Story of Grace

Memories of my life before accepting Jesus as my Savior are very limited. As far back as I can remember God's Word was an important part of my life and upbringing. But I think I knew at age 7 that there was something missing. There was something my parents and people at church talked about that I didn't quite understand. The one thing I do remember specifically was this feeling I had inside. It was a gentle nudging of my heart as a teacher in my church shared a story of God's love. It went something like this...

God loved me so much in that while I was born a sinner (Romans 3:23), He sent His only son, Jesus, to live on this earth, to die on a cross in my place and to be resurrected within 3 days. This was done so that I could have a personal relationship with God...so that I could be His child. All that I had to do was say "yes" to God's forgiveness and ask Him to take control of my life. It was so simple and compelling that even as a child at age 7 I said yes.

In the many years since that life changing event, my life has taken many turns. I did well in school, graduated college at the top of my class and got a good job at a large company. My world was shaken at age 23 when my parents went through a divorce. But I got married a few years later and felt like I was living my dream. Ten years later that dream was shattered when my marriage also ended in divorce. But what is so amazing is that God has continued to pursue me through every victory and defeat of my life. He has never left my side. Accepting Jesus as my Savior didn't mean that I wouldn't continue to sin, or suffer difficulties, or make bad decisions. It just meant that I could accept God's unconditional love and forgiveness and I still do every day. My salvation is not dependent on my performance or behavior...PRAISE GOD! For God's Word tells me that NOTHING can separate me from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39) and that no one can take me from Him (John 10:28-29).

This relationship with God has given me so much freedom...freedom in knowing that I don't have to be "good enough" in order to get to heaven. Even in the midst of life's most difficult moments, God has lovingly comforted me as my Father. And He's used all of the things in my life to draw me closer to Him...to make me more like Him...so that I can share the comfort He has given me with a hurting world. That is His desire.