I came under conviction 33 years ago this past June. We attended Harmony Missionary Baptist Church and my family was members. The preacher was Bro. Edgar Copeland and the helper was Bro. Hillman Duncan who was the pastor of Gateway at the time. Revival at Harmony starts the last week in June. During the week leading up to revival, I just simply dreaded it because I knew I was lost and I didn’t want anyone to come talk to me. Every night leading up to the beginning of revival, when I went to bed, I would put my hand over my heart to make sure it was still beating. I was afraid that if I had a heart attack and died, Hell would be my home. Why a 10 year old would think of a heart attack, I can’t explain. It was the Lord’s way of letting me know I was lost.
Sunday, the first night of revival I got through okay because no one came to talk to me, but I still checked my heart before bed to make sure it was still beating. The next night, Monday, they had an alter call. My heart was beating fast and I knew I needed to be saved but the devil kept me stuck in the pew. My daddy (Bro.Bert Lanier) came to me and as I seen him walk towards me, the tears began. I knew he was going to ask me if I was lost. I don’t think he had the words out of his mouth before I took off to the alter. It felt like I would never get there, but I believe he told me I was almost running. I knelt down on the mourner’s bench (left side) and gave everything up to the Lord. I didn’t hear any singing or praying or anyone talking to me. I was deaf to all that. Everything in my head and heart was with the Lord. I’m not sure how long I was on the alter, but the Lord let me know I was saved. I remember rising up and seeing the brightest light and I fell into the arms of the closest person there. It turns out it was my mother (Brenda Lanier). I didn’t know at that moment it was her, the shining light was so blinding because I knew I was saved. The feeling that I had that night I can find no words to describe it. I just knew without a shadow of doubt Heaven would one day be my home. In the 33 years of salvation, I have never once doubted that the Lord saved me.
