Before I knew Christ, my life was about just simply going through the motions. I went to church because I was supposed to, I tithed because I was supposed to, I did everything relating to church because I was told to. Even after I accepted Christ into my heart at an early age, I don’t think I truly understood what it meant to know Christ and live the way He wanted me to.

As a young girl I asked my mom one day how I could get baptized. She told me I had to accept Jesus into my heart by asking Him. So I did and at seven years old I joined my church and got baptized. I was so young though, that I didn’t realize what it meant to walk with the Lord. Over the next several years I still did things my way and not the way God wanted me to. I made a lot of mistakes, and finally when I was in college I realized something was missing in my life. I wasn’t truly experiencing all God had for me, and I decided to re-dedicate my life to the Lord.

Since I chose to live for God at 20 years old my life has never been the same. I don’t worry about insignificant things anymore. I have friends and family that are Godly people and are always there for me. I go to church, tithe, and serve others because I want to, not because I have to. There are times when it is still tough and I still struggle with certain sin in my life, but I still feel I have a huge burden lifted off of me that only God could have done.

As a child I was brought up in a Catholic home which in later years found out is much different than a Christian home. I was taken to church every Sunday but mostly because that was what you were suppose to do. Their was no Bible to read out of just a “Prayer Book” in latin that you took to church called “Mass”. During my high school and college years church was not a part of my life. I know now that if I died then, I would have gone to hell.

In January, 1977 I married the love of my life and have enjoyed thirty wonderful years with him. We were not Christians. In the summer of l986, our world was at its lowest point with an addiction of gamgling taking over our life. We were at our lowest point in life. It was then that I realized that I needed the Lord because nothing else seemed to be working. On a Wednesday evening in the summer of l986 I asked the Lord to come into my life to be my Lord and Savior. My shoulders immediately became less heavy and my life started to turn around. I was baptized in the presence of my family.

Life hasn’t been easy and I have fallen on several occasions but we have a forgiving God that says ok my child and lifts you up. It is just a job to know and have the assurance that one day I will be sitting with my Lord and Savior in Heaven praising Him for what he did not me, a sinner saved by grace. My home now is truly a home that stands, shouts and praises the Lord for what He has done for me.

Growing up I really did not attend church very often. When I did, it was usually with my Grandpa. I can remember well intended people saying to me, “You need to get saved!”, but becaue this was never really explained to me, I equated this to joining the church, so at the age of 16 that is exactly what I did. Bottom line: I had a church membership, but no relationship with the Lord at all! There was no change in my life. You see I was basically what you would call a good person, but God was no more a part of my life then than he was before.

Consequently, I spent all of my teenage and young adult years thinking I was ok because I was a good person and a church member. I married had three children and was even a worker in our local church, but in my heart I knew something was missing. During a revival meeting the visiting minister said, “Raise your hand if you know for sure that if you died today you would go to heaven.” Well, of course I raised my hand, but I was not sure at all. During that service I went forward and accepted Christ as my Lord and my Savior for the first time at age 36. I now understood that I was a sinner and that I needed God in my life. For the first time I understood that it wasn’t about church membership or being good but about a relationship with God through Jesus Christ!

My spiritual journey has been slow but steady. Sure I stumble and fall spiritually from time to time, but unlike my first experience, God is very real to me! He is a part of my life, of who I am, and He has truly changed my life. I seek Him through prayer and studying His Word. I want to do good things, but I want to do them because of all that He has done for me through His only Son, Jesus Christ. And now when that questioned is asked, “Do you know for sure if you died today that you would go to heaven?” there is no doubt in my heart whatsoever.

I was brought up in a good home. My parents took us to church each week. At home we were shown love in many obvious ways. About the only spiritual issue I had was the fear of death. This came in the form of a dream occasionally. Life rocked along in no particular direction. I married, got a job and along came 2 kids. We continued attending church but more out of habit. About 4 years into our marriage, a neighbor invited us to a Bible study. The next Saturday and for many more we attended.

While attending these studies I saw and heard about God in a new way. God was working in me. On a vacation day in August I took a bicycle trip and ended up at a church, went inside and asked the Pastor if he could tell me about Jesus. We went over several Bible verse showing God’s love for me, my sinful life and God’s way to heaven. He asked if I wanted to receive Him. I politely refused. At home that day I told my wife what had happened. A few days later, the Pastor came to our home and in my home I asked Jesus to be my savior.

Since that time many years ago, challenges from the former life are still a daily annoyance. Now through God’s power and my obedience they don’t knock me as far back. Some of the great differences are the dream mentioned earlier was gone immediately, joy has filled my life, I love my wife in a better way and have learned the meaning of love. Old repressive habits have been discarded. Peace concerning my past, present and future now rules. I’m thankful for the new life it is not restrictive but fulfilling.