Richard's Testimony
My Testimony
Richard Ascough
This was not an easy article to write, since I had never published my personal testimony before. I have decided to keep it short and simple and hope that it is helpful and provides some insights.
My home life in the UK had been very challenging and tough. My parents had gone through a difficult and painful divorce when I was only eleven years old. By the time I was twelve years old I was already the man of the house and had a number of pressures to deal with at home as well as at school. There were also serious financial pressures, since my mother’s business went bankrupt and there always seemed to be major financial difficulties and challenges to face.
Through sheer hard work and determination, I managed to win a scholarship from the Midland Bank one of the major British clearing banks that was later taken over by HSBC (Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation). In October 1982, I started my degree course at Loughborough University of Science and Technology in the Midlands of England not far from Nottingham.
It was a very challenging degree course to obtain a B. Sc. in Banking and Finance.
There were many times when I felt a strong urge to give up before completing the degree course.
One night, when I was feeling particularly depressed, I was staring at a beautiful picture of “the Last Supper” that I had hung on the wall of my bedroom in my Hall of Residence at Loughborough University. I simply invited the Lord Jesus Christ into my life. There was a big empty hole in my life and I asked the Holy Spirit to fill it and he did!
Since that time and over the years my faith has gradually deepened. I have found the Alpha Course and the many friendships that I have made at TUC to be particularly helpful.
I believe that in life we are continually given tests and challenges and that is how we gradually become stronger and wiser and better able to serve. As an example of this, my parent’s divorce gave me certain insights into the complexity and difficulty of marriage and of trying to build and maintain successful human relationships in general.
To conclude I would like to share a few words of wisdom that I first heard
from the Dean of Temple University Japan when I finally graduated with a Master’s of Education degree (M. Ed.)
“Use all of your potential all of the time.”
“Take care of others and they will take care of you.”
“Leave the world a better place than you found it.”
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18)
“A new command I give you. Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34)
(490 words)
Richard Ascough
This was not an easy article to write, since I had never published my personal testimony before. I have decided to keep it short and simple and hope that it is helpful and provides some insights.
My home life in the UK had been very challenging and tough. My parents had gone through a difficult and painful divorce when I was only eleven years old. By the time I was twelve years old I was already the man of the house and had a number of pressures to deal with at home as well as at school. There were also serious financial pressures, since my mother’s business went bankrupt and there always seemed to be major financial difficulties and challenges to face.
Through sheer hard work and determination, I managed to win a scholarship from the Midland Bank one of the major British clearing banks that was later taken over by HSBC (Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation). In October 1982, I started my degree course at Loughborough University of Science and Technology in the Midlands of England not far from Nottingham.
It was a very challenging degree course to obtain a B. Sc. in Banking and Finance.
There were many times when I felt a strong urge to give up before completing the degree course.
One night, when I was feeling particularly depressed, I was staring at a beautiful picture of “the Last Supper” that I had hung on the wall of my bedroom in my Hall of Residence at Loughborough University. I simply invited the Lord Jesus Christ into my life. There was a big empty hole in my life and I asked the Holy Spirit to fill it and he did!
Since that time and over the years my faith has gradually deepened. I have found the Alpha Course and the many friendships that I have made at TUC to be particularly helpful.
I believe that in life we are continually given tests and challenges and that is how we gradually become stronger and wiser and better able to serve. As an example of this, my parent’s divorce gave me certain insights into the complexity and difficulty of marriage and of trying to build and maintain successful human relationships in general.
To conclude I would like to share a few words of wisdom that I first heard
from the Dean of Temple University Japan when I finally graduated with a Master’s of Education degree (M. Ed.)
“Use all of your potential all of the time.”
“Take care of others and they will take care of you.”
“Leave the world a better place than you found it.”
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18)
“A new command I give you. Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34)
(490 words)
posted by Mindy @ 10:44 AM
0 comments
