How My Family Found Out About the Sabbath

By Kelly Vonner

In the fall of 2008, my husband and I were active members at a small COGIC (Church of God in Christ) congregation in Clarendon, Texas named True. At the time, my husband was the assistant coach at the local junior college and I worked as a high school math teacher in the neighboring town of Memphis, Texas. We thought we had our lives planned out. My husband aspired to be a Division 1 Head Coach and I knew I could teach math anywhere. Needless to say, God had other plans.

My husband’s basketball team experienced the worst season ever, and Jeremy found himself spending more time at home. One day in prayer he asked to Lord to reveal His truth to him. I didn’t know about his request at the time, but the Lord had prompted me to create a prayer wall for our home. Within a few weeks Jeremy had added his request for truth to the prayer wall along with request for our eyes to be opened.

One night he revealed his struggle to understand the scriptures in the Bible. We prayed, we cried and we prayed some more. Our pursuit intensified that night. Within days we discovered God’s Learning Channel (GLC) on television and Jeremy dove head-first into the Book of Jeremiah. At the time God’s Learning Channel was a network that was committed to sharing the truth of God’s Word. It was this network that opened our eyes to the Sabbath. We would watch shows that featured Brad Scott, Bill Cloud, Dr. William McDonald, Tony Robinson, Avi Ben Mordechai, Uri Harel, Dr. Brad Young, and Jay Swallow. Jeremy would study all day. I was amazed at the zeal and fire that began to exude from his spirit.

During this time we were still very active with our church. We would set apart Friday sundown to Saturday sundown but still attend services on Sunday. Jeremy was ready to stop attending altogether, but I encouraged him to speak with our pastor and see his point of view. Jeremy had decided that we would speak with our pastor on the next Wednesday night Bible Study. Coincidentally, the title of the lesson was Choosing God or man. The pastor couldn’t understand or grasp what we were trying to say, but by the end of church on Sunday, I knew that it was time to move on. Jeremy had one more conversation with our pastor that ended with him asking Jeremy why he couldn’t just accept the good with the bad. At that moment the line was drawn and we had chosen as a family to stand on the side of truth.

I praise God for my husband; he yielded to the voice of the Lord and ushered his family into a way of life that has brought liberty, understanding, light and truth into our realm. It has not been easy, but living this truth becomes more and more precious at each and every Friday sunset. The Sabbath, the day my God sanctified and blessed is weekly being etched in my heart and mind as peace and joy personified. The Sabbath, the day my God rested from His work leaves me refreshed, whole, and rejuvenated. His rest is my rest. His yoke is upon me and His burden is life. The Sabbath reminds me that it is my duty and my reasonable service to honor and obey my King. It is in our obedience that we truly display a boldness for Him; therefore, I rest in Him on the Sabbath.

Kelly and her husband Jeremy attend Hungry Hearts Ministries in Jackson, TN. They have three boys and are extremely thankful that God showed them his Sabbath truth. http://www.hungryheartsministry.com