I was not brought up in a Christian home, it was quite the opposite. My father was an alcoholic and from Friday when he got his pay until Monday, when the money ran out, he would beat me and my mum black and blue. I gave up how many times I visited A & E.

I hated my Dad for all the beatings and other things he had done to me. I always said that I would never forgive him.  I was so pleased when he died.

I left home when I was in my teens, got a job and turned into a bit of a rebel. Later in life I got married and after three miscarriages and one still born, I had twin boys. They weighed in at 1 pound 10 and 1 pound 12, were very wrinkly, very skinny and fighting for their lives. Thank God they are both with me and are new born again Christians but without the wrinkles and very handsome!

Life seem to be treating me well and I was trusting people again but all too soon I had another setback. I was told I had cancer and the tumour was the worst kind and it was spreading fast. I had surgery twice and all the treatment . I was told I would never have the all clear and I would have to have tests every three to four month indefinitely.

Then my big break came when I met a woman called Dawn. She knew about my health and she would say she was praying for me and I thought, yeah, ok! She would tell me how she went to Bridge Street Church in the centre of Leeds and how Jesus helped her get through life and how real He was. She would invite me down but I always had an excuse not to go.

But there were times when I would feel drawn to thinking about what she had said to me and I once said to Dawn, "You remind me of one of Jesus' disciples."

Eventually I gave in and went along to a Teen Challenge  evening. I kept thinking what have I let myself in for? That evening was the start of my new life. I was amazed by some of the testimonies I was hearing . Jesus had helped them and all they had to do was let Jesus into their lives.

My next visit to Bridge Street was to a prayer meeting and after one of the pastors had finished speaking I knew I wanted Jesus into my life. I went out for prayer that evening in March 2006. Two ladies prayed for me and one said she had a message from God saying she had been told by him to pray for someone who had cancer.

The following day just before lunch the phone rang. I was my consultant. He was very confused by my test results because they had come back all clear! He wanted me to have more tests which were also all clear. My consultant still does not understand what has happened, but I do!

Since becoming a born again Christian things in my life have changed. My family have noticed a more calm me and I can cope with anything that is thrown at me. For example my son in law was taken seriously ill and was given a very short time to live, his upper torso was literally riddled with cancerous cells and he died in June. My stepdaughter was to be left with two young children. I found that I was being asked many questions by the whole family and was amazed to see how I could answer and be a strength to them all.

I knew lots of people were praying for me and their family. I was able to be the strength and share my story with my son-in-law. It really spoke to him and we cried together. This something I could not have handled if  I had not given my life to Jesus.

I went on the New Life Course . One of the weeks we talked about forgiveness and forgiving those who have hurt us and straightaway I thought about my Dad. There was no way that I could forgive him. By the end of the evening I found myself not only forgiving my dad but actually talking about what he had done.

I have never been more happy with my life, my life changed on 19th March when I became a born again Christian. I have turned away from my wrong doing and I was baptized by full emersion (all the way under the water) on 9th July and now I live my life for Jesus and what a life that is!

I didn't used to read books or magazines but now I read the Word of God, the Bible and it is one of  those books you just cannot put down!