Thursday, September 12, 2013

30 Years of Triumph-Chelsea Francois



When I first came to Triumph I had acquired a stalker.  I was in the grocery store one day and a guy approached me.  He began to tell me how beautiful I was and asked for my phone number.  I told him no and left.  The next week when I was grocery shopping the same guy approached me again.  I rejected him again, but you could see that he was angry.  I wasn’t really concerned.  I just thought he was creepy.  He showed up at my apartment as I was unloading groceries and told me that it was best for me and my family that I let him in.  I was afraid and didn't know anyone.   I was afraid that he was going to kill me.  So I let him inside.  He watched me as I cleaned, did my homework, and put away my groceries.  Every day he showed up at my apartment when I would get done with school or work, and just watch me.  I realized that he didn’t want to hurt me.  He was just creepy and had some sort of fetish with me.  He always wanted to take me places, and I would let him.  We would fight and yell because I thought it was weird that he would just watch me.  That's when he would always threaten me.

One night I realized that someone was keeping me, and I didn’t know why. After some thinking about it I realized that it had to be God.  But why me? And why protect me now?  Then thinking about all the dumb things I had survived in my life I was like, “He’s always been here with me.  I have to get out of my situation, and give my life to Him.  I have to do right, and get myself together.  And I don't have to go through what I go through everyday.”

The next morning he knocked on my door.  He wanted to go shopping. He was mad already, and I didn’t know why.  I was pretty sure that he was going to kill me that day.  I texted my parents and told them I needed them to come get me and quickly explained why.  He and I got into a fist fight, and he tried to choke me.  I got away, and my parents were able to come get me.  We packed my things, and I moved back home.  My mother wanted me to see a therapist, but I told her I just needed God in my life.  She made an appointment for me to meet with Pastors Drew and Diana Brassfield (Youth Pastors at Triumph Nederland during that time) the next day.  I came in, and after talking to them for five minutes I was ready to give my life to God.  We sat in the Café, and right there I gave my everything to Him.

Three months later I was baptized.  About 4-5 months after being baptized I received a job at the Church, which was a great financial blessing for me.  About eight months after working and serving in the Church, I was baptized in the Holy Spirit and received my prayer language at the mini PINK conference (June 2013.)

Triumph has been with me from day one of me deciding that I needed to turn my life around.  I am no longer afraid of him nor will I be.  And actually, it has taken me two years to be able to say his name with out fearing it thanks to Pastor Lindsay’s prayer and counsel.

Chelsea Francois
Nederland Campus 

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