We overcome by the word of our testimony and by the blood of the Lamb!
This is my testimony.
Hi, My name is Vicki L. McDonough (Peterson) the following will illustrate a typical life of a Christian but had experienced many everyday decisions and tragedies. But with God in my life, I was forgiven and welcomed with open arms.
I grew up with a HUGE family. I myself have 2 brothers. My grandfather had 9 sisters and 8 brothers. As you can imagine on Family reunions we had to rent a hall or huge park. Growing up with a family like mine is amazing. We did everything together and we were close. In tragedies we were there for each other, if someone needs something, someone had to give it. Basically, I grew up with lots of love.
My mother had her first child at the young age of 17. At 25 she had 3 children and lived in a nice countryside house. We never had a lot of money but the love was there. In 1975, My father had hurt his back and was paralyzed from the waste down. So my mother raised us kids and took on a job to keep up with the bills. Meantime, my father entered Allied Services in Scranton, PA and was rehabilitated to walk again. This took 2 years and 3 months just for him to stand up with the help of a walker. God was on my mother's side to give her strength and to take care of us kids, work, put food in the house and travel 1 hour away to see my father. My relatives must have helped as much as they could. I cannot remember.
As life continued I was enrolled in Release School. Which is Sunday School for kids that couldn't go to church on Sundays. Every Wednesday, I left 1 hour before school let out, to go to the local church. I enjoyed it. I understood the basic ways of the Bible. But, being honest, I hated going because I felt stupid to be the only 1 of us 3 children to attend. In eighth grade I was helping teach the younger grades.
In my high school days, I was a good kid. I sometimes skipped class to go shopping with my friends. I went to parties and went to bars. My mother would get upset because I went bar hopping, she thought I was an alcoholic. ... I'M NOT AN ALCOHOLIC!!!!!!!!! But I dance a lot and had lots of fun doing just that. For the most part I had 4 friends that were always with me. We would take turns who wouldn't drink and would be the designated driver. My mother and I became very close in these years. There was nothing I couldn't tell her. I told her things most daughters couldn't. Like trying pot, my first shower with my boyfriend, SEX!
There came a time when I was drunk and had unprotected sex with a friend. I wrecked my car driving home. God must have been with me because I flipped my car and came out of it with only a hangover. While I was in the hospital mom stuck a piece of gum in my mouth to cover the blackberry brandy I drank. She never yelled at me but we talked about it. I think she knew I learned my lesson because my car was demolished. I worked very hard to get it and now it was gone. A few weeks later I found out I was pregnant. I told my friend and because neither of us loved each other and because we were so young, I decided to an abortion. That was one of the worse things I had to go through. I couldn't tell mom because I was ASHAMED! It haunted me for years until I finally broke down crying and told mom 2 years later. She was very hurt that I couldn't tell her but again, we talked about it. And cried on each other's shoulder.
A couple of years later the bond between Mom and I grew. We did everything together. One day, we were coming from seeing Grandma in the hospital and as we were driving back home she had a stroke right in the car with me. She was very calm and told me what to do as her voice was slurring. The whole family -- about 57 of them came to the hospital. They all were surprised she had had a stroke because she was only 39 years old. With lots of love all around, and strength, she came home a week later. She would have seizures here and there. The doctors took her license away but that never stopped her.
As time went by my older brother got married to Bev. They had a son Charles and he had breathing problems. They had to keep him on a breathing monitor and Bev was a wreck. Every time it went off, she would call MOM and mom would BOOK over to be with her and Charles. She loved being a grandmother! She had so much faith that God would heal her grandson, that she went to her Pastor and asked for a prayer cloth. Eventually, Charles grew out of it and Mom and Bev went back to relaxing.
About 2 years later mom was getting much better at controlling her seizures. Her and Dad took weekend trips to get away and be with each other. The bond between them grew stronger as they spent more time together. Their children were old enough to take care of themselves. Which left time for them to enjoy their lives.
On Labor Day of 1992 they were coming back from a vacation and a drunk driver hit them straight on. My mother was seriously hurt. They had her on life support and doing a lot of tests. My father was also seriously hurt as well. My brothers and I drove to the hospital and I remember my father taking us aside to say that the doctors don't think mom will make it though it. They kept her on life support for 5 days. They did every test and everything came back with NO response. The doctors told us to pull the plug.
I moved home to help my father. He broke his leg and had lots of pain. I was so lost, but had to be strong for my family. My younger brother had lots of problems. I remember having the school principle calling me and saying he walked out of school again. God bless that principle for having the kindness to understand.
Going through my mom's stuff was very hard for all of us. We pulled together and tried our best to help. Dad went to his sisters and brother a lot for support. My older brother had his wife and son and had a baby on the way. My younger brother had his friends. I felt I had nobody, because my MOM was my best friend. But I was strong and held my head up high.
It was about 3 months later and a friend took me to see. "Heaven's Gates, Hells Flames". I was so taken by what I saw. I cried and I decided I wanted to see my mother again. I needed to ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. That was easy. I understood what I needed to do.
I found a letter that my mother wrote 1 year before she died. In this letter she wrote to each of us and mine said, "Vicki, You are my only daughter. You and I have shared more than any mother could wish for. You were not just a daughter but at times my best friend. You will find happiness and find the right man. He will love you for just you for what you are. You have a heart of gold and the beauty to match. Remember me with the good, the bad as well. All kids have those in their mother."
Not much later I found out more things like she spoke in tongues. That she had a special Bible, and felt that I wanted to be part of all that. I never had the opportunity to see and hear these things and I know now that she is with Jesus happy, healthy and looking down on all of us.
In 1994 I was married to Lenny McDonough. Even though we are different, I know God put us together. He came from a Jewish background and had really strange ideas. I had asked him to come to my church and give it a try. He asked Jesus into his life a month later. Since then, God had put us on the right path. He had given us ears to hear, eyes to see, and the mind to comprehend. God had given us strength to fight the odds; He has given us the opportunity to spread the good news!
In closing, My testimony is a simple life of a young girl growing up with lots of love. What I didn't know is that I could have had this relationship with Jesus too! I want to express to anyone that reads this, "Don't wait until tragedy happens to find God!" Don't wait another moment to ask Jesus into your life. You can have a close relationship Jesus, the same way I did with my mother. To know that when the time comes for me to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, I will not only be with Jesus, but with my mom who's gone before me; makes death a lot easier to deal with. This is a great opportunity to feel the love and know the love that God has for you.
God Bless You ... Vicki L. McDonough
Vicki's updated testimony
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