18 years ago today!
Before I met Jesus my life was like this:
I was born in Ft. Worth, TX on Dec. 5, 1981 while my father was in Seminary. I was born into a strong Christian family. I was 5 years old when I knew that I was a sinner, and that if I didn't accept Jesus into my heart and my life as Savior and Lord I would go to hell, despite what I believed or my family's faith. Yet I let fear hold me in its icy grip for two years until I became more afraid of hell than I was of being in public and of water.
But then I came to know Jesus personally like this:
The day was Dec. 4th, 1988, it was a Sunday. It was the last day of an outdoor tent revival, and I had been fighting it all week. On that last day, I heard God tell me, "It's today, or it's never." I knew that if I didn't face my fear and win today, then I would lose my whole life. So that moment, without my father who had promised to walk up with me all week, I moved out of my seat and made my way to the front to talk to my pastor, Larry Marlin. I could hear my mother tell my father, "well, go with him." and I knew my father was following me. I walked to my pastor and I told him, I need to accept Jesus as my Savior. He asked me a few questions, and together, my father and my pastor and I prayed that Jesus would enter my heart and my life, forgive me of my sins, and take control of my life -- and you know what? He did. And I have never once regretted it.
Now that I know Jesus personally, my life has changed like this:
My personal relationship with Jesus has changed my life in every way. Although, right away there did not seem to be much of a difference because I had always lived like a Christian should in terms of morality. I really began to see the difference in my life as I entered the teenage years and I began to be to be challenged to not stay where I was in my personal walk with Christ. To live my whole life as a child and never mature, that would be a travesty, and yet I would have, if I God had not challenged me in that regard. I thought I knew a lot about the Bible, well at least enough, but then I began to question things. I didn’t question because I doubted, I questioned because I began to understand that I did not understand them well enough. I did not OWN them. In order to own them I had to invest myself in them. So I began to study my Bible, to seek answers to the difficult questions, and to share what I had learned with others, and so my personal ministry began. With just seeking to grow in my own walk with Christ. Now, He has changed the very way that I see the world. And that changes everything.