The Testimony of

Shalom Serene Shick

Remember the last really excellent movie you went to see?  It gave you such a remarkable experience that you wanted to share it with everyone, but especially people you care about.  But you knew your best friend didn't like mushy romances, so you were reluctant to tell her about it.  And yet, you just knew if she saw this romance film, she would love it.  Now add to that the fact that this film actually was so powerful that it turned your whole world around, changed you entire perspective on life, and made everything so much better.  It even saved your life!  Now you have to tell your friend.  Now you are not only motivated by the desire to communicate your experience, you want your friend to have the chance to change her life, too; to find solutions to those problems she needs help with just like you did.

Just a couple of years ago, I used to tell people, "I know Christians who witness mean well, but I just don't need to be saved from anything.  I don't buy into all that 'hell-fire-and-damnation' stuff like they do.  They think I worship Satan, when they spend a whole lot more time on him than I do!"  Well, guess what.  Satan is real and to avoid his traps we had best know that, and I did need saving, and in a big way.  I was drinking, drugging, sleezing, trash talking and generally unhappy.  My bipolar disorder was greatly exacerbated by all my partying.  I was a 'goddess' who was failing miserably.  I had had three abortions, four failed marriages, tried lesbianism and menage a trois, and been a burgler, shoplifter, drug dealer, hooker and topless dancer.  I was a practicing Witch and had been for over 20 years.  My magick wasn't helping me.  I had studied religious philosophies by Deepak Chopra, Helen Haye, Course in Miracles, Avatar, etc., etc. in search of Truth.  I actually thought I had a pretty good handle on it.

Before Salvation: The Witch

It wasn't working, though, and this became glaringly apparent when Kevin broke up with me.  I had fallen in love with his two daughters, Brittany and Brooke, just as much as I had with him.  The loss was devastating.  I began to seriously contemplate suicide.  His Christian family had convinced him that he and the girls were in spiritual danger by having me in their lives, and they were.  I had already begun teaching the children banishing spells and how to invoke using the sign of the pentacle.  So after trying all kinds of magickal spells and meditations as well as exhortations to all the gods and goddesses I could think of, I decided that who I really needed to be talking to was Jesus, since this was all His people's fault.  So I had a hard and vicious talk with Him peppered generously with profanity, letting Him know that if He was going to encourage stuff like this, He'd better do something about the consequences.  I wanted peace, I told Him.  I wanted relief from this horrid pain of loss and abandonment I felt to the marrow of my bones.  I then broke down and began to beg for it.  And it came.  It came!  I felt peace and relief, and even hope!   There was something to this Christ after all.  And then, over time, more miracles manifested. I was experiencing power the likes of which I had seen nothing that could compare in all the years of following the path of Wicca.  God was showing me His Face after all these years of seeking Him in all the wrong places.  

 I began to research this religion that I had thought of as being for sheep-like, unintelligent people for so long.  I read some apologetics literature, notably Lee Strobel's 'Case for Christ' and 'Case for Faith'.  I realized that Christianity was a very intelligent religion based on very solid facts contrary to my former viewpoint of Christians as stupid people who couldn't think for themselves.  And I found that no other religion had so many facts to back it up.  And no other religion had a God that had given them step-by-step instructions on how life could be so much better.  With Kevin's guidance, I saw how amazingly compassionate that was for Him to give us His Word in the Bible. 

 I started to experience the veil being lifted from my eyes.  Scripture tells us that often we do not see Truth because the enemy deceives us by obscuring our vision.  When we allow the Holy Spirit to take up residence within us, this is removed, and things we once thought foolish are seen in their true guise as wisdom.  A fascinating phenomenon!   

And then, even more miracles began to manifest.  I began to crave more information about Jesus and the concepts of Christianity.  I wanted to go to church and listen to what they had to say.  I struggled with much of it, but as I studied and began to read Scripture, more and more was revealed to my once blind eyes.  Kevin took pity on me and began taking me to church with him and the girls.  But he and I were still partying.  Then, a very significant miracle took place.  He had gone to visit his family in North Carolina for Thanksgiving 2001, and I stayed here in Knoxville.  That night was a UT game, and I went over to Rookies to watch the game on their big screen and soak up a couple of pitchers of suds.  That was nothing to me back then, as I had quite the tolerance built up for alcohol, particularly beer.  But something happened that is difficult to describe.  After I left the bar and got home, I had an unusually intense panic attack.  I became incredibly afraid and felt as though I were going insane and that I would die.  The next day, I realized I was somewhat paranoid of getting intoxicated again.  I knew that was odd, and I was concerned that I would run into problems when Kevin returned, more than ready to party after having to abstain for several days.  Strangely enough, he had had some kind of miraculous transformation, too, more of a conviction about his party lifestyle than the things I had gone through.  He was worried about the same thing: that he would run into problems when he returned and I was ready to party.  We were both quite surprised and relieved when we discovered that we felt the same way.  Kevin has, miraculously, not had a drop to drink or a puff on a joint since that time.  I fell off the wagon and abused alcohol about 5 times over the next year, but never in a big way, and, relative to the prior 27 years of my life of partying at least 2 or 3 times a week, this was still rather miraculous.  I haven't had a drink or any other party materials since February of last year, though, so I reckon God has finally removed that 'thorn from my flesh'. 

We got baptized and joined Calvary Baptist Church on April 14, 2002.  The miracles keep rolling in.  And Kevin and I are getting married March 20, 2004.  You can visit our wedding web site for more on that at SheilaandKevin.com.

After Salvation: The Saint

I just want folks to know that Jesus truly changed my life.  I am not completely healed from bipolar disorder, but I am much improved and now have a fabulous support group in the form of my fiance; an excellent Christian counselor: Brian Coats of New Hope Counseling Center; and my pastors and church.

It may not happen like a lightening strike, but slowly instead, like it did for me.  He can be so very gentle.  Talk to Him today and let Him move in your life.  Just try it and see!  You won't be disappointed.