Many of you know that recently I was contacted by "Unschackled" about the possibility of writing for them. The Lord didn't see fit for that to take place at this time. This post is my testimony that was submitted. The director is still keeping my folder to possibly contact me within the year to do an episode of my life. Until then, I would like to share what the Lord has done for me with you.
My name is Marcie Alanna Berry Hudgins. I was born in the Midlands of South Carolina in Sumter, on a stormy Saturday on December 9, 1978. My parents are Gary and Wanda Berry. I am the second of 5 children: The oldest sibling being my sister Amy, then myself, sister Julie, and two brothers: Gary Jr., and Douglas. We were blessed by the Lord with two Born Again parents that brought us up faithfully in the Lord’s house, which was Open Bible Baptist church. My Daddy’s livelihood was carpentry work, like that of his Saviour’s , and my Moma was a faithful housewife, during our younger years, and then worked outside the home as we grew older. She was also our church’s pianist and organist. It was during these crucial younger years of mine, AND my siblings, that the Lord through our parents and grandparents, would reach our hearts for salvation. We grew up in a farm style house in the country next door to my maternal Grandparents, whom we affectionately called “Granny and Granddaddy.” They were also saved, and my Granddaddy was a faithful witness in distributing Gospel tracts and literature to EVERYONE he met. He instilled this in me at an early age. We would make MULTIPLE trips across the yard to their house daily, and it was on one of these trips that I asked my first questions of salvation.
I was five years old in August of 1984 when I first felt the Lord speak to my heart 3:16. I remember our Sunday School teacher giving the lesson on the cross and explaining it. I understood what the verse meant. It bothered me all day and night and into the next day, Monday. I made one of my regular trips across the dirt path we had worn out to Granny’s house. It was suppertime and my older sister Amy was there already and eating with Granny. I was nervous about asking Granny about the cross and John 3:16, and why Jesus died . She explained to me that it was because He loved us SO and all we had to be was ask Him into our hearts and ask Him to forgive us. I listened to what she said, and then feeling scared and starting to tear up, which I now know was conviction, I quickly turned to leave out of her back screened door. As soon as I was out of the door and it slammed loudly, I looked up at the sky and prayed, “Dear Jesus, please forgive me of my sins and come into my heart, and save me,” as I cried. INSTANTLY I felt completely changed inside and full of joy!!! I ran back home, across the dirt path and went straight upstairs to my room and didn’t say anything to anyone else about it the rest of the night.
By the next morning, I felt like I was gonna “ bust wide open” if I didn’t tell someone! I wanted to tell my Moma, but was afraid to while my Daddy was still there. I was full of childish fear that I would be in trouble for what I had done for some reason! I woke up and went down stairs and sat at the kitchen table, not really eating breakfast, but just pushing my food around, wishing Daddy would hurry and leave. As soon as he left out the back door for work, I “busted” into tears! My Moma asked me “What in the world is wrong with you?” I told her, while crying all over the place, that I had asked Jesus to save me and that I was afraid I would get in trouble!” She asked me why I thought this , and I really couldn’t explain why. So she laughed and gave me a big hug and then took our big family Bible and opened it up and made sure I understood about the cross, what Jesus had done, and what it meant to be saved. I told her, “Ma, I know all that and understand. I know exactly what I was doin’. I want to get baptized now.” So, I was baptized within the next 2 weeks following my salvation. Within the next few months, I led my baby sister Julie to the Lord while we were outside playing on the swings at Granny’s. I told all of my friends at school within the next few years about Jesus and asked if they were saved. When they said no, I would give them the Gospel, or either some of the tracts my Granddaddy would distribute. He would order tracts from the Gospel Hour in Greenville, SC and one other publisher. We would help him fold BOX FULLS of them in the evenings. My teacher first allowed me to pass out tracts to my class, in public school freely then in 1989, before it was prohibited. I also had my first surgery for a hernia while in 3rdth grade. The hernia was caused by chronic coughing and from constantly dragging my youngest brother around like a baby doll! It’s a miracle he survived!! But, little did we know, this would be the start of a life FULL of physical trouble and surgeries for me.
In the 5th grade passing out tracts at recess was the norm for me. I would even write on the back of them “For spiritual advice or help, call Marcie”, and then print my phone number on the back. I did my best to tell others about the Lord, even if they didn’t want to listen. I worked hard in school and make very high grades and even won the school spelling bee in 6th grade , and went to the district where I lost out on the first round. I loved to write also: poetry, stories, and even plays for our class. I won a few honorable mentions and first places for my poems and essays also. I was very active at our church youth meetings and trips and loved church! It was my second home and many of the people there were my family members. I loved our youth meetings and VBS weeks where we would compete with each other to learn the most Bible Verses to try to win a new Bible. Some of us learned well over 100 verses and always ran neck in neck! The Lord used this time to saturate my heart with His Word that He would use years down the road in the midst of trials and temptations. I had started singing in church with my family when I was five. All of us sang together regularly, and when I was 9 years old, I sang my first church solo, an arrangement of “Redeemed.” I LOVED TO SING, and since my voice was country and best suited for the bluegrass or southern gospel genre of music, that’s what I LOVED! My singing went outside of my church life and followed me into school, where I sang in the chorus and participated in talent shows. I won or either placed in many of them. This would follow me into my teenage years as well.
