Never Stop Praying
Tenorio Romero Family
“I have no feeling for God and do not feel impressed to be baptized,” our father, Angel Tenorio Promotor, would say. “I am a good man. I have not harmed anyone.”
He was right. He was a caring man who was always interested in the best for his children. But his words did not stop our mother, Irene Romero Rodriguez, from praying that he would be baptized and accept Jesus’ love for himself.
Even though he did not go to church, he supported his children in attending church schools, camp meetings, Pathfinders, camporees, summer camps and other events sponsored by the Seventh-day Adventist church.
In the beginning, he enjoyed questioning people about God, the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy. He also wondered about the tithes and offerings our mother would give.
He liked pointing out when church members made mistakes but, at the same time, was disappointed about it.
He was not comfortable when pastors visited him even though he listened when his sons-in-law explained God’s plan of salvation and intentions for his life.
Over the past six years, Tenorio Promotor and Romero Rodriguez visited their daughters, Abigail Tenorio-Espinosa and Nancy Lozano, and their families in Texas, usually twice a year. During those visits, Tenorio Promotor joined them when they went to church.
Thinking he was becoming more accepting of the church, Romero Rodriguez encouraged him to join her at church when they returned home to Mexico, but he refused, telling her he liked the churches better in the United States. “If you decide to get baptized in the United States, I would move to Texas for your eternal salvation,” Romero Rodriguez told him.
When pastors encouraged him to surrender his life to Jesus and get baptized, he refused, saying, “It will be my decision. I do not want anyone to force me.”
Once, he shared that he had a conversation with a priest who told him the Seventh-day Adventist Church had the truth, and he believed him.
Even though he did not want to commit to the Lord or attend church regularly, he would attend with the family for special events, even evangelistic series. That gave us hope that one day he might be baptized, but the years went by.
It became discouraging for our mother. She prayed so earnestly for him to be baptized and wanted him to attend church with her on a regular basis. We children started wondering whether our father would be lost forever.
Eventually, he started reading the large print Bible Lozano shared with our mom. It was a blessing to see him sit on the porch reading it.
Then came April 20, 2018. It is a day that forever changed our family. Hearing there was an evangelistic series in the area, Tenorio Espinosa asked her father, “Have you been going to the meetings at church?” He answered, “Yes, but I feel uncomfortable wearing a dress shirt and sitting for such a long period of time.” Lengthy sitting was a challenge because he had been struggling with some health issues since 2006.
“Have you asked God to heal you?” she asked. Surprisingly, he replied, “I have asked God many, many times, but I don’t feel any change. I feel like he doesn’t hear me.”
This provided an excellent opportunity to talk about God’s love for him. Tenorio Espinosa told him, “God wants to heal your aches, but the most important thing is that God wants to heal your soul first. Don’t you think it’s about time for you to surrender your life to God?”
The Lord used those words and the words of the evangelistic series speaker to move our father’s heart that night. Amazingly, during the altar call that evening, he accepted Jesus as his personal Savior.
What wonderful news it was to hear that our father was baptized the next morning on Sabbath, April 21, 2018!
All those years we had prayed, discussed things about God, reminded him about Jesus and encouraged him to be baptized only to hear him say, “Someday.” Well, someday finally happened!
We know it won’t be easy to struggle against the enemy, but we pray every day the same way we used to pray for him. We hope he can be faithful and firm in following our loving Father until Jesus’ return. He needs Jesus every day in his life, and we, as his family, are committed to help him to grow in Christ.
“There is no doubt that God answers prayers,” Romero Rodriguez shared. “I prayed for 46 years for my husband, and I can testify it wasn’t easy, but I never ceased praying. If God answered my prayers, He can hear yours.”
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Irene Romero Rodríguez | Veracruz, México
Román Tenorio Romero | Veracruz, México
Gina Tenorio Romero | Cancún, México
Raúl Tenorio Romero | Veracruz, México
Rubén Tenorio Romero | Tijuana, México
Rogelio Tenorio Romero | Lake Elsinore, California
Irma Tenorio Romero | Montemorelos, México
Nancy Lozano | Edinburg, Texas
Abigail Tenorio Espinosa | Keene, Texas
Livia Tenorio Romero | Montemorelos, México
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This first appeared in THE FLAME Special Miracles Issue 2019, a Texas Conference quarterly magazine. Find the entire issue at issuu.com/texasadventist.