I grew up in Spartnburg and was raised in the United Methodist church. My father worked, my mother stayed home to help raise 7 children. Earliest memories recall our family attending church every Sunday, so I knew about Christ at an early age. While I did not really get into a whole lot of trouble, any more than a normal teenager would, I looked at church in those early years as something you did, not as a chance to get to know Jesus and to spend eternity with HIm.

I had confessd my sins and accepted Jesus as my Savior at the age of 12, when I joined the United Methodist Church. The reality of making a commitment to Christ really hit home in the fall of 1976. I was involved in an automobile accident that could have been a lot worse than it was. My car was damaged, but thankfully, I was not hurt. My father came to assist and what made an impression was his concern for my well-being, not that I had made a mistake.
While I had known for a long time that Jesus was loving and compassionate, I also knew that it was up to me to be serious about my committment to follow HIM. This incident and my father’s response really opened my eyes. I said to myself, “Lord, you must have a reason for keeping me around. I’ve not followed you as I should, but with your guidance and support, I commit myself to actually listening to what you have been telling me all of these years”, “For it is by grace you have been saved”. (Eph 2:8)

I still have my struggles, as I am sure all Christians have on occasion. Job issues, work concerns, spiritual matters, and the pressures of an ever-changing society are issues that Christians deal with on a daily basis. Since my commitment to Christ as Savior, I am much more aware of how my relationship with Him affects those around me. Christ has provided a number of opportunities to grow spiritually and some of themhave involved “stepping outside of my comfort zone” in order to grow. Spiritual growth and committing to Christ is a life-long process, and I look forward to spending eternity In Heaven with our Lord and Savior.