Testimony of Ted Matteson

Testimony of Ted Matteson

21 March 2026

My story is simple. I’m a sinner in love with Jesus, the Christ. I am here today through a series of God instances and by God’s Grace. I do not want this testimony to be received about me but to be received about what God has and is doing.  Paul has said “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). This is pure grace, God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense.  I can look back on my early life and see all the forks in the road the wherein God was protecting and guiding my walk. I was born and grew up in the Methodist Church. I was baptized by sprinkling along with my Grandfather Decker when I was six months old.  My parents ensured I attended Sunday school, but they never regularly crossed the church’s threshold until the time of their funerals.  I have always known who God is; however, I did not ask for His gift of eternal life or submit to His Lordship in my life. I was simply a “paid-in-full” member of the Lord’s “frozen chosen.” In my life, I did not do things I thought worthy of God’s notice. I never smoked, drank, or whored around. I made good grades in school, wrestled for sports, did my best to be a good child and son for my mom and dad. When I graduated from high school, I joined the Air Force which resulted in 26 years 28 days of honorable service and upon retirement, continue to work in Civil Service for a combined service of over 42 years. In 1973, I married the love of my life Sherry Dufford, and we were given two daughters and seven grandchildren, before my Lord took Sherry home in September 2015. Today I also have 3 great-grandchildren.  So, you can clearly see an unremarkable life from a world’s perspective.

Spiritually, I often identify with Peter. What a blessing it must have been to personally be in the very presence of the Lord. Peter knew the Lord’s love enough so that when he was fixing to drown in the sea during the storm, he called for Jesus. In Matthew 14:28-31 we read “And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter came down out of the ship, ….. But when he saw the boisterous wind, ….., he cried, saying, Lord, save me. ….. Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, ….?” Regardless of Peter’s “little faith,” he knew enough to call on the Lord.

On 7 September 1987, I found I could not walk, button my shirt, stand unassisted or even write my name on a paper. Over the next six months, I was told I had Multiple Sclerosis (MS) for which there is no cure. MS is when the body’s immune system eats the protective Mylen around the nerves creating scares and all types of problems.  At that point in time, the doctors could not guarantee I would ever regain my physical faculties. I felt like my world had come to an end. All my years in the Air Force; in my mind I was asking: What was going to happen to me? What was happening to my family? How would I support them? That night, everything I had thought important in my life changed. Isn’t it funny in the truth of His word when he says “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, ….., to give you an expected end.” (Jeremiah 29:11). But at that time, I was scared” My wife and I prayed together for the first time. I felt God’s Grace extended to me. During my initial faith walk, I would describe myself as a “Bible thumper.” Through God’s sanctification which included Bible study, Christian fellowship and service, and a very special weekend in the Emmaus Program, my head knowledge which was much was transformed to heart knowledge.  I finally submitted to Jesus’ Lordship in my life on 31 March 1995. It was then I received assurance of my salvation truth found in 1 John 5:13 “….. you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

The year of 2007 saw a significant trials and spiritual growth.  My wife Sherry was given the challenge of living with “Triple Negative Breast Cancer” and death sentence for her.  We moved from Indian Harbour Beach, Florida to Unionville, North Carolina in 2013 because our daughters where here.  We needed help.  We found our Christian Family in Community Church of Monroe and transferred our EFCA membership to this church, who ministered to Sherry for several years.  My bride of almost 42 years went to be with our Lord on 26 September 2015, at 2:30 in the afternoon.  Life continues but still is very different since her death.

I still do not always know what God intends in my earthly life beyond loving my neighbors through a prayer ministry, but I know I will do so in His Grace. In Grace, God gave me a scripture to cling to, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things [those necessary for life] shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). It is in His Grace that I walk knowing “….be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5). It is in His Grace that I walk knowing “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).  It is in His Grace I have a place to live and be a part of my grand and great-grand children’s life. It is in his Grace having relatively good health. It is his Grace He has set before me a house of worship called the Community Church of Monroe and serve there.

In closing of this testimony, I celebrate this truth “The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation” (2 Samuel 22:47).

Amen

Ted Matteson