Before I became a Christian I thought I had it all figured out. I was one of those people who went to church and “acted” like a Christian on Sunday, but then was a complete different person Monday through Saturday. I had a few tramatic events occur in my life when I was little and this sent me on what would be a long road of self destructive behavior up until my early twenties. I knew to “act” Christian in front of the right people, but I did not live it when no one was looking.

I knew that I was a sinner. I knew that I needed to ask Christ to come into my heart and forgive me, but I was just to selflish. I could not handle letting go of all my sin. Mike (my husband) and I had just started coming to First North in 2001 when our church help host the Franklin Graham Festival. We went on the third night and sat in the back. I knew all the church lingo. I was raised in church, I went to a Christian school. I had all this knowledge in my head, but I did not live it. Towards the end Franklin asked if we were 100% sure if we died that we would go to Heaven. No one had ever asked me that quite that way. I knew I had all the head knowledge but that I did not have Christ in my heart, nor was He Lord of my life. I knew that I had been to selfish to give it all to Him. At the end of the sermon Franklin asked us to bow our heads and pray. He told us if we were not sure if we would go to Heaven that it was simple. Just tell God you know you have sinned. You know you are not perfect. He told us if we would just ask Him, He would come in.

I said that prayer that night and now I do have that assurance that if I died today I know I will go to Heaven. I still mage HUGE mistakes, but He is always there full of grace and mercy leading me and teaching me and empowering me every step of the way.

Like so many others, I grew up in church. From a young age I knew that Jesus was the Son of God, that he died on a cross for my sins, so I would not have to, and that three days later, God raised Him from the dead. By the time I was 10, God had already seen me through my parents divorce and an abusive stepfather. I decided to ask Jesus into my heart. I confessed that I was a sinner, and that Jesus had died for those sins, and that God had raised Him from the dead three days later. I asked for forgiveness for those sins, and for a while, I was faithful.

Then teen rebellion set in. My teen years were a cycle of repenting, drawing close to God, then rebelling again. When I was 18, I met my husband, and we made a huge mistake. We chose to ignore God’s rules about sex and marriage. I became pregnant at 19. My husband and I got married, and refused to ask forgiveness. Getting married, in our eyes took care of it. October 17,1994, our son Joseph was born. He died 3 days later of heart defects. My pride turned into bitterness, and then to anger. God could have healed Joseph, but he chose not to. For years I lived that way, not trusting God with my anger or anything else.

Then God put a coworker in my path, who had recently invited Jesus into her life, but was receiving some questionable bible teaching. She would come in with something way out there, I would grab her bible and show her the truth. It created a thirst in me for more. I dusted off my bibe and began reading, just to prove her wrong at first, but the more I read the thirstier I became. After my 4 children were born I began attending church again. I found myself on my knees one day, begging God to forgive me, for everything from premarital sex to pride, and I rededicated my life to him. Life is not easy, I still face problems every day, but I know that during these rough times, He is by my side, and even carrying me when I need it.

I grew up in Spartanburg, South Carolina in a good Christian home. I had two strong Christian parents and my family went to church every Sunday and Wednesday to First Baptist North Spartanburg. I believed that Jesus died for my sins and I felt that I needed him in my life.

My family moved to Cannons Baptist in 1998. I was about 5 or 6 when I asked Jesus to come into my life. I believed that he died for my sins on the cross and rose again on the third day. I came to my parents one night and told them I wanted Jesus in my heart. My parents and I said a prayer to God asking him to forgive me of all my sins and cleanse my heart. We asked him to come into my heart and I was baptized at Cannons Baptist Church.

In 2002, my family moved to North Carolina where I had to get used to a new school, house and meet new friends. I was a good Christian and I made straight A’s growing up. I tried to be friends with everyone and I never got in trouble at school. When I went into middle school, many things changed. I started acting like my friends more and more who gossiped and cussed. But this past year I’ve realized I wasn’t raised this way and I need to live for Jesus. I now try to keep a consistent quiet time and I try to grow in Him each and every day. He is the best thing that has ever happened to me and has changed my life.

I grew up going to a Methodist church with my mom,dad, and sister every Sunday. As I got older, sex and drinking came into my life. Although I knew it was wrong, casual sex and pornography really had a hold on me. I was not addicted to alcohol, but I loved partying on the weekend. I got married to someone just because she loved sex just as much as me. We were divorced 1 year later. I think that God was looking out for me during this time because deep down I knew what was right, but I did not want to settle down. I believed in Jesus because of my upbringing and although I went to church every Sunday the first twenty plus years of my life I was lost and did not know it.

I met a special woman named Michelle Pannell in November 1999. We fell in love and I quit partying. I knew that there was a void in my life and I started going to church with her at FBNS. We got married in March 2001. In 2003 we were at a business conference in Greenville and I remember that we were there at a church service on Sunday morning. We started singing “Shout to the Lord” and I felt something come over me. At that point, I went down and gave my life to the Lord. That void in my life was gone and it felt wonderful.

Since Christ came into my life, I am a much more positive person to be around. I am not stressed out all of the time now because I know that God will not give me more than I can handle. I believe that I am more well equipped to be a better husband and a better parent. Although I am still not where I want to be in my walk with the Lord, I know that if I died tomorrow, I would spend eternity with my Heavenly Father.

Drinking, smoking, strife, and a partying atmosphere typified my home life as I was growing up. My parents were very young when they married and within four years of marrying, they had three small children to take care of. I was the youngest. We were often subjected to their weekend intoxication, quarrels, and aggression. During this time, I dealt with the up and down emotions of an inconsistent and insecure home life. There were moments of laughter and gaiety in our home, but more often than not, unhappiness, fear, and anxiety were the norm.

In spite of all this, my parents saw the need of going to church and we would attend sporadically. When they did not go, they would send us by ourselves. It was at church, and the Christian influence of my grandparents, that I knew there was something more to life than the example that my parents displayed. After our family moved to another state when I was a young teenager, we started attending a Baptist church. It was here, as a result of a stirring message from the pastor, that I realized that I needed to ask God to forgive me of my sins and accept Christ as my Savior. I believed that He was the son of God, that he died on the cross for my sins, and that he rose again after three days, having victory over sin and death.

Since accepting Christ, my life has not been perfect. I’ve not always been fully committed to Him like I should. I’ve had to deal with resentment and ill feelings toward my parents, but God has shown me that I am to love them regardless. I have also done things that I am not proud of and have grieved the Holy Spirit. But I know that He has forgiven me and continues to walk with me daily. He has given me peace, security, a desire to do His will and to know Him better.