Niawana VanGundy's story


I was raised in a Christian home. My mother took me to church regularly and taught me about how Jesus died for our sins. But my life was so empty. My parents fought a lot and eventually divorced. My childhood was not always very happy. I went to a church camp when I was 11 years old and asked God to come into my life. He filled me with the Holy Ghost and I spoke in an unknown tongue. Things started looking better. I had a desire to do more for the Lord. I went through my teen years never trying drugs or alcohol, while I was still searching to know more of God.

Then I met a lady who told me about one God and the importance in being baptized in Jesus name. I was always told there were three Gods, not one. But when I began to search in the bible, I started to see that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are all one (John 10:30). They were just different titles for the one true God. Acts 2:38 told me I needed to be baptized in the name of Jesus too. At first, I tried to prove that I didn't need to be baptized in Jesus name. But after 5 years of searching, I couldn't prove there was any other way to be saved. So on June 13, 1982, I was baptized in Jesus name and was refilled in the Holy Ghost.

Since then, Jesus has been the best friend I could ever have. I've been blessed with a husband and two children. My oldest child received the Holy Ghost when he was 10 and is a second generation pentecostal. I thank God for my church and the way they showed me true Christian love. Its been 15 wonderful years walking with Jesus and it gets better every day. My only regret is, I didn't find out sooner as Acts 2:38-39 reads:

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

If you're out there searching for something real, you'll find it with true repentance and being buried in the name of Jesus. And Northside United Pentecostal Church is a wonderful place to start. God bless you.


Come visit my current church since July 2003 - First United Pentecostal Church in Rogers, Ark.

or come visit my old church - Northside United Pentecostal Church in Fort Smith, Ark.


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Send mail to jwvangu@sbcglobal.net . I'd love to hear from you. This is my husband's email id, he's the computer person - not me. But he will show me all the email intended for me.
Created 12/18/96. Last Updated: 03/08/97