Hello!!

I've been thinking for quite some time on creating a blog dedicated to what God has shown me.  The last couple of years He has really been there for me and shown me some amazing things!  I am looking forward to journaling all He is doing for me here on this blog.

But first of all.....I want to share the most important thing He has done for me.........the act of calling me His own........because of Him, I am part of His family and He calls me His friend.

Since the day I first took my breath, I have been taught about Jesus and God.  Being born into the family of Baptist preachers......I would not have escaped being taught about Him.  I am so thankful to have been born knowing and often wonder how I would have responded if I hadn't been.  Scary to think!  But even though I was born into it.....it took me a while to really understand what it meant.

Around 8 years old I recognized the "thump thump thump" on my heart when my Papaw ended the Sunday service with the altar call.  Boy I thought I would pass out then and there from a heart attack but I didn't respond.  I kept making deals with God........I'll do it at Christmas cause it'd be a great birthday present to Jesus.........I'll wait till I'm 9....10...11.....but ultimately the biggest excuse I made was out of fear.  Growing up in church and especially in a pastoral family.......you unfortunately see the good, bad and ugly in churches.  Even at 8 years old I was no dummy.  I heard my grandparents crying over hurt within the church and I had it in my mind if they will hurt each other what will they say about me when I took that step out into the aisle and committed my heart to Jesus.  I was afraid because rejection from people is something hard for me to handle.

Four years went by and Papaw resigned from the little Baptist church we went to Sunday after Sunday for many years..........and my parents decided since my sister and I were older that we should go to a bigger church with kids and a Youth group.  The small churches we went to rarely had kids.....one or two at most not counting us..........so we needed to go somewhere we could get involved with other children.  Going to the bigger church wasn't a good experience either........like the small church, the bigger church had the same group of people (weeds as Matthew calls them) in among the true Christians.  Although it was another bad experience for my family it was good in a sense for it was through a youth retreat that I finally gave my heart to Jesus.  March 4th 1989 was the best year of my life!  I was 13 years old and so excited when a prayer of mine was answered in a Nashville hotel room.  I had asked God to send someone to me and point blank ask me if I wanted to be saved.  I was too afraid to walk the aisle or ask anyone.  So there after a youth conference (extremely boring one at that!  LOL), that my room chaperon sat with me on the bed with a tract and asked me if I would like to be saved.  OH YES YES!!  It was about midnight when I accepted and I remember looking out of the balcony window of our room thinking I could jump off right into the pool I was so excited.  What's even more funny about that.........I couldn't swim a lick!  LOL

My relationship with Jesus grew as I would talk to Him at lunch at school and I really felt close to Him........but to me my salvation meant a free ticket out of hell.  But it's so much more than that.  It wasn't until I got married that I realized it's more than security..........He is my everything!  He is my best friend.......my comforter........my helper........I can't imagine my life without Him!  He has helped me through so much....especially the last 2 years.  My faith grows stronger and stronger......

Earlier when I said I wonder if I would have believed if I hadn't been born into a Christian family........I would think it would be hard to believe.  Although He isn't visible to our eyes...........in my soul I know He is real.  I can hear Him speak to me (not audibly but consciencely)....I can see Him in how He has worked in my life through scriptures I've never really read but show up at times I needed them (Nehemiah being a great example I'll share later).....and He has filled a void in my life.....a loneliness I had although I had many friends.  To an unbeliever this probably sounds strange.........and I would probably agree with you if I was on that side............but I hope with all my heart if anyone is reading this and knows me...........I hope you can see that I am speaking in what I believe with the utmost confidence that's it is true........I've never been more sure of anything in my life.  I'm not perfect.......being a Christian does not make you perfect.........but being a Christian is the most wonderful thing I have ever experienced.  I wish I hadn't of waited so long to say YES!

If you would like to say YES.........it's very easy to do.  There is no magical prayer or action to do..........all you do is admit you need Him as your Savior.  This world is sinful and full of so many things that are not of God.  If we admit to Him that we have sinned against God and ask for forgiveness He will forgive us and see us as clean holy people instead of full of sin.  Now don't get me wrong..........becoming a Christian doesn't make us immune to sin.  We still sin........sometimes unfortunately more than unbelievers........but if we truly believe in Him, He doesn't see our sin anymore if we repent from it.  This world wasn't meant to be like it is........but because we chose our own way, we go against what God intended for us.  That's why we have to repent to Him.  It's not easy.......but because Jesus died for us......He took our punishment for sin and we can be forgiven.

After we believe.......just live for Him.  Live as He did..........show others the way to fill the void in their life........I think I fail in that a lot...........but I hope through this blog someone can understand and want to know about Him.  That is my desire...........I want you to see Jesus in me.