A Journal of Joy: Things that make my heart smile…
A number of years ago someone asked me how I came to know Jesus Christ as my Savior and I must admit, I didn’t know what to say. Did I love God? Yes! Did I believe Jesus died for my sins? Yes! Did I believe God was actively involved in my life? Yes! Was I a different person after Jesus came into my life? Yes! Then where was my story?
That bothered me—a lot! So I started praying and asking God to help me develop a story to share with others. I asked Him to bring back to memory the events in my life that He used to draw me to Him—and He did. I think everyone should have a concise story they can share with others if asked.
Mine is not a very dynamic story. I wasn’t struck blind on the road to Damascus like Paul and I had never literally killed anyone. Not all stories are dramatic but that doesn’t make them less valuable. Some have grown up feeling they have always known Christ. That’s their personal story and someone they come in contact with will be able to identify with it.
It gives me great pleasure to share my story with you.
When I was a senior in high school we moved. I had been with the same group of friends since first grade, so it was pretty devastating for me. I went from being involved in everything to not being involved in anything at the new school. I had no friends and we lived too far away for me to be involved in any school activities. It was obvious that it was going to be a long, hard year—not the great year I had always envisioned my senior year to be.
My mother had been attending a church for several years but my dad and I never went. Every year in the fall, they had a weeklong church convention/festival they attended. For five years she had asked Dad and me if we wanted to go and for five years we said, “No.’’ I had always been far too involved in school activities to take a week off. However, this year when she asked I was so miserable I said, “Yes!” Anything had to be better than what I was going through, even going to church for a week.
Going to that church festival really impacted my life. I had never seen such happy people. They had a love for God and a love for each other I had never experienced before. Some of the people were camping that year and I remember many got rained out, but their attitudes were still full of jubilation and praise for God. I didn’t know what they had, but I wanted it. It was also obvious to me that I had done some things in my life I wasn’t too proud of and had done my best to drive my folks insane. I just felt like I needed a change in my life and knew I was incapable of producing that change myself.
On the way home from that festival, I was sitting in the back seat of the car with my eyes closed, praying. I hadn’t done a lot of praying before so I didn’t really know what to say. So I just asked God to give me the kind of love those people had. I asked Him to forgive me for every rotten thing I’d done and help me make changes in my life.
Was I immediately a different person after that prayer? No. But I know God heard that prayer because He’s taken me on a spiritual journey ever since. There are many other stories to share about my journey but I’m focusing on when I first felt the presence of God in my life and when I realized that Jesus died for my sins—and I, just like the people I had spent a week with, could have God’s love in my life. Not only could I have His love but actually have Jesus Christ live His life in and through me.
What a joy! To realize that God knows everything about me and loves me anyway. That no matter what happens in life God will be with me every step of the way.
Well that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!
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O Lord, how I love to sing that Fanny Crosby song, “This is my story; this is my song. Praising my Savior all the day long!” I do want to praise You all day long. Thank You for revealing Yourself to me and coming into my life. These are gifts I do not deserve which makes them all the more precious to me. If someone asks me to share my story, fill my mouth with words that will bring You praise and glory!
