After leaving home for college, I found that many of the props in my life had been stripped away. The unsettled feeling I had as a youth could no longer be covered up with the day to day distractions of teenage life. I found myself hundreds of miles from home forced to life out of my comfort zone. I will never forget my second semester. An aunt of mine, who had only recently been saved herself, led me to the Lord one night on the telephone. I had had a rough time. I was pretty down. She just gently and lovingly said that I needed Christ to forgive me and indwell me with His spirit. From that moment forward, though I did not understand it, something had changed.

Amazingly, I immediately found that my circle of friends began to change. I was drawn to a strong bible fellowship on campus. There, I learned some praise and worship music, had solid biblical teaching, and most of all, made some Christian friends who helped me along the way. That experience has never left me. So often I look back with thanks at just how amazing the Lord’s grace is for me. Left to my own devices, I would have surely given up many times in so many areas of my life. However, I truly believe that it is the shed blood of Christ that allows the Holy Spirit to indwell me, renewing my mind, changing my heart, each and every day, to serve Him according to His purpose.