Lauren over at Created by His Glory is hosting a Blogger Tour of Testimonies. Head over there to read hers, several others and add your testimony link to her Mr. Linky.I have to start out by saying that I was blessed to grow up in a Christian home. This was wonderful as I had a great example set before me of two Christian parents.
I can't understand now how I did this but as a child I suppose that I believed everyone thought I was a Christian. This does not make sense because I had never made a decision to accept Christ into my life. I don't know if my beginning concepts of salvation, and Christ was that "I'm a Christian because my family is..." or what. All I know is that when the time came around 8 years old that the Lord started convicting me that I had never made a decision, in my head I was embarassed thinking that everyone would be suprised, and I just couldn't do it.
The biggest point is that I remember having a very good head knowledge, but no heart knowledge. I KNEW how to become a Christian, to accept Christ. I knew what it imeant and I was fully aware at this point that I had NOT taken that step.
At 8 we were attending a church that had a childrens church. Every week at the end of the songs, Bible story and everything we would have an invitation time. Much like they did in my "big church" as well. We would pray and they asked if anyone wanted to ask Jesus Christ as their personal savior to go towards the back of the room and some adults would take the group and talk with them. Every week during this invitation I just cried, and cried. I knew I had not made a decision to ask Christ into my life but I did not have enough courage to do it.
Finally I made up my mind one Sunday immediatly after church. I decided that next Sunday was going to be the week I would ask Jesus to be my Savior. I don't know why I waited, but I remembered asking my parents questions like "If someone is planning on asking Jesus into their heart, and Jesus comes back before they do...would he still take them?" I don't remember the answers they gave me.
Finally the big day came, March 11 1990. They had childrens church, and then here came the invitation. I proudly stood to my feet and walked to the back of the room. They proceeded to take me and a few others to a room and talk to us, counsel us. They helped us to pray to accept Christ.
For the longest time I struggled with feeling like I did not have a good testimony, because God didn't bring me from some down in the pit, out of drugs, or something dramatic testimony. Then I realized that my testimony is just as wonderful. Because in all truth He did! God kept me from those things. He protected me from having many hardships other people had to endure. I never had sex before I was married, or took drugs, or drank alcohol. I never had to struggle with my teen years feeling like I was all alone. Instead, I had God right by my side the entire time.
By the way, although I might not have went through a rebellious stage with God or my parents, and He kept me from many harmful things in my life. I am NOT perfect. I do make mistakes just like anyone else. I am a sinner, saved by Grace and continue to make mistakes daily.
Here are several verses that I believe are key to salvation (there are many more)
Romans 3:23 tells us that all have sinned. Romans 6:23 reminds us the wages of sin is death. John 3:3 tells you that you must be born again. John 14:16 Jesus tells us HE is the way. Romans 10:9-11 instructs you to confess your sins, 2 Corinthians 5:15 reminds us we should no longer live for ourselves and Revelation 3:20 reminds us that God wants to come into your life.
I thank you Jesus for saving me, and for my testimony. The wonderful testimony that you do give us a testimony even if it doesn't feel like it at times!
If you have questions about my testimony or how to know the Lord as your personal savior please email me at kiliblog@cox.net
Lauren over at Created by His Glory is hosting a Blogger Tour of Testimonies. Head over there to read hers, several others and add your testimony link to her Mr. Linky.
29 comments:
Your testimony is the kind I pray my children will have. The kind where the Word and the what they knew of it keeps them until they are born again. It's a wonderful testimony!
I think that is a beautiful testimony, with His protection through your life, including many of the "difficult years" too.
You are blessed!
Thanks for visiting my post.
Each person's testimony is so personal and it's such a beautiful testament of what God has done! I admire your firm stance and your sensitive heart for the Lord. Thank you for sharing and thank you for the comment on my blog! :)
Thanks for sharing. I love reading and hearing other peoples testimonies.
This is a beautiful testimony! I too was blessed with parents that taught me the right way! I'm so glad that one day I realized that I needed to make a decision for Christ for myself! Thanks for sharing!
Praise God for His sovereignty and protection over your life. As Susanne said, I pray my children will have a testimony like yours. I am so glad you shared the verses at the bottom of your post. May God be glorified by you and your testimony.
Thanks for stopping by my site today!
As Susanne said, yours is the kind of testimony I pray my children have as well. It's just as much an evidence of God's grace to keep you from getting into some of those things as it is to raise others out of them. Thanks so much for sharing!
Actually, the struggles you describe add a drama to your testimony! Many young people, I understand, kinda struggle with having been saved as a child, but I love how your story pictures a struggle that I, for one, can certainly relate to, even though it's nothing like mine.
God is so awesome!
This is wonderful! I've never read a testimony written by someone who committed their life to Christ at such a young age. I know it wasn't perfect, but you were so blessed to grow up in a Christian home. You'll have the opportunity to share the truth with others for many years to come.
I appreciated your testimony. It is a good reminder to those of us in Christian homes to make it clear to our children that they need to accept Christ. I appreciated the scripture you laid out very clearly. As you know, I was blessed to grow up in a Christian home as well. :0)
Thanks so much for stopping by my blog. One of the real bonuses to this bloggy tour is getting to meet wonderful new people. I think our testimonies are very similar. It is an encouragement to every parent to see how a child's heart responds to the gospel message, and that we really did understand. You have a precious family. Blessings to you all.
Kili-
This is a precious story, from your heart. Others have