I was in the seventh grade. I hadn’t been able to sleep well for days and would instead lay in bed wrestling with my thoughts…knowing I needed to DO something. I wasn’t at peace and I knew why. Even though I was being raised in a Christian home and had been a pretty good kid, I knew I was a sinner. I needed to make things right with God.
It was pretty cool, because while neither of us knew it, my brother and I had BOTH been wrestling with the same lack of peace. We made our decision to commit our lives fully to Christ at the same time. It was a special day when our dad baptized both my brother and me. I remember very clearly the moment I came up out of the water feeling like a new person! Whole…loved…clean…forgiven!
I’ve done a lot more wrestling since that night as I’ve learned more and studied more and grown into a deeper understanding of what it means to “take up my cross daily and follow Jesus“.
I remember especially wrestling during my college years, when I was out on my own and needed to figure out for myself what I believed and why I believed it. I’m very thankful for that time, even though it was quite painful to tear myself away and make my faith my very own.
When my babies were born, it was then I realized how REAL God is and that truly, only He could create…well…anything so amazing and perfect.
The most humbling, terrifying, horrible, incredible and beautiful time of my spiritual life came while my mom was sick and dying. It was during those months of intense pain and grief that I learned to accept God’s comfort in a way that only He can give it. He gives His comfort at the level that we need it. At that time, I needed an incredible measure of comfort…and He gave it. I would lay in my bed and sob and cry out to Him, then I would feel His comfort and love so real and full as if there was no one else in the world and all the comfort He had in His entire Being was given to me at that moment. As an incredible result, all I could do was praise Him. He truly turned my mourning into dancing. It is powerful to feel so much pain and so much love, comfort…yes…even joy at the very same time. Powerful.
God is so real. His love is absolutely unconditional. His forgiveness is for everyone. No matter what. I hope you know the same God I know. If not, please search for Him. He is an awesome God!
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So, what’s your story? How did you come to know Christ? Share with us, either by writing about it on your blog and linking up with us, or by leaving a comment on this post.
Also, please visit as many blog links as you can to be encouraged by everyone’s story!
- Jodi at One Blessed Mama (Lord, You’re All I’ve Got)
- Carrie Smyth at Heavenly Homesteading
- Hallee the Homemaker
- Laurie
- Rebekah
- Jolene ~ A Random Woman’s Life
- Shonda
- Jenna at Homemaking Pilgrim
- Jen
- Trusting in His Name
- A Voice Crying Out
- Stephanie
- Barb
- Travelin Pilgrim
- Elizabeth
- Melanie
- You’re Next!
Mr. Linky is acting up…if you have a post to link up, leave it in the comments and I’ll add it manually as I can! Thanks!
I grew up going to church and was active in the youth group in high school. I was under conviction but was afraid of what my friends would think because I thought they thought I was already saved. My junior year I walked forward during an invitation and asked Jesus to be my savior. I had such peace after that. When I went to college I too struggled with knowing what I believed and why. I got involved with the wrong friends and did a lot of things I regret. I have over the years questioned my salvation. Did I do everything right, say the right prayer, etc? Then God reminded me that I did nothing, he did everything!! All I did was believe and put my trust in Him.
I grew up in church. I knew about God but I never had a personal relationship w/Him. I went through the motions, until I was in my mid teens. I decided that I wasn’t willing to change my lifestyle and I didn’t want to be a hypocrite. So I stopped going to church and went on w/my life. All the time knowing that I was destined for hell.
I got married (to a man who is still an unbeliever) and God gave us a beautiful baby boy. When he was about 3 1/2 we were looking for a preschool for him. I was going back to work. I chose a Christian preschool because I wanted him to learn about God. It was too late for me but not for him.
