer my cry of the night before. As I was sharing with her there in her office, she took out her Bible and led me to the Lord Jesus Christ!!!! Hallelujah!!!!

I have not been the same since. What a glorious change in my life. That same year my high school sweetheart, Timothy Young, was saved also, along with my whole family. Tim and I were married in l974. We went to Bible college in l976 to prepare for the ministry. In l980, after graduating, we went back to our hometown and started the Heritage Baptist Church of Palmyra, NY. We were there for the next 14 years where we had a very fruitful ministry for the Lord, by His mercy and grace. From 1994 until 2001, my husband worked for Dr. Jim Vineyard in Oklahoma City at the Windsor Hills Baptist Church. Then in August of 2001 my husband became the Pastor of Landmark Baptist Church in Davison Michigan.

I have had great opportunities in my Christian life. God hasbeen so good to me. I love being a preachers wife, especially since I think my husband is a great Pastor and Preacher. I have three wonderful children and one daughter-in-law. I think the two things that I enjoy the most in my life are: one, my home and making it a wonderful place to be for my family, and two, is to be an encouragement and help to women. I love to teach and encourage women of all ages. I am excited to be a part of this great web site. Perhaps God will use me to be a blessing and help to women as a result. I am a strong believer that women need women to love, help and encourage each other. Women struggle in this mixed up world. We need each other to keep on going, to be brave, to fight on, and never, never, never give up!!!!!!

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