Growing up I really did not attend church very often. When I did, it was usually with my Grandpa. I can remember well intended people saying to me, “You need to get saved!”, but becaue this was never really explained to me, I equated this to joining the church, so at the age of 16 that is exactly what I did. Bottom line: I had a church membership, but no relationship with the Lord at all! There was no change in my life. You see I was basically what you would call a good person, but God was no more a part of my life then than he was before.

Consequently, I spent all of my teenage and young adult years thinking I was ok because I was a good person and a church member. I married had three children and was even a worker in our local church, but in my heart I knew something was missing. During a revival meeting the visiting minister said, “Raise your hand if you know for sure that if you died today you would go to heaven.” Well, of course I raised my hand, but I was not sure at all. During that service I went forward and accepted Christ as my Lord and my Savior for the first time at age 36. I now understood that I was a sinner and that I needed God in my life. For the first time I understood that it wasn’t about church membership or being good but about a relationship with God through Jesus Christ!

My spiritual journey has been slow but steady. Sure I stumble and fall spiritually from time to time, but unlike my first experience, God is very real to me! He is a part of my life, of who I am, and He has truly changed my life. I seek Him through prayer and studying His Word. I want to do good things, but I want to do them because of all that He has done for me through His only Son, Jesus Christ. And now when that questioned is asked, “Do you know for sure if you died today that you would go to heaven?” there is no doubt in my heart whatsoever.