Although I had heard stories of Jesus, had been in church my whole life, and had invited Jesus into my heart, I felt there was something else I needed to do, but at the time was unsure what that was. I had always heard my pastor invite people to meet him at the front of the church to invite Jesus into their heart, but I thought I didn’t have to do that because I knew Jesus was in my heart. After talking with my parents, I realized that I needed to make that decision public, so after a revival service, when I was 11 years old, my parents and I went to tell my pastor and my church that I had invited Jesus into my life to be my Lord and Savior.

Since that day, I have enjoyed a life made possible only by walking with the Lord and praying to Him. Oh, there have been days when I didn’t feel saved; I’m sure I didn’t act saved, but by the grace of God, I AM saved! He has forgiven me and continues to bless me every day of my life. I cannot imagine a life without Christ.

I remember at age 8 my good friend, Charles Stone, went forward at the invitation and accepted Christ as his savior. That afternoon, I sat in the living room with my parents and told them that I had asked Jesus into my heart. My Dad prayed with me and after meeting with our pastor, I walked the aisle the next week.

I wish that my life since accepting Christ was one that was a great example but that would be a lie. Until the age of 16, I was a model kid. Active in RA’s, and youth groups, it seemed that life would be easy. However, looking back I realize that I was not maturing as a Christian. I began to make bad decisions about relationships, then alcohol. Because of the prior years in church, it was easy to hide this double life from everyone that I felt did not need to know. But through the end of high school and into college, even though I continued making bad decisions, I knew that everything I was doing was wrong. I also knew that I was not hiding from God. When you are in a situation like I was, you rationalize that you can continue what you are doing, fitting in with your friends, and then “get right with God” later on. I had a roommate in college that had no time for Christianity. He said that the church was full of hypocrites. I would argue the need for church and Christ, but then do everything contrary to what I was saying. I was blind to the fact that my roommate was right about how he felt about Christians because I was the perfect example of that hypocrite. A few years after college, the roommate that would argue with me about Chrisitianity died suddenly. I had not stayed in touch and still have no idea if he had accepted Christ or not. It was then that I began to recognize that how I was living was completely different from what I proclaimed was important. My guilt and shame moved me to ask God for forgiveness and to help me change the way I was living. Thank God that although I could turn my back on Him, He never did on me. My wife, Sarah, and I became more active in our church, but our real growth began when my career moved us to Spartanburg and into the family of believers at First North. God is so amazing that He can use a failure like me to teach in Adult Bible Fellowship. Paul understood this as well as anyone and the words he wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:7 speak to me like no others. He wrote, “We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all surpassing power is from God and not from us.” This jar of clay is thankful that God has chosen to save and use me and I desire to draw closer to Him each day.

My boyfriend and I just started getting worse and worse, and it wouldnt stop (It was like I was a bird shot by a hunter and I was falling to the ground with no one there to catch me or notice or even care). On the outside I pulled myself together. But I was crying for HELP. And finally I fell to my knees and asked for forgiveness and for God to give me a second chance. Because I knew that I couldnt do it on my own anymore, I finally realized that I needed help (I needed someone to catch me, and He caught me right before I hit the ground. More importantly, I needed someone who cared and noticed)! He helped me in ways no one could even see. I went to church the next sunday night; I didnt even plan on it, but I got baptized (By the way no one knew that I had rededicated my life).

My life after Christ is great. I mean I’m human and its really hard to read the Bible everyday and pray  after school and cheerleading. It gets really, though, I’m not going to lie. But I’m doing it, and I feel like I have a best friend that I can trust and is always watching over me. It gets hard, but life isn’t easy, and I’m currently still letting my ex go. Thats really hard because I fell in love with him….but God helps me. I just tell myself God has someone out there for me, and I’m not worried. I’ll find him someday…

Jackie’s mother and sister were constantly asking us to attend church with them, and we did from time to time. As our relationship grew and we began to consider marriage, we both felt the desire to find a church to attend. I totally thought this was my idea and had no inkling that this was the Lord’s hand nudging me closer to Him. We came to FBNS where we immediately loved everything about the church! I remember several times the pastor talking about how you must have a relationship with Jesus to gain salvation and that a change would take place in your life as a result of that relationship. I realized that I did not have that relationship, but I was still hesitant. One Sunday morning, I remember a special song being sung and I was so overcome by the feeling that God wanted me to surrender my life to Him that I could not stop crying and wanted to just leave. I tried to get up, but it was as if the Lord was keeping me in my seat. It was there that I made certain of my salvation by praying the Sinner’s Prayer and asking Jesus to be my Savior.

Since then, my life has changed radically. We eventually joined the church and began to attend Bible Fellowship class. I was lonely for Christian friends who had the same interests that I now had and God supplied me with so many great friends that keep me accountable in my walk with Him. I now teach Adult Bible Fellowship and am involved in many different areas of ministry in the church. It amazes me everyday that God can use even someone like me to tell others about Him and to show His love through me.

Since my Dad kept me in church, I went to VBS when I was 8 years old. During VBS I felt that something was missing from my life. I learned that Jesus loved me and accepted me. I asked Jesus to come into my heart and life.

After that day in VBS I felt a peace in my life. I no longer had the need to be accepted by anyone except my Great Father in Heaven. He loves me no matter what. I am not saying that my life has been without struggles, because I have struggled. Life has thrown me some curve balls, especially with the loss of my Dad when I was a senior in high school. Because of God’s love and acceptance through His Son Jesus Christ I know that I can always count on Him to be my constant friend and comforter. He will give me the strength I need to go through life.