In my 8th grade year, I started to have severe back pain, seemingly over night. Our school was conducting Scoliosis screenings and I didn’t want them to check me, because in the 6th grade they had checked us and pulled me over to the side away from the other girls in the locker room. Two nurses came to check me. I was very embarrassed. The head nurse said that she thought I was ok, and that was it for awhile. I didn’t want to go through that again. So, my Moma took me to the doctor where I WAS diagnosed with scoliosis, and referred to Shriner’s Hospital in Greenville, SC. My scoliosis was moderate to severe at that time. Over the next year, it progressed. I went through two different rounds of back braces to try to correct it, but I was growing so fast, they couldn’t keep it sized to work. I tried to continue normally at school, but my pain was so bad that by my Freshman year, I could only sit in my desk until lunch time and would have to go home. Within a few months, my doctors at Shriner’s hospital put me on a surgery list to correct my spine with hardware. Until then, I still tried to stay in normal activities at school, such as Volleyball, and church activities. Singing was still an important part and interest in my life.! As a teen, I still loved the Lord and was faithful, BUT I became consumed with one desire-listening to country music and wanting to be a country singer! There was one lady country singer in particular, Reba McEntire, that I tried to pattern myself after. It was to the point that everyone in school called me “Lil Reba” by now. I had left my first love. I was singing for me, and not for the ONE THAT HAD GIVEN ME THE TALENT THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE USED FOR HIM ONLY!!!
I had my first surgery in October 1994 and it was very hard. It hurt to even breathe. I was in the hospital for 18 days. It was very painful having to learn to walk a different way and learn new physical limits. I wouldn’t ever be able to participate in contact sports again or even lift things over 20 lbs. I could no longer bend completely and lost mobility in my neck as well. I even learned to pick things up with my feet because I couldn’t reach them. When I finally got home, it was still a hard recovery and I remember being very depressed for awhile, due to the pain and staying indoors constantly. I remember my Daddy hugging me and praying with me when I would cry. He encouraged me in the Lord and reassured me that the I could keep going with the Lord by my side. My Moma and Granny were my caretakers and helped me do everything. They took care of me tirelessly even though they were physically drained. I would pray and ask the Lord to help me, and I know it is ONLY by His grace that I made it through. A few friends turned away from me, during the separation caused by the surgery. This hurt deeply, since I hadn’t done anything to cause this. But the Lord used John Kinsey, our youth leader at church, to help teach me an important truth. He DRILLED Romans 15:1 into me: “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” He would start quoting the verse and make me finish it every time I would talk to him about the situation. I am thankful for that today. The Lord used him and His wife Linda, who has since passed away, to help me. They were like a brother and sister to me.
Once I started getting back to what I thought was my new “normal,” I started having horrible pain again. After numerous trips to Shriner’s hospital and an outpatient procedure where I had to stay awake, I was told I would have to have additional surgery to correct problems from the scoliosis progressing and the hardware fighting against it. This time I was worked in from a waiting list, due to the need to correct it, and had to go at their call when it was available. When the call came in February 1996 at the age of 16 yrs, I was at school and had to leave quickly. We had 4 hours to be packed and IN Greenville , which was a 3 hour trip for us alone, not to mention packing for the duration! My surgery was performed within 3 days and I was in the hospital for 15 days this time and had to wear a brace for 6 months afterward, through the summer heat! Looking back now, I praise the Lord for both of these surgeries. I believe with my whole heart that God put me through this to keep my life pure from teenage peer pressure and the temptations that go along with it. The Lord knew how hard headed I was, and still am, and knew what it would take to keep me in the straight and narrow way. Some of my friends fell by the wayside at this time. I firmly believe that it was the Lord’s mercy and grace to me to keep me from never having tried drinking or smoking or anything of the sort. I give HIM ALL THE PRAISE FOR THIS ALONE!!
I remember one Sunday night in particular, after being able to return to church. I had to get up and walk down the hall because I couldn’t sit for long periods of time. I went to my teen Sunday School class, that was taught by my Uncle Cecil. I could hear the message our Pastor Verdie Edwards was giving. He asked “Who do people see when they look at you? Do they see Christ, or do they see only you?” God smote my heart. I started to cry. The Lord convicted me of my love of country music and wanting to be a country singer! I KNEW that when I sang, others saw me being lifted up in pride, and not my Lord. Instead of being known as a “ good Christian girl” as before, I was known as “Lil Reba.” I confessed my sin unto the Lord and asked for His forgiveness. I never again sang ANYWHERE or for ANYONE other than my Lord.
Due to my health, I had to finish my last year of high school at home with a tutor, but was able to graduate a year early in 1996, since I had enough credits for my diploma. I went on to a local technical college to pursue a career in medicine as a Surgical Technician. After a year of college, I had to withdraw from classes due to more health problems, that resulted in surgery for gallbladder removal. After realizing that this was not the Lord’s will for my life, I never returned. I got a job at a local Lumber company where my Daddy purchased his supplies , and I worked in the office as the receptionist and did billing. This is where the Lord would put me for the next 5 years. While working there, I grew greatly in the Lord. It was all part of the Lord’s plan in getting me where I needed to be in my life. (Part#2 Conclusion)
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