Um Life audio. Hi from the Salvation Army and you're listening to Words of Life. These are the words, these are the words, these are the words of life. These are the words, these are the words, these are the words of life. Welcome back to Words of Life.
We're nearing the end of a series where we've been sharing testimonies that we were able to record at a recent Salvation Army event. During this event, we had a makeshift studio set up outside because we wanted to offer a space for people to come and share their testimony of someone who's been. pillar of hope and just a huge inspiration to them and their own walk with God.
So, I just pray these testimonies are a blessing to you to hear, and I want to say thank you to everybody who participated. It's truly been an honor to get to share your stories. If you've missed any of these episodes, make sure you subscribe to Words of Life on your favorite podcast store or visit wordsoflifepodcast.org. And we would love to hear from you. If you have something that you want to share, if you just want to tell us about someone who's been an inspiration to you, someone who's been crucial in your own walk with God, please shoot us an email.
Tell us your story. Hello at wordsoflife podcast.org. Thank you so much for listening. Have a great week, and God bless. During the Salvation Army, USA Southern Territories Commissioning 2025.
Soundcast offered a space for individuals to record testimonies about people who have been pillars of hope and guidance in their walk with God. These are their stories. Cadet Aaron Simpson. First year. And I am Cadet Heather Simpson to go to church.
and taught us about God. But Because my dad didn't go. It was a struggle for the whole family to go. And so After a while my mother stopped fighting. She's like, 'Cause the kids were that all the all the children would say, Oh, well, if dad's not going, why do we have to go?
So it's My mom wanted us in church, but she wasn't forcing us. And so, growing up, I was reading my Bible and. going to church off and on. But once I graduated high school, I just stop doing it because My addictions were just taking me away from God. I was Highly addicted to gambling, which I would gamble on anything like going to casinos, lottery tickets.
uh betting on sports I kept getting these credit card offers. I would sign up and then they said, oh, you can draw so much money out a day. And so I'm like, okay, I can use this for my gambling. If I lost one time, I'll be like, oh, I'll just win it back next time. And so wound up with this huge debt.
And it wasn't until God brought her into my life that all that changed.
Well, I had originally grown up in Nevada and was invited around when I was 11 and a half years old. to the Salvation Army from some neighborhood friends who were going to the s uh Sunday evening services. And then it just went from there and um started going and had officers that just loved on me. And my Sunday school/slash girl guard teacher Mary Martin, she was very influential. She was like an adopted sister, an adopted mom growing up.
Then I got the chance to move to California. And then when looking for a place He was living in this house. It was a five-bedroom house, so the landlord rented out four. And so I rented one because it would be my own bedroom with my own bathroom. I moved in and we started out as friends for the first two years and during those two years I would invite him.
to come with me to church. And uh But he'd always be like, no, I gotta work. The Cowboys are on, baseball game's on. But I just kept on and then as we got closer when I started uh like extending uh hey I'm going shopping um because he also was uh has epilepsy. And now, praise the Lord since September 1st of 2000.
16 was his last seizure. He's been seizured. They added a new medication with the one he's already taken, and he's been able to finally get a driver's license. And so, but because of that, I would say, Yeah, I'm converted shopping, you know.
So serving. Like what the Lord would do, uh, serving like Jesus, our theme, and um. And then, uh so we started talking more. and it grew from there and then He realized he had no excuse if he wanted to continue to date me because I told him I would not date anyone who wasn't going to church or a Christian.
So he knew he had to get back on track. If he wanted to kick it, whatever it takes. God will use anything right here.
So I need to get it. He needs the little girl right here, the little lady. I had no more excuses. I was like, okay, that's. Going back to church now.
My life's gonna. be a lot different now. Yeah. Definitely had an interesting first Sunday there. He knew the uniform.
and knew that part and knew we kind of did the military motif. But The core that I attended back then, this was back in So we started dating in 2006.
So back in 2006, the core that we were going to then Had a housing, transitional housing for single mothers. who were wanting to get their kids back from CPS and have gone through rehab. And that house was very vocal about what they'd been through.
So during Sunday school they were talking a lot about what they'd done.
So he was thinking like What kind of church is this? It's like, I'm gonna have to talk to her. It's like, what? What kind of church is she going through? And then I explained how no they're In recovery, they are wanting to get their children back.
And uh He's like, ah. Oh, that's neat, you know? And so little by little, But uh how do you get over your gambling addiction? Oh.
Alright. I had told her that Okay, I I'm going to church regularly with her now, but I couldn't become a soldier because I told her I could never give up my gambling. And all she did was say, what if God convicts you? didn't ask any more questions. And I'm like, well, it's If he convicts me, then Well Go from there if he does convict me, but I'm like.
I don't see it happening. It's like. I don't I don't see me giving up my Edition. Hey, you're listening to the Salvation Army's Words of Life. We're going to take a quick ad break and we'll be right back.
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I had this dream. That God was talking to me. that which really scared me. I woke up just sweating and it's like, what could this mean? What could this mean?
And it's like, you think that's God convicting you? Yeah, maybe that is. It's like, okay, so at that point, I never gambled anymore because of that dream. We started because we were going like every Sunday, we were asked to. help out with Sunday school or And What funny thing is With having my gambling addiction that I had, but then stopped, I wound up being in charge of the offering at our church.
You has made stewardship that you carry.
So I would I would be in charge of the offering every Sunday.
So my outlook on money completely changed because I instead of just wasting money, now I'm dealing with God's money.
So it's like I had a completely different outlook. We are to be like strong local officers at the core because officers come and go, so we'll be like the leaders in our church. And so we did that for o over ten years and uh but kind of felt like needed do to do a little more than what we're doing. but just wasn't sure what. And I'd been praying, okay, if we really are called.
Let Aaron come to me finally because Like I said, it was not on Aaron's radar. But still, it kept in charge, and he was nothing was happening.
So finally, I said, I think we're called. I think that's our more that we're supposed to be doing. And he was like, uh uh He's like, We know nothing about business. I haven't been to school in thirty plus years. And then stuff like we would talk about.
Okay. The next day I would read in my Bible or devotional book, it's like, We just talked about this. And so the next day, like that would happen again. It's like, we just talked about this. And now I'm so this went on for like a few days straight, like a couple of weeks, actually.
And She goes Are you convinced yet? And I'm like, no. I came across this verse in the Bible that talks about. Follow the examples of your leaders and Hebrews thirteen: seven. Yeah.
Listen to your leaders and follow the example of their faith. And uh I was like 'Cause they were even telling telling us, Yeah, you'd be great officers and I'm like Okay, now the Light bulb is on it's like Okay. But I wasn't like totally convinced because I still was like. had that. I was like, okay, I keep getting these signs, but I still have this.
Like doubt. And She's like, what is is it going to take to convince you? And I said So well I never thought I'd give up my gambling addiction. God gave me a dream to get me over that.
So I'd If he really wants us to become officers, he can give me a dream about this. And a week later I had a dream. That I was at a welcoming of cadets. And a cadet Leans over to me and says, This isn't something you want to hear, is it? And I run out of the building crying.
It's like, I need to stop running. And I told her, Hey, guess what? I had a dream. She says, You did? Yeah.
I'm like, okay, I'm convinced that we're called We pray that you're enjoying and being blessed by this conversation. We're going to take one more ad break and we'll Be right back. Americans have a big health care problem. Over 100 million citizens carry medical debt while paying for overpriced and complicated health insurance. As Christians, we don't have to pay for a broken system.
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I mean, I think it's beautiful to hear that story, to also know that, you know, there are times when you might feel a tug.
Okay, maybe God kind of wants me to do this thing, but you're still kind of grounded because you have a lot of questions. God's not mad at those questions. And then you finally just told him what you needed. And he's like, okay, we'll hear. He's so gentle with us.
And I love that about that story. And so, yeah, she's been so. spiritual to me that it's like She's helped me so much on my spiritual walk. I mean, that's going to be the last question that we ask everybody: is what's something that you would like to say to her that maybe you don't say enough? Um, I mean that may have been it, but I I tell her every day or uh try to every day, it's like Thank you.
you and I thank God for bringing you into my life and thank you for Yeah. helping me all along the way. You're welcome. With all the doubts that I've had in the past, it's been.
Now that I am see what God is really wants me to do it's like I don't have those doubts or fears anymore. It's like I know God will be with us, I know. For sure. that he'll help us through everything. It's like I don't need a doubt.
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These are the words, these are the words, these are the words of life. These are the words, these are the words, these are the words of life. Thanks so much for listening to Words of Life. We want to thank the team at Life Audio for their partnership with us on the show. Visit lifeaudio.com where you'll find dozens of other faith-centered podcasts in their network.
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