GEORGE HENRY, STAR Writer

Kareen Wisdom is a Sunday school worker at the Spaldings Hill New Testament Church of God in Clarendon. Her walk as a born-again Christian started 31 years ago in 1982.

"I was just a young schooler then; but from early I decided to give my life to the Lord," said Wisdom.

Wisdom pointed out that she grew up with her grandmother and at the time when she gave her life to the Lord, she felt it was the right thing to do. She said she was conscious of the fact that if she surrendered her life to the Lord and she happened to die, she would be able to go to Heaven.

"I realised that if I die I would go to heaven, because I surely did not want to go to hell," testified the Sunday school worker.

Wisdom said the Bible says that when persons go to hell they are going to be burnt everlastingly, but when they go to heaven they are going to live eternally in peace and joy, and everything that is good; and so it was her thing to get saved so that she can escape the dreaded hell. She said she told herself that if there is a heaven to gain she wanted to be in there, and if there is a hell to shun that's what she would be doing.

The church worker explained that when she just surrendered her life to the Lord, just like all new converts, she was given nine days to remain saved for God. However, she was able to stand up for her Maker.

"When the nine days passed I was given a month, and then the month moved to a year and a year then turned to 31. I have been able to keep the faith. Because I was a strong-willed person I decided that if I am going to serve God I am going to serve God," said Wisdom.

Challenging

She said that there were times when her walk with the Lord was most challenging. Especially at times when she saw her friends doing things and going places; and thoughts came to her head causing her to think what it would be like to go to some of the places her friends went.

"Because I was not a reveller, I was not a person for parties and so on, it was basically workable," shared Wisdom.

Wisdom, who was saved at the Glendevon New Testament Church of God in Montego Bay St James, pointed out that she was able to keep close to the Lord by attending events such as church camps, Bible study, being involved in youth fellowship and other church related activities.

As it relates to youths in the church these days, Wisdom said in order to help them stay with the Lord, she tells them that they have to have a made up mind. This, she said, she does because in her early years as a young Christian, remaining saved was very difficult; but these days it is even more difficult.

"There are so many distractions these days. The Internet, the television, the songs, the singers, the clothes; everything, the hype and so on. So I say to the young people, you have to have a made up mind and it is just one day at a time," shared Wisdom.

Wisdom who also serves as treasurer at her church, gave her favourite Bible verse as Psalm 91:1. Her favourite song is Ride out your storm. She has been married to Neil Wisdom for 18 years; and their union has so far produced two children, Kaneil and Shaneil.

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