I Gave up on Religion,
But Found the Saviour

-Alice Bello

I Gave up on Religion, But Found the Saviour

My name is Alice Bello, and this is my story.
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I gave up my religion in the 1960s. I had one young son, but I wanted more children. After having two miscarriages, our priests promised me that the child I was carrying would be all right this time. Just to be sure, two priests gave me special blessings. One priest touched my stomach with a “splinter” he claimed was from the true cross Jesus was crucified on, and the second priest touched me with a piece of bone he said was “from St. Anthony’s foot.” They promised me that now everything would work out fine. However, my child, a little boy, was still born at a full nine months.

I stopped believing in everything. I hardened my heart towards God. How could God do this? My husband had his first heart attack six weeks after our baby died, and in 1971, he passed away.

In 1988, I was living in my sister’s house in Florida. It was here that I met a woman who was a born again Christian. She tried to tell me about her faith. I would not go to church, but I did start to read my Bible.

I moved to Pennsylvania in 1995. One day my son called me and said, “Mom, would you like to go to church this Sunday with us?” I was going to say no, but changed my mind and agreed to go. He attended the Lehigh Valley Baptist Church, and I went with him that Sunday.
After that, every Sunday I was at church with my son and his wife. I looked forward to it. I was learning so much of what the Bible said. Everyone seemed so happy. I wanted to feel that way. One Sunday at the end of the service, a song was being sung and Pastor Hammett said, “Come, will you come?” I had tears running down my face. I knew that I needed God. But I wasn’t sure how to find Him. I had prayed every day and asked for forgiveness, but something just didn’t seem right. Later I talked to a lady from the church. She agreed to do a Bible study with me to find out what God says about how to be saved. We went through many scriptures, and on April 21, 1997, I repented of my sins and accepted the Lord as my Savior.
“I had prayed every day and asked for forgiveness, but something just didn’t seem right.”
As God says in Jeremiah 29:11-13, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”

I finally realized that God only wants the best for me and that He loves me. At the age of 74, after having trusted Christ, I followed the Lord in believer’s baptism on August 10, 1997.

What a difference knowing God has made in my life! I talk to God in prayer every day and read His Word, the Bible, to know Him better. Now I thank the Lord every day for my blessings.