Lead me in Thy Truth

I would like to share my story about my experience with the truth and how Yahuwah has graciously led me out of darkness into His marvelous light.  How he led me to the SDA Church 42 yrs ago and now out of it.   I was born and raised on Long Island NY, USA.  My serious search for truth began in 1968.  It was a wonderful thing.  I was a Lutheran and taught a Sunday School Class.  I thought I had truth.  It was my custom to study and pray every morning and I was praying very often. Ps 25:5 "Lead me in Thy truth and teach me, for Thou art the God of my salvation, on Thee do I wait all the day."   It wasn't long before an elderly couple came selling Ellen Whites books, I am sure in answer to my prayer.  I bought two books.  One was "Triumph of God Love" and "Modern Ways to Health"  They wound up in my bookcase.  I was narrow minded and cautious about other religions.  Eight years went by.  My pastor moved away.  Another liberal minded pastor took his place and I was so lonely when he told me to get down from cloud nine with Jesus.  (I called Him Jesus back then.)  I had a nervous breakdown and didn't know where to turn. 

 

I prayed again a heartfelt prayer.  "Father if You will lead me and guide me, I promise I will serve you for the rest of my life."  Then one day I was watching faith for today and a Bible Course was offered.  I had five children and a pencil or piece of paper would be hard to find quickly.  I prayed, "Father please show me if I should send for this Bible Study."  On the end table was a pencil and a paper. I knew it was the answer.  I quickly jotted down the address and sent it in.  The Bible Studies started coming and it was like cool, pure water to a thirsty soul in the desert.  In between I went looking for spiritual books to read.  My dear husband had gotten rid of everything except those two books that I purchased eight years ago.  He thought that I was getting sick because of religion.  God protected those two books only.  I began to read "Triumph of God's Love"  I had no idea that they were connected.  When I came to the Lesson on the Sabbath, I wrote and asked, Where can I keep the Sabbath."  They gave me the phone number of the nearest SDA pastor, 20 miles away. 

 

I was in church the next Saturday. I was so excited.  I would sit on the edge of my seat listening to Second Coming Sermons.  Oh it was so wonderful.  I used to watch the skies for Yahushua's Coming.  When the lessons were finished, I was to be baptized, but that day the pipes froze in the baptistry.  The pastor loaded us into two cars and off we went 70 miles to the city to join a baptism taking place in the New York Center.  After the baptism an elderly couple came up to me and asked me if I remembered them.  I said No.  The lady, Mrs Potash said to me.  "I held your baby daughter while you looked at my books."  I get chills when I am writing this.  They were the ones who Yahuwah sent in answer to my prayer eight years before, selling Adventist books.  How wonderful, How marvelous are Yahuwah's ways.  How He cares for those who are without a shepherd, for those who are praying for truth. I learned so much through the years from my Bible and the Spirit Of Prophecy.  I learned a lot. 

 

One "preparation day, as I believed it to be at that time" my younger sister Barbara asked me to pick up a jar of mayonaise for her.  I said, I couldn't today because Sabbath is almost here.  She said what is that?  I told her and from that time on she just soaked up any truth she could learn and finally was baptized in the same SDA Church.  We had many wonderful Sabbath afternoons together studying, singing.  Then I moved to Upstate NY and she to AZ.  We both continued to attend SDA Churches.  I raised all five of my children in the SDA Church, but all are out of the church except my two sons, who love the Adventist message as they understand it. 

 

And then as the years went by...the church began to change.  They started doing everything different from the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy.  If I said anything about that, I was told not to be critical.  To take care of my own life.  So I decided to just study on my own and pass out literature and books, but I didn't know where to bring people.  They would just get the wrong message at the SDA Church.  I just kept on praying and attending church to sigh and cry.

But was never fed, never edified, or encouraged.  Only my prayers and my Bible and Mrs White kept me going.  I knew there had to be Yahuwah's people somewhere.   I just kept praying  that He would keep us through these endtimes.  My prayer life took a turn for being even more serious.  Pleading always to save us, deliver us, take us home, help us get ready.  It is still my prayer today. 

 

This year, my younger sister Barbara and I were both praying and trying to help our older sister come to the knowledge of the truth about the Sabbath and also the endtimes and many other truths, but I ran into that old narrow mindedness of the Lutheran mindset.  I got no where with her except the Saturday Sabbath.  At that time, that is all I understood. She did accept that, but continues to worship on Sunday and just study at home on Saturday.  I have since tried to share the Names with her, but no deal.  I felt so alone.  I wanted someone to share and to grow with.  So I started to pray for a friend whom I could share and grow in truth with.  Someone who I could look up to and respect as a spiritual sister (at that time I was calling Him Yahweh.) One day soon after the prayer, I got to thinking, what is wrong with you girl?  Barbara is there for you.  So I called her up and told her she was my spiritual sister and best friend.

