My Testimony By Dr. Thomas Galt Part 1

[Dr. Thomas Galt]

What I truly think and am humbled by is how God will move in a persons life when they will yield to Him. In 2006 I thought it was all done. I had a stroke and they didn't think that I would be able to do anything more. Just before Christmas I was at work as a supervisor for a Cable Contractor company in Atlanta Georgia and had my first stroke at work. I was off for about a month and then tried to go back. I couldn't work in the field anymore so they tried to put me in the office. Because I was what they felt a drain on their bottom line they let me go. Out of work and not able to do much because of health issues is was really downer. Being a man who was used to working with his hands and out every day that I could and working this really was a "downer" for me. I went from making a very good income to not even being able to get unemployment. They said that I was not eligible for it because a stroke is not covered as a reason for loosing employment in this state. Go figure. Going from a family that lived in a nice home to a family of myself, my wife and two little kids pretty much homeless made me want to just give up and go home to our Lord. I didn't know what was going to happen. To say that the last four years has not been rough would totally be a lie. Over the last four years I have had a total of 7, yes that's right, 7 know strokes and a few what they think are minor strokes and one heart attack. Now I want to say right here. Don't you EVER try to tell me that God doesn't hear and answer prayers.

We were totally in a bad way. Thank God for loving relatives that will reach out and lend a helping hand. We were able to stay with some relatives and have a roof over our head. That made things for me spiritually worse. I was to say the least embarrassed to have to live with relatives and not live in my own home. I have had this great prayer and desire to own my own home again that I can call for my family and I OURS by the hand of God. Hold on. That will come later down the road but that was a constant prayer from my lips to the ears of our Lord. I felt as a man that I was less that what I should be. I continually and honestly prayed that God would just take me home and end this misery. As I was out on the back porch of where we were at one day in what I liked to call my favorite place, or what I hoped at times was my secret place, yea right, (every one knew where dad would be out on the back porch come rain or shine you could find me there) I was in my self proclaimed pity party, deep down inside me there was this still small voice that spoke. I actually thought it was loud enough, at least to me, that someone was speaking to me out there on the porch. But then I realized that it was my spirit by the Holy Spirit speaking. These are the words that I heard. Don’t take this wrong but I don’t care what you think or feel about this because I know that I know that it was as real as real can be. This is what I heard, “Turn your situation over to Me and ask Me to use it for MY glory.” Well, honestly being in my little pity party I ignored it. The next day the same place, the same porch the same words came out of my spirit. Ignored it again. Third day. Same thing. This time I yielded to that and said this simple prayer. “Father, I don’t like what is happening to me. I don’t like what is going on. You know that I am one that wants to be about taking care of my family and going the right thing and working with my hands as I learned on the farm working side by side with my dad. Please do as you have told me and take this situation that we are in and use it for your glory some how. PLEASE in Jesus Name, Amen.” All of a sudden this great big peace came over me. An indescribable peace. That peace that is found in scripture when it says, “Be careful for nothing but in everything let your requests be made know unto God and the peace that passes all understanding shall guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Well I found that.

That evening a gentleman by the name of Dr. Martin Wisor called me and we talked for some time. It turned out that he was Senior Bishop of the UACCCI. We talked for quite a while and truly he gave me some great words of encouragement and wisdom. It was God who ordained that conversation. I told him of my testimony and what I had been doing. What happened to me and what was going on. A couple of days later he called me again. We talked about what had gone on in my ministry, at that time, 33 years of ministry. He wanted a resume of my life and ministry so that night I put it together and sent it to him. He called me again and said, “We as a ministry like what we see and would like to invite you to join the UACCCI.” There was that peace again. Knowing that this was God answering my prayer that HE told me to pray by the Holy Spirit. Well my friend, it has been upwards since then. Has it been easy? NOPE. Has it been a flat easy road? NOPE. But over the last four years it has been a wonderful God filled journey and learning experience. I was asked to become Vice President of Accreditation and Endorsement. I accepted. A few months later after much prayer by the board and Dr. Wisor I was elevated to the position of Bishop. Scripture says “Lay hands on no man suddenly.” They didn’t. I had to prove myself and God spoke and this happened. It has been a joyful, trying time with many pitfalls and bumps but a wonderful God led time. It has given me something to live for and work towards. In the process, not to long after that my family was able to find a home of our own, after God opened the door and I was able to retire early because of health issues and work fulltime in ministry. I have now become, after God opened the door and gave me the opportunity a man that has a goal with a wonderful door open to us.