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"I have not always been a Christian."
Growing up in a small town in Arkansas, we live with our mother in our grandmother's
house. My mother did not go to church then but would make sure my sister and I were there. The
church bus would pick us up, but we did not attend regularly. I accepted Christ at an early age
because our mother made me and baptize at the age of twelve, I really did not understand the
water baptism, just doing something because of my mother. Once I reached my teenage years,
we attended church regularly: Sunday school, Bible Teaching Union (BTU), Morning service,
night service, and mid-week. I always felt that was a lot. I used to tell myself that when I became
an adult, I would not attend church so much because I thought I was going to church too much
and not getting anything out of the service. I was a person who felt that as long as I attended
church, I would be good until the next time I went. When I became an adult, I moved away to
Detroit, where I attend church regularly; I was the same person who felt I was going so much…
but I still was not getting what I was searching for. I was the kind of person who felt as though I
could live like the world and still be in church. I could be worldly through the week and save on
Sunday, which would still help me to get into Heaven. Be saved and do nothing else; there is
more to being saved!
“I realized I needed Jesus and received Him into my life when."
I realized I needed Jesus when things began to spiral out of control. At that time, I was
living with my boyfriend. At this point in life, I put things before God, like trying to please my
boyfriend and not God. I made him my God. Whatever he said, that was what it was; if he said
he did not want me to go to church, let us rest today. We rested that day. The more I put Jesus on
the back burner, the more my life started going in spirals. We argued every day, the verbal and
mental abuse started, the trust had left the relationship, there was no love in the home and no
peace. I knew I had to find my way back to Christ. But I continued to put him before God. One
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day, I was taking a trip with family members (trying to get a break from the relationship) while
driving down the highway, and the vehicle caught on fire. At that point, I knew I was gone, but I
did not have a relationship (like I should have) with Christ. You think that would have brought
me closer to him, not with the boyfriend I had. He was making it hard by making me choose,
which was wrong! On the day after Thanksgiving in 2004, I had to decide because it became a
point in my life where I wanted to harm my boyfriend. I asked the Lord to deliver me from this
relationship, and I will live for him. Because the world cannot give me what he can! I turned my
life over to the Lord entirely in November 2004 when I walked away from a seven-year
relationship. I knew seven represented completion, so I was done, and it was time for a new start
and beginning.
“The biggest change I have noticed in my life is."
My most significant change was when I gave myself to Christ. I now desire to serve the
Lord more. Once I surrendered to the Lord, he sent me what I needed. In 2005, my husband, a
better prayer life. I am a willing vessel for the Lord. I have seen open doors, and I have
experienced many blessings. My life is so much better with Christ in it. Also, I wake up with so
much joy and peace. Talking about FAITH, I have grown tremendously!
How can something like this happen to you?
Putting something before God or letting someone become your God is easy. The world
will show you a better side and make you feel missing out on life. It will make you think once
you become a Christian, life ends; that is when life begins. It is so easy to fall prey to something
that cannot bless, heal, comfort, or give you peace. Only God can do that because he loves us
that much! Once you accept him, your life forever changes!