Through many circumstances (the world would call coinincidence but I know was the power of God working), I was led to a church. I remember sitting in the pastor’s Sunday school class (for newcomers)crying while he talked about assurance of salvation. And God, in His unbelieveable mercy, offered me another chance to follow Him. After I was sure it was impossible for Him to love me anymore, after I’d turned my back on Him so long ago. How great is His love for us. How boundless is His forgiveness. I have no idea what Pastor preached that morning but I know that the Lord Jesus saved me from a life of emptiness and the hell I deserve that day. May His Name be ever praised.
Thanks, Laura for this opportunity to share. I look forward to reading all the different ways the Lord has extended His grace to others in the family of God.
God has always been gracious in allowing me to grow up around Christians. It was at the young age of 5 that I accepted the Lord as my Saviour at Vacation Bible School. It has been a sometimes rocky and sometimes smooth road since then, but the Lord has always been there to guide and comfort me. I’m so grateful for Him in my life!
I was 7 when I asked Jesus to be my savior. I still remember the church and the room I went to after walking the aisle to tell the preacher I wanted to ask Jesus to live in my heart. It was a precious time for me. I continued to grow and learn more about Jesus in church but not much in my home.
My family didn’t talk much about Jesus at home but we went to church. I struggled with many things in my growing up years but God was faithful to see me through and teach me what I needed to learn. In college, I was attending a school of a different denomination than I had been brought up in, so it made for many opportunities to stretch my faith and find out what I believed about the Bible and God’s love. Amazing times of growth!!
My relationship with Christ continues to grow and change as I learn more about Him. That is the beauty of a relationship with a living God. He is always available, always loving, always merciful! Now that I am married (17 years this year!!!) and have 4 beautiful blessings, learning about Christ with our kids is about the most fulfilling thing there is. They are our mission field right now. I cherish the fact that my husband is a strong leader in our home and that our children learn about Jesus and talk about Him while they are young. So wonderful to have loving savior!! May the gospel of Jesus Christ be spread to all nations and all generations!!
I asked Jesus to be my Lord and Savior when I was 8 years old, at a revival at my church. My memories of it are in snippets-talking to our pastor after church, sitting on the steps, listening to him talk to my mom, stepping out the next night to make it public, waiting to be baptized, standing out of the baptistry dripping wet. I drifted far away from God as a teenager and young adult but thankfully He did not give up on me and brought me back under His wing right in time. I am so thankful that He is faithful, even when we are not! Seven months after committing myself to Him again, my husband was saved and one month after that we learned that our 3 year old daughter had a brain tumor. If you visit my blog abbyreeseconner.blogspot.com you can read the full story. Start at the beginning and you will see how God has worked in our lives. He is truly a wonderful, merciful Savior!
I just read everyone’s comments and I’m getting ready to visit the links. I never thought that reading others’ stories of how they came to know Jesus would be so inspiring for me. Thank you, God, for coming into our lives! And thank you to Laura for taking the time to do this special post!
What a great thing this is! I have posted my journey on my blog. Thanks again. There is a woman who I’ve been ministering to for some time now and this might be just what she needs.
I grew up in and out of the church. The things I learned as a small child in Sunday school were always a part of me. Many times I prayed a prayer of salvation, sometimes even in response to an altar call. Over and over the Lord drew me to himself! Still, it was not until I was 17 that my life was totally transformed. I began attending a youth group because another girl called and invited me. At a youth conference I surrendered my life to the Lord and have never been the same since!
I linked to my when I posted my testimony November of 2008. The Lord is so gracious to call us to Himself.
Hi Laura~
Here is my link
http://theforeverneighbor.blogspot.com/2010/01/okay-i-am-listening.html
I love that you decided to do this!
Hi Laura. Thank you for the opportunity. Here is my link.
http://travelinpilgrim.blogspot.com/2010/01/ill-tell-world-that-im-christian.html
Here is my testimony…. http://zizziehappenings.blogspot.com/2010/01/my-testimony.html
Hi Laura,
Finally finished this up just tonight =) Thank you for the encouragement to testify of God’s goodness in my life!
http://outofthemiryclay.blogspot.com/2010/01/new-life-in-christ.html
I was raised Mormon, in an abusive household. It seemed boring and lifeless to me, and I couldn’t respect a religion my abusive father belonged to.
