Radiance - Week 1

The question for Nana's blog party this week is:


When did you give your life to Jesus? How did He reach out to you? What was your first response?


So in essence I should give my testimony. I gave it last September when I got baptized, so I have some practice. :)


When I was 5 or 6 I prayed to God to save me. Only thing is I didn't mean it. I just wanted a ticket to get out of hell. I was very scared of going to hell.


Now I am going to tell you that I was no little angel, by far! I was very, very disobedient and rebellious. I had a very big temper that I did not want to control.


So over the next few years I called myself a Christian, but I did not act it in anyway. I think was even slightly in rebellion to God. Not a good idea.


Then I turned 12. I don't really remember what month it was, but it may have been around the beginning of the school year. I do remember though, that reality was becoming clearer to me. I was beginning to be dissatisfied with my temper tantrums and getting angry so easily. I wanted to change. I was sitting in church and listening to the pastor, and he was preaching about becoming saved. That started me thinking "What if I died tomorrow? I woulndn't be able to tell Jesus sorry, or Mommy and Daddy!" I also started thinking of how bad I'd acted over the years. And I was really truly sorry then. I asked God to forgive me and come into my heart and help me change, right where I was sitting - and I meant it from the bottom of my heart.


People around me began to see changes in me after that. It has taken a lot of work and relying on Jesus, for me to get to the point that I'm at now. I also couldn't have had better parents. I'm so glad God gave me the parents that he did. They are wonderful, godly, beautiful Christians - they loved me even when I was a little terror. God used them to help me become who I am. I know I'm not perfect, that I still have a long way to go 'cause... no Christian, no matter how long they live, are never done growing in Christ. And there is hope for even the most hopeless person on the planet.


Christ is my Lord and Savior, and I will never deny him or break my allegiance to him. And last summer I publicly proclaimed that by being baptized at the age of 19. Yes, it's taken this long to get where I'm at, and it may have been hard, but you know what?  It was worth it!!


This is my testimony, and I hope you have been encouraged.

God Bless,
Stephanie