Then one day Barbara, who has always been there for me and who dearly loves our Saviour, invited me to join the Sabbath More Fully Forum, who by the way is studying at WLC website.  I did join the SMF Forum and was sorely dissapointed because all they did was argue over doctrine and the Sabbath, even to calling names.  That spirit was not for me, not what I was searching for.   Still, Barbara's invitation was part of Yahuwah's plan, because a wonderful thing happened there on the SMF forum. 

 

I met and loved Pamela Zahm.  We all decided to leave the forum and continued to email each other.  I had up to then thought that my Father's name was Yahweh.   Pamela started sending me emails and links to study about His Name being Yahuwah and His Son, our Saviour, Yahushua.  I thought to myself oh my,  I just got used to the Name Yahweh and Yahshua and now I have to say it another way?  These other Names sounded too foreign to me.  I just left it alone for a while, but Pamela kept sending me emails and so I decided to look it up in Strongs and I found that Joshua is Yahuushua in Hebrew.  I sent that in an email to Pamela and admitted that she was correct.  From that time on I began to study the links she sent to me on the Names.  I struggled to pronounce them for some time and finally learned to do it acceptably.  Pamela helped me and she never got impatient.  I even began to share about the Names to Barbara.  Many times Pamela would send repeat emails because I lost the links.  She never showed any impatience with me.  The best website was World's Last Chance.  I was already pretty much convinced that WLC was telling the truth and that ProofDirectory was just being mean in their accusations toward WLC.  I was impressed at how WLC would not get into any heated discussions with ProofDirectory.  WLC referred them to the Word.  There was a peace that seemed to say that God would vindicate His truth. I read a lot of the foundational studies of the Pioneers of the SDA Church and I felt that this was edifiying to my soul.  Like old times.  I felt that I was home.  Home to the basic message of the SDA Church.  What really cemented me to WLC is the spirit of the team and of Pamela.  A humble spirit, not proud, not mean.  I found nothing there that I disagreed with.  Everything so far has been proved out by Bible Evidence.  My Bible is my filter for every teaching. 

 

So this brings us up to the present.  I am now continuing my study of the Luni-Solar Calendar Sabbath and Feast Days.  I am learning how to understand the Calendar.  At first I thought this is just too confusing for me.  I tried to share the Luni Solar Sabbath and the Names with my son and he said, "God is not a God of confusion".  I couldn't get anywhere with him.  So I just prayed about it, and guess what?  Because he is not accepted in the SDA Church, he attended a Messianic Jewish Church.  He heard the Name Yeshua there.  A step in the right direction.  So you see Yahuwah is leading in His own mysterious way to lead people who trip themselves up by preconceived ideas.  I believe that Yahuwah will vindicate His truth.  And my son is now checking out WLC website.  My prayers will be answered. 

 

Yahuwah, Yahushua are guiding us.  May we remain committed.  When tempted to backslide, I say, "no more backsliding.  No more loss of traction,  Forward, onward, walking with Yahuwah and Yahushua."  When the cloud moves, we move.  He is leading us home.  I am trusting in His covenant with us, that His bow will always be over us, protecting us.  I have found the people of Yahuwah.  Or they found me.  Yahuwah found us.  We are going home.  It feels so good to be in touch with Yahuwah's people.  I feel safer now in the time of trouble and not all alone. 

 

Thank you for giving me this opportunity to share my story.  Yahuwah bless us all as we travel onward, upward and Yahushua will take us as He took Enoch .  Thank you for sharing with me Yahuwah's truth.  Once more I see the power of Ps 25:5 and when I pray it, I understand what I am asking for.  I feel like Pilgrim in Pilgrim's Progress.  I saw the light at the wicket gate and I love the light.  I cannot take my eyes off the light, for it leads to the celestial city. It leads on the only safe path.  Oh Father Yahuwah, call us home.  Yahushua, raise your right arm and light the way, upward, ever upward and home at last.  It will be worth it all, when we see Yahushua.  I knew Yahuwah's people had to be out there somewhere and He has brought us together.  I knew in my heart, that He would someday.  "Behold how they love one another" is one of the main symptoms of Yahuwah's people.  I especially appreciate true brethren even more now, because of the passing of my dear husband 5 years ago.  Praise my Wonderful, Glorious Yahuwah. 

 

In the love of Yahuwah and His Son Yahushua

Mary Schumpf