I grew up in a home where I was raised in church. My father died when I was seven years old, and my mother was left to raise three children on her own. I was the oldest of the three. Due to her heartbreak over the loss of my father, my mother walked away from God and the church. My life changed as well in that I was left with many voids in my life, and I felt haunted by so many mixed emotions and feelings. I made a brief return back to church at the age of 12. It was then that I asked Jesus into my heart as my Lord and Savior and was baptized. I fell away from the Lord again, and it wasn’t until I entered my early 20’s that I came back to the Lord. Sadly, I didn’t take Him at His Word and believe the things I needed to believe. Instead I saw only reflections of my failures in the areas of school, finances, wrong relationships, and childhood losses. So I fell away again. Finally, in my 30’s, some significant changes came about in my life. Those changes brought about a whole new perception of God the Creator and Jesus the Savior. During this time I also married. In my second year of marriage I came to a point where I felt like my salvation was not settled. I had asked Jesus Christ into my life at the age of 12, but I wasn’t sure that I had really understood the decision I had made then. So I reconfirmed my faith in Him and settled the issue of salvation once and for all. This was the point in my life when I truly sought to make Him not just Savior, but Lord of my life as well. I had finally taken God at His Word.

I continued to grow in my walk with the Lord. During my fourth year of marriage, I was challenged to take God at His Word again and live out what Ephesians 5 says on marriage. Even though it was a struggle, I sought to put my husband as the head of our marriage. This was difficult to do because trust was a real struggle in my life, especially trust in men.  The results were surprising – I found that by living out what God’s Word says on marriage I received a clearer picture of God’s love for me. It further proved that I could trust Him and know His Word is true. My husband and I have also trusted and found His Word to be true when it comes to what His Word says concerning finances. We have obeyed His command in Malachi 3:10 and lacked no necessity for our lives. When my flesh, the world, and the lies of Satan want me to see a different picture of God, as they so often try to get me to do, I reflect back on these ways God has shown Himself clearly. One final verse that has meant so much to me is Zeph.3:17. This is my favorite expression of God’s feelings towards me:

“The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”

This Scripture describes the Lord Jesus who loves me and desires for all to seek after Him.

I was a very selfish person. I didn’t care much about anyone else, and I certainly didn’t think I needed anyone else in this life. It was all about me! I went to church, but it was always a matter of what church could do for me. I wanted to participate in the activities, look good in the community, recieve acclaim for my vast knowledge of the bible. I spent most services doodling, flipping through magazines or scribbling notes to my friends. However, one Easter Sunday morning was different. I didn’t know what it was at the time that made me look up from my drawing, but now I know that the Holy Spirit was drawing me toward God.

I grew up in a small town called Pennsburg, PA. I was raised by good moral parents who rarely went to church.I had a brother and 2 sisters who were 10,12,and14 years younger than I.My parents never talked about God and even ridiculed our Christian neighbors. I always felt it was a good thing to believe in God. I might have gotten these thoughts from Sunday School, where My mother sent me when I was 4. I especially remember Joseph and his many colored coat. I’m sure that Sunday School was a big influence on me since I always prayed to God as I was growing up, but didn’t read my Bible or understand about salvation.

Although I grew up in a Christian home, knew right from wrong and that there was a Heaven and Hell,  I was afraid to walk the aisle of the church or ask God to come into my life. Although I didn’t get into any serious trouble, I was not a model person by God’s standards.

God had a plan for me even before I knew Him as my Savior. He provided me with wonderful, loving Christian parents, a church of caring teachers and friends, and pastors who clearly taught God’s Word. It was in this environment that I learned of God’s love for me — of my “sinful nature”–and how God, through Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, made me free from sin. I received Him as my Savior, and I thank God for His plan for my life.