I was a child who had grown up in a family where the Bible was read and going to church was a natural part of life. One of my sweetest family memories still returns me to that time of hearing my father read the Bible and praying with my family. However, there was a time before in which I didn’t know God. It was during this time that something awful happened in our family. Because I was a little child no one ever told me about the consequences for that person. As a result, I was confused about people and who to trust. I learned early to stay away from people. My father moved our family to another state where he began his seminary training.

One Sunday night at church, I played Bible Baseball with other boys and girls, and I learned that I had sinned against God. This was a surprise to me because I had been trained to pray to God and love God, and I believed that He loved me. But that night I learned that, “…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The teacher explained that no matter who we are, everyone of us has sinned and that anything that I had done wrong was against God who had never done anything wrong. I also learned that the things that I had done wrong would keep me from going to heaven. I learned earlier that heaven is a place where God is and that no one will be sad or be in pain there. Heaven was a place I wanted to go. But, because of my wrong doing, even as a child, I would not go. That night, the Bible verse, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23) began to mean something so much more. I also learned through the Bible (John 3:16) that God loved me and everyone so much that He gave His only child, Jesus, to pay for all sin with His life on the cross. And if I believe that he did this for me that I would not die, but that I would someday go to live in heaven with Him . It was important for me to be with God because I learned as a little child that He made me. I didn’t want to be apart from Him any longer. I prayed to ask Jesus to change my heart and to help me never again to do anything wrong against Him. I knew then that God would always be with me and that I was not the same as I was before.

In that church I learned that through Bible reading and prayer Icould learn about God and could talk to Him about anything at anytime. The teachers at church helped me to learn to pray on my own and to trust God on my own because God would judge me as a person. No one else could stand in my place. Many times as a teen and young adult, I sinned against God since the day I asked Jesus to forgive me. These were times when I turned away from Jesus and I chose sin and self. The Bible says, “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:14). Hebrews 13:5-6 has taught me that the Lord is my helper and that He will never leave me. I know that if someone has done anything wrong that it is against God. I know that God loves that person and wants that person to know Him too. If the way I live my life says thank you to Jesus, then Jesus will show Himself through me and that person will see Jesus and not me. I may not always trust man, but I can always trust Jesus.

I grew up in a Christian home. Growing up, I never felt like I belonged. I always felt unloved and empty. I knew I was a sinner and carried a burden of guilt. I was an overachiever hoping that people would love me. I heard about Jesus’ love in church. I accepted Jesus into my heart at the age of 12. Then my father died from leukemia and my world caved in. I had such an emptiness in my heart and instead of turning to Jesus for comfort, I became bitter and angry and turned to the world for comfort. I tried to find comfort in drugs, alcohol, and other people. I became suicidal. I knew what I was doing was wrong. I knew I needed Jesus but I was too angry to turn to Him.

My father was a farmer as was his father. I remember from an early age my mother reading the Bible to us at nap times. I was full of questions, especially about the crucifixion. I was so interested in the sufferings of Christ. My five-year-old mind couldn’t grasp how someone could be treated so badly and why. Despite my early memories, I was not raised in a Christian home. My father worked all the time and was as his father a very strict disciplinarian. My mom and dad didn’t always attend church, but they did take us.

I had a young Sunday School teacher who had a zeal for the gospel. She explained the life, death and resurrection of Christ in a way I could understand. I accepted Christ at the age of 10, though my circumstances did not change my attitude about them did. Our lives were not easy, but my paternal grandmother always seemed to make life easier for me. She was a Godly example in my life. Through all of her many trials, the loss of 3 children at birth, two miscarriages, the loss of her parents and all of her siblings, she was always a steadfast Christian. Although GOD has called her home, she was always and remains the touchstone in my life.

In 1969 I married my best friend and we were blessed with two daughters and financial success. In 1990 after twenty years of marriage it all began to dissolve. I lay on my face by my bed and asked GOD to come in and take over. He did as I asked. Though my marriage didn’t last, this journey taught me so much about depending on GOD. This was a very valuable time in my life as a Christian. I learned how truly powerful prayer is. When I was a young mother, my parents were divorced. I pleaded with the LORD to bring my children through this trial with as few scars as possible. In the seventeen years since, through all of the sadness, the bitterness, mistakes and upheaval I have joy. My JESUS never wavered; He didn’t move. GOD has brought me through every trial stronger for the experience. He renews my spirit every morning.

I was raised in a good home with parents who loved me very much. Although they didn’t take me to church very much, I had an older sister who took me to church on a regular basis.

Before accepting Christ as my Savior my heart was empty, and my life seemed hopeless. Growing up I became the victim of abuse that lasted from the time I was a small child till I left home to go to college. As a young adult I spent many years searching, trying to deal with the past and fill the void that I felt in my heart. However, nothing seemed to help.