The Testimony of Trenton Bruce Shields

    My years of childhood were filled with the knowledge of Christ and the Biblical Teaching of Scripture because my father was a Pastor. But as I had become older, I started believing that the life I wanted to live was more about doing what I wanted instead of what God was calling me to. I took my father’s obedience to Christ as him trying to rule over me and control me to what “he” wanted me to be. Rather than seeing him as a Loving Father – I saw him as the enemy. Twisted and Contorted as my thoughts were, I began believing the lies and promises I was telling myself that I could provide more than what God could. I see now that my actions at this point in my life are what lead me to choose my desires as my master – for you can only serve one master whom will you choose? 

You see, I was a very selfish young man in my earlier years and did not realize that that could spell out disaster for my eternity. That was a lost concept to me, eternity. Understanding that complex word was beyond my knowledge, yet I felt like I knew everything. I was very wrong. 

Time proceeded as it always has done but as I chose my selfishness over Godliness, I began losing myself. I moved out of my home from my parent’s home to a location where I could “hide” from God. I took up smoking cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs regularly to escape the feeling of feeling alone. 

Not too long after I met a girl I thought I could call home but that too would crumble. A couple of years go by and day after day the struggles of life and dread dwell in me as though it is its second home with despair and anxiousness inside of my heart. I felt the empty void where I knew something did not feel right – and no matter the amount of alcohol or drugs I consumed the void never dissipated. I was ensnared by the evil and sinful flesh I called home. Experiencing insomnia and times of sleep paralysis where demon oppression held me at my throat – I had enough. 

I lay there sleepless in my bed as I cried to whom I thought was myself when I remembered something my dad told me all those years ago. I heard my dad’s voice in my head say, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”. I clasped my hands and begged – “God, please forgive me – what do I do? I feel like I can’t turn this around.” At that moment it was laid on my heart that I must be obedient to God and exit my sin to allow Christ the cockpit. To practice that obedience, I waited for my girlfriend of the time to return home the next day so we could talk. She walked in the door and sat at my side, and we struck conversation immediately about what we wanted for our futures. After some time of exchanging words, I revealed to her that I wanted to pursue a different lifestyle than the one I was living. One of Promise and Love – not one of hate and sin. I told her I wanted to Serve God and return to church and that the sin of us living together had to end. We said our final goodbyes and she left with her things – as soon as the door latched, I broke into tears. Tears of joy flooded my eyes, and my heart sang – the feeling of emptiness drifted away as though it never existed and an old familiar taste came back. At this moment I knew the Lord had spoken in my heart and held to his promise of old. HE saved an ole wretch like me and accepted his son back into his Kingdom. 

I immediately called my dad while bawling my eyes out and asking him to forgive me for the acts of aggression and for leaving the home – and after those words left my mouth, he said something I’ll never forget. “You don’t need to apologize to me I did my part and you had to find your way back to him.” Instantly being reminded of the parable Jesus told about the Prodigal Son. 

After I was given the knowledge of Christ I decided to sin against God and my father to live recklessly and foolishly. Lived my life with indulgences and sin until I was left with nothing but emptiness. Only to return humbly and obediently to serve. 

Afterward, I knew there was much work to be done. I started reading my Bible regularly and took on small project classes to boost my studies so I could understand more. I started immediately back to church to absorb as much of the Word as I could because I desired a personal relationship with Jesus as my dad has. 

Later, I found myself leaving my work situation to start working at Walmart. Here I found a friend in Christ – whom I now call the Love of my Life. Hanna Mae was working there as a cashier, and we became acquainted by both speaking about the Scriptures during work. Talking and reading about God during work led to us hanging out and doing Bible studies together to get to know God better. 

Eventually, a year later, I left my work environment at Walmart to reestablish my working career at Burger King as an Assistant Manager. While I was working on the board making lunch sandwiches the clock struck twelve and I felt God speak to me. He told me that I would be marrying Hanna. 

Shocked, I called my dad to tell him what had happened. He tells me now that he knew, as well as others, that Hanna and I were going to end up together but then he told me to make sure that this is what God truly said and pray. 

That night I called her and asked her to meet me in the lobby of the Burger King I was working at and I broke the silence about what God had told me. Truly a work of God – She knew in her heart it was true. A couple of months after that and we made a promise to God to be a cord woven of three – and it’s been a blessing ever since. God always stays true.