Growing up, I had emotional, behavioral, and developmental problems. Among them: Asperger’s Syndrome, bipolar disorder, borderline personaliity disorder, and PTSD (as a result of the abuse). In addition I had a low immune system and chronic migraines.
When I was 13, in a search for power and personal development, I began experimenting with the occult and Satanism. After I was freed from a possession, I turned to Wicca, which I saw as lighter and safer and filled with love, which I now realize to be a lie and a disguise.
When I was 16 I came out to my parents as bisexual.
My parents kicked me out of the house when I was 19, in the beginning of December. I remember being heartbroken and scared, thinking I was going to die alone on the street. I managed to get a hotel room for a few nights before catching a bus to Idaho to live with a friend. Her landlord kicked me out after two weeks, as I was not on the lease.
From there I went to a homeless shelter and saved up enough money to go to Casper, Wyoming, to be with my long-distance girlfriend of 1 1/2 years, where there is a Christian Rescue Mission for homeless people. I was scared they would try to convert me. They didn’t. I lived there for 3 months.
Near the end of the first month, my then-girlfriend cheated on me and I fell into a major depressive state. I was walking at night, and my left foot was run over by a pickup. I went to the hospital and got X-Rays. I was blessed (though at the time, in my ignorance, I attributed it to the Wiccan Goddess rather than the true God), as there was not even a hairline fracture. I was in a walking boot and crutches for two weeks.
At the library a nice Christian lady asked to pray for me to recover from my injury quickly, and I accepted. The next morning I had no need of the boot or crutches. Still I denied Christ.
One day I felt a need to go to the library and go to the second floor. While there, I met a Christian (not Mormon) girl, Danae, whose plans to travel to Texas that week had been cancelled due to unforseen difficulties. We now believe God planned that.
We quickly became friends, and started dating shortly after. I asked to attend her church’s youth group with her, merely to spend more time with her. Then I went to church with her that Sunday. At my second youth group with her, I felt something stirring in me. My third, I felt the urge to tear off my pentacle necklace.
After that youth group, as she was taking me back to the Mission, I asked her to pull over in a secluded area so we could talk about youth group. She agreed. I shared with her my feelings, and told her about a dream I had had the previous night which seemed to suggest I would convert. We prayed. I pulled out my pocket knife and cut the string to my pentacle necklace, throwing the pendant across the street and as far away from me as I could.
That week, at church, Pastor was praying and said “And God, please bless the person in this room who has been dabbling in witchcraft. Release him from his bonds.” Nobody in the church besides Danae, her mom, and our friend Noel knew about my history of witchcraft. I felt God’s spirit in me then.
After church, Pastor sent out his weekly newsletter to members of the ministry, which included Danae’s mom. She told me part of the newsletter, which detailed how Pastor had felt God telling him as he prayed to pray for the one dabbling in witchcraft. He thought it was strange at first, but knew he had to obey God.
My passion for God had ignited suddenly and powerfully. I obtained a Bible and a cross necklace and strove to learn everything I could about God and the Gospel. Over the next few weeks I attended church and youth group every week. I asked God into my heart, multiple times as I felt like I needed to show God how passionate I was about Him. Finally, only 2 short weeks ago, I was baptized. It was the most wonderful experience of my life. Even if the water was freezing!
I had been baptized when I was 8, like any Mormon child, but as I didn’t choose to do it on my own and as I had left Christ completely, I felt like it was important to do it on my own.
I just turned 20 only three days ago. My journey to Christ has happened fast, and been completely life-changing. I am no longer homeless, and I no longer struggle with depression or homosexuality of any form. Danae and I are still going strong, and the only one I love more than Danae is God. I thank God every night in my heart for bringing Danae into my life and using her to bring me to Him.
†~God bless you all. I love you all.~†
Thank you for sharing your story. Praise God!