Testimony 1

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=165 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B><U>Site Map</U></B></div> <div> <A HREF="id226.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About Us"><U><B>About Us</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id79.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About Christianity"><U><B>About Christianity</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id228.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="June"><U><B>Events/Calendar</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Programs"><U><B>Programs</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id229.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Officer Profiles"><U><B>Officer Profiles</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id39.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Member Profiles"><U><B>Member Profiles</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id80.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Alumni Directory Main"><U><B>Alumni Directory</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id82.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Testimony 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VSPACE="0"></B></FONT></div> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> <div> <B>Rachel Levy Kelso</B></div> <bR> <div>   I had been raised a Christian, yet after my father died from cancer when I was sixteen I developed depression and struggled a lot with the things of this world.  I felt like I had a huge whole in my heart and I was desperate to fill it.  I got involved in smoking, drugs, and sexual relationships with several people, none of which seemed to make a lasting difference.  In the Spring of 2001 I followed my boyfriend to SUNY Plattsburgh.  That first semester was a rough one.  My boyfriend and I broke up, my grades were not the greatest, and I didn't make many friends.  My ex wasn't going to return in the fall and I was scared to go back to school.  I was incredibly lonely and wasn't sure what to expect from my college experience.  I struggled emotionally but made it back to school in the Fall.  I didn't go looking for IV- but I happened across their table in the Angell College Center.  The first thing that struck me was <A HREF="id250.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Owen Rachel Kelso"><U><IMG SRC="860f0400.jpg" border=0 width="240" height="320" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A>their smiling faces.  </div> <bR> <div>   I went to my first meeting and was immediately accepted.  I barely played the guitar- yet I was encouraged to join the worship team.  I also joined a family group (or small group) and found myself becoming more and more involved.  Spiritually I had been starving for a long time and something happened to me that semester.  All my life, not even in my many youth groups, had I  experienced a group of my peers who honestly desired to learn about God and were passionate about Him.  God had placed me smack in the middle of a bunch of caring people who seriously Loved the Lord, and who were not just "Jesus Fans".  The Holy Spirit took a hold of my life and gave me a Hunger for the Word of God like I had never known before.  My old habits started to die away and my life completely changed.  And for the first time in my Life I fell in love with God.  I had always believed in God and accepted Jesus as my savior- but I never loved Him.  I always took center stage in my life and acted accordingly.  When I fell in love with Jesus it was as if everything in my life finally fell into the right perspective and all I had a passion for was to read His word so that I could know Him better.  I desired His wisdom and strength.  I wanted to get as involved as I could in doing His ministry and eventually I found myself in several leadership positions, including president,  in IV.  </div> <bR> <div>   The friends that I have made through this group have become the closest I have ever had.  I have never connected with people on such an intimate level before.  This was my first taste of friendship where the entire foundation is a common belief in Jesus as Lord and Savior.  I truly beleive that makes all the difference in creating real community with those around you.  The friends that I have been blessed with through IV have been the strongest, the most secure, supportive, and loving I have ever known.</div> <bR> <div>   God used IV and the loving people in it to reach my soul in a way I never let Him before.  I am thankful to God for what He has done in my life- and I recognize and bless Him for using this student-run organization in a public college to do it.  Now I'm continually giving back to the ministry that gave so much to me.  I am serving as Webmaster of this site and have plans to participate in Alumni services for this chapter.  God bless the students and faculty of SUNY Plattsburgh, and God bless the hearts of PSU IV members- may they always be open and obedient to God's leading in their lives and in the lives of others!</div> <bR> <div> ~Rach :)</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>