I was saved at a very young age so don’t have a lot of memories so my parents have filled in the gaps. When I was 2, Uncle Murray (Pratt) had children’s meetings in Kirkland Lake. As a normal, busy little girl, I couldn’t sit still so dad whispered to me “listen Melissa, God wants to speak to you”. From that moment on, I sat up straight in my seat, listened in all the meetings and memorized every verse.

A year later, Sarah was born. At one month old, mom had finished nursing her and was going to put her into her bed, but got chatting with Aunt Jackie (Cook) and just held her while she slept instead. She looked down after some time and Sarah was blue in her arms. After that episode Sarah spent quite a bit of time in hospital and Amanda and I spent some time with Uncle Larry and Aunt Janie (Pratt). After reading at the table after supper, Uncle Larry always went around the table and asked the kids each a question. When he came to me he said “Melissa, where is God?”. Much to their surprise, I jumped up from my seat and ran around to their China cabinet and the big Pratt family photo that sat on it, and pointed to Uncle Murray. Well, Uncle Larry fixed that one quickly and they realized why I sat so well whenever Uncle Murray was preaching!

The next few years I was really worried about the Lord’s coming. I would bring it up to mom and dad all the time and mom called Jim Beattie at one point and asked him what she could do as she had a really young girl who could hardly fall asleep at night and many mornings they would find me asleep outside their door on the floor. He just gave them the advice not to push me off, but just to give me Gospel verses, so that’s what they continued to do.

On January 20, 1990 a few months before I turned 5, mom called dad and told him he would have to come home for lunch as I was very upset and had told mom that I just really wanted to be saved. Mom and dad sat down with me and told me verses, and all I remember of that day is realizing that I wouldn’t be left behind because Jesus died for my sins.

Of course being saved so young I had a few bouts of doubts. When I was 8, I had a nightmare that I was falling into hell and I remember waking up crying and sweating and getting down on my knees and saying, “God I know I’m already saved, but if I’m not, I know hell is where I deserve to be, but I know you sent your son to die for me and so I never have to go there. Thanks for saving me”. I crawled back into bed and slept the rest of the night.

Another time when I was 14, I had asked for baptism and someone came to our assembly the week before the baptism and spoke on false professions and how he was baptized and in the assembly and then realized he was never saved… well I remember being in the shower later that week and getting on my knees and saying “Lord, I know I’m saved, and I’m sorry for doubting you, but if I’m not saved, please show me”. I got out of the shower and opened my Bible and my reading that day was in Matthew:

Matthew 18:3 KJV
[3] And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

So I was baptized summer of 1999 and received into fellowship in November the same year. I haven’t been perfect, but I’m so thankful for a Saviour who loves me anyway!

God is so good, he’s so good to me!