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About Me
An Ex Wretch Saved By Amazing Grace
Then:
I grew up in Savannah, Georgia, home of dripping moss, hot pink azaleas and awesome seafood.
I was born into a world of women with 3 younger sisters, a Mom and a girl dog named Missy. I had a Dad hidden in the house somewhere but he never held a majority vote in the hormone jungle of our home.
Somewhere back in my early adult years I found my way through the maze of what terrible wrongs had caused me to become what I had become and who seemed to be best to blame and shame for every wrong choice of my youth.
Praise God, I have been healed of that need. I have now learned that “All have sinned and fall short of God’s Glory”.
Now, all I need to say is LOTS OF WRONG CHOICES WERE MADE in those days and all of them were mine!!
I started an “adult” life at the young age of 16 when I became a wife of my High School sweetheart. He had lots of influence on the choices that I made, the one and only GOOD one was to become a Mom at 18. Unfortunately, he did not want to remain a husband and took off to the opposite ocean coast before our son made a transition from bottle to cup. My little boy and I were left to the rescue of my dear parents who having had only girls were quick to lay claim on me and my son.
Unfortunately, my bad choices went on and on and on until I hit what I thought would be the bottom of a pit when I chose to have an abortion to cover my immoral lifestyle.
Little did I know at the time that the enemy of life was quite capable of taking me even deeper into the dark bottomless pit that I was in.
From age 23 to 30, I gave him party time over my life until one dark night my Saviour, who not only knew His way around that part of the earth but was not afraid to go there, called my name loud an clear.
I recognized His voice from my childhood days of Sunday School, Vacation Bible school and Church on Easter Sunday and Christmas Eve.
His sweet embrace overwhelmed my darkness, my broken life and my heart.
I crumbled into His protection that very night and have never looked back down.
My actual Born Again experience happened at a church woman’s retreat on 6/9/84, when a beautiful woman saw my lost self hiding out in the Sunday School wing with my 2 sons, petrified to enter the “BIG CHURCH” and invited me to join her at the event.
After hearing the clear truth of the gospel and for the first time understanding my need to respond to what Christ had done for me, I went running, actually barreling, to the alter.
I surrendered my heart to Christ that day and have been caught up in the power of His love every since.
I had always heard the saying that God uses donkeys and I am living proof of that. He dropped me into full time ministry before I barely knew the books of the Bible.
This walk of our salvation is an amazing journey, a kaleidoscope of change and transformation that is beyond description and ever unfolding.
NOW!!
My love affair with Jesus has embraced my life for over 24 years and continues to blow me away every day! God captured the heart of my dear husband and both of our sons within the first year of my surrender. A few years later, he blessed our family with a miracle daughter (a whole story of it’s own) who prayed to receive Christ when she was 7 years old.
Our children are all grown now. Both sons are married and filling our home with grands that I lovingly refer to as my “G’s”. Our daughter is enjoying the free ride of college with a Daddy on her little finger!
Every single member of the Layton family knows Jesus Christ as Lord and lives for Him. Praise God!!
We live a full and blessed life just like the one promised in John 10:10.
On a Personal Note:
I love the beach, the mountains and any vacation that ends up at a B&B or a place that has “and Spa” in the title!
I love being with people who are passionate for God and being a part of anything that God is doing..especially something NEW!
I LOVE God’s Word and never, never tire of mining its treasures.
My ministry passion is WOMEN!! Imagine that!!
Since the day that I was led to the foot of the Cross by one woman, I have known that God called me to give my life FULLY to offering redemption and restoration to other women who need the rescue that I needed.
It is my belief that I will enter my Kingdom Inheritance doing that very thing.
I love to have my entire family together, anytime, anyplace.
It is a rare but precious treasure.
I love to watch my sons be Daddy’s and any precious moments that I can be a blessing to my 2 beautiful Daughters in Love.
I love to wake up with G’s in my house.
I love to read, work in my garden, rock in my rocking chair on my font porch with my honey.
I love fresh flowers in small vases all over my house.
I love holiday decorating and entertaining in my home.
My favorite self indulgence is getting pedicures and shopping with my daughter and last but not least…
White Chocolate Mocha at Starbucks.
(Maybe there are a FEW more but I highly doubt anyone but me is reading at this point :0)….
In His Grip!!
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Love you- and white chocolate mochas!
Pat….thanks for sharing your story…full of victory…and yes, I did read to the end…but then I told my mom “i want to be a reader when I grow up”…I also was left to raise a little boy…like you lots of bad choices….best choice…admitting I needed “saving”…needed his amazing Grace…then and today….
Mmmmm! White mochas…..
For some reason, I have never read this. I have heard snippets from your story (mostly from you) but didn’t know the whole thing. Girlfriend, you rock. You are an inspiration and a joy in my life. And isn’t God amazing that He takes our circumstances (mine different, but similar to yours – make sense?), allows us to learn from them, and then uses them for His ultimate glory. Makes it all worth it, doesn’t it? Praise His Holy Name.
I love you, sweet lady. Praising Him for you today.
God is truly awesome!
Yes, He is. He is GOOD, all the time, all the time, He is good!!
I loved your story! Thank you for sharing it the way you do. I have to say–you don’t look old enough to be a grandma! And now I see you know my friend Lisa Shaw. That’s probably how our paths have crossed:)
Hi Pat!
I first met you at the Lifeway Women in Ministry Forum in Nashville, TN last fall. Then this past Sunday I was talking with a lady at my church who said her neice was in women’s ministry and that we should try to get her to come speak to our women. She told me I should check out her nieces website and gave me her name. I kept thinking the name sounded very familiar. As soon as I saw your picture I knew I was right! The woman I was talking to is Margie Cummings! Your aunt!! What a small world!
I did read your story, all the way to the end, I’m a Tea drinking girl myself but anything with chocolate sounds good to me! : ) Would love to see about having you visit your aunts church and talk to our ladies!
Deborah Martindale
Director of Women’s Ministry
Colonial Heights Baptist Church
Colonial Heights, VA
Deborah,
That is the coolest thing. My Aunt Margie was a precious Godly influence in my life form childhood. I would LOVE to come to your church. Let’s talk more
xoxo
Pat