Calum Murdo Smith (Edinburgh)
It was in January 2002 that the Lord saved me from losing my life to sin. Looking back I can now see His hand upon my Life for a long time before that though. I was born and brought up in the Isle-of-Lewis, of the West coast of Scotland. I am the oldest of 3 children and we had a privileged upbringing in that our mother was saved from when we were very young and our home was a place where Church and God were important parts of our lives.
Like many youngsters though, I didnt appreciate these things as a privilege as I grew into my teens. My desire for Church waned and when I went away to Glasgow to study marine engineering in 1995 my Chruch attendance dropped off almost completely, apart from when i was home for holidays. When I qualified as a fourth engineer and started regular trips to sea, Church went out the window completely. I didnt think I was a bad person but I wasnt seeing my sinfulness either. For three years after qualifying I lived my life around work and socialising, drinking alot during my time at sea and also with friends at home on leave.
I believe the Lord began to change my life after the summer of 2001. It was at this time that my desire for drinking and socialising as I had known before began to dwindle. Then at the end of the year I came home on leave in November and before I would go away for my next trip in January my life was transformed by God.
During my time at home on leave, the normal routine of going out to the pubs at the weekend changed and only twice did I do this. On both occasions at the end of the night I met a boy out tracting (giving out gospel tracts and sharing the word of God with people). I was drawn to him the first night and spent some time talking to him and left him promising I would attend Church the next day. It didnt happen and a couple of weeks later I was out again and met the same boy. My first reaction was guilt and I apologised to him for not doing as I said. He was gracious and we prayed together and this time I did go to Church the next day. For the first time in a long time I listened to a sermon and God spoke so clearly to me. The text the minister had was from Jerimiah 8:20 The harvest is past, the summer has ended and we are not saved. The Lord awoke me that night and though for the next week, it being Christmas and New Year, I stilled tried to fight Him, on the 1st of January 2002 the Lord brought me to my knees and I could go nowhere else but to Him. He saved me and has kept me since.
Since then my life has been transformed by God. Shortly after my conversion I felt I could no longer stay at sea. I questioned if I was just a poor witness but now I can see the reasoning behind it. I met my now wife just months after quiting my job with P&0 Nedlloyd and got a job with the port authority in Stornoway on the Isle-of-Lewis. We married in 2004 and shortly after this I felt a call to the ministry, which my wife felt too. Again I tried to fight this but had to submit to the Lords will for us and I am now in my first year of divinity studies in Edinburgh, with the Free Church of Scotland.
Although I left the sea I still feel a burden for all at sea and that was what led me to start this website. I hope the Lord will bless it to many and that more will be willing to share testimony to the Lords work in thier lives.
