Salvation

I said that one of my goals is to share what God is doing in my life, so where better to start than the beginning. I assume most of you who read this know me, and that I am a Christian (southern baptist), but you may not know how, when, where, and why. I think it is important to tell your salvation testimony for a couple of reasons. First, to know what took place. Sometimes when we say/write things, we ourselves understand better, and lets face it, we are a religion that lacks knowledge of why we believe what we believe. (Not that you have to know and understand everything to become a Christian, but it is so important to know who our God is and why it is vital that we know Him.) Second, it is a tool for reaching the lost and confused. Some things I have learned about telling your salvation testimony is to keep it short, but know the key points. (I am still trying to learn that) For instance, you want the listener to hear what your life was like without Jesus and how your life has changed after you accepted Him. That is only a vague explaination, but I think you get my point. Of Course, the Holy Spirit will help direct you as different circumstances call for different approaches. Anyway, here is my attempt to walk you through my Christian walk so far....

I was so blessed to be raised by Christian parents, so I had a foundation to stand on. I grew up knowing who Jesus was and that He died for me, but I didn't really understand anything more than the intellectual facts, and bible stories. By high school I was going to church and very active in my youth group. I was probably a cliche' Christian teenager, I would go to Falls Creek and get my spiritual high only to come back for a week being a self-righteous jerk and slowly lose it. Not that I did horible things, but as far as being Christlike, I had no fruit and no real understanding, as far as I was concerned it was for a good reputation. (Galations 5:22-"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.": John 15:5-"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do NOTHING." : Matthew 3:8 -"Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance...") I walked through all the motions, but never got it... until college. I was at rock bottom, I was working to keep things in my life that didn't belong. I tried to control my own life. Well, it wasn't working. I was a miserable, lonely, self-conscious girl. I knew (from the example of my parents) that I needed Christ, but at this point I couldn't see past all of my selfish desires.
God placed a friend in the midst of all this 'mess of a life' I had made (she became one of my dearest friends) and through her faith, influence, and example I started to see an end to my misery. I started attending a church, self-conscious and very broken. (Matthew 11:28-29 - "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls") Every time I went, I left feeling hopeful, and my hardend heart started to become soft again. I finally returned to my Savior understanding what had been missing my whole life up until then, a relationship with Him. (Philippians 3:10 - that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." ) In this verse, Paul is saying we must have a deep intimate relationship with Christ in order to truly know Him; and what living for Him means. More proof that this idea wasn't about a reputation, rules for good morals, or just something to believe in, this, relationship, is Truth. Jesus wanted a relationship with me, so I rededicated my life to Him, but this time I knew exactly what I was saying. Was life just hunky dory after that? Absolutely not!!! Though my worldly circumstances didn't change, my heart and my perspective did. There will always be death, destruction, and hardships here on earth, but I can rest in the fact that I have been saved.