I give Jesus, my Savior, credit for everything that has happened in my life, both good and bad. Sometimes
things seem negative from a worldly perspective, but Jesus can use those things to develop character, faith and trust.
My parents became Christians when I was 4 years old as a result of my neighbor taking me to church. I also
accepted Jesus as my Savior at that time. Because of the relationships they had with others who were willing to disciple
them, I grew up in a Christian home. My dad was a teacher and my mom stayed home with my sister and me. They were
very frugal and budgeted well, so even though a teacher income is small, it is reliable and we were able to have many family
vacations.
You might think that my life was handed to me on a silver platter. School was easy for me, I was athletic,
and I had good friends (although I was not part of what you might call the "Popular Crowd"). But the silver platter
was tarnished by my own doings. My own actions and disobedience caused me pain and sorrow. I was separated from
a right relationship with Jesus because my heart was not open to His guiding. I knew right and wrong, but I chose not
to listen to the truth.
The Truth is that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life and no man may come to the Father except through Him.
I wasn't looking another way to God. In my disobedience, I was ignoring God. Thankfully He chose
not to ignore me! Jesus says that once a person is a child of God that no one can snatch them out of His hand.
Jesus continued to speak to my heart until I could no longer resist his calling. I had to repent and get right with
Him. Repenting means that I had to give up the things I was doing that I knew were wrong and I had to ask for forgiveness.
You might think, 'what good is it to repent and ask for forgiveness?' Well Jesus, who lived a perfect life,
gave Himself to be punished with the penalty of death that I deserved. What greater love is there than that a man lay
down his life for a friend? And when Jesus gave his life I was not even His friend. The Bible says that anyone
who does not believe in God is His enemy. So Jesus died, not only for His friends, but also for His enemies, of whom
I was one. Repentance and asking for forgiveness, accepting Jesus as Lord and giving your life to Him are what is required
to be His friend.
Jesus calls us to Himself and like I said, he was calling me. My heart hurt when I was separated from Him.
I needed Jesus in my life. He gives peace beyond understanding.
As an adult, married to my wonderful Christian husband with 2 lovely children I do not face the same temptations
that I did as a youth. My sins are now internal; pride, selfishness, laziness, to name a few. But none the
less, they are still devisive in my relationship with Jesus. When I am proud, Jesus can not work in my heart to make
me like him. I have to remember to consider others better than myself and I need to take on the nature of Jesus, who,
being God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial because when he has stood the test he will recieve the crown of
life that God has promised to those who love him.
I can not tell you how I depend on that promise because trials present themselves and I look forward to the day
that I will be rewarded in Heaven and not have to face the trials of this earth any longer!
I pray that you are encouraged and will turn your life to God to seek His peace that He promises to His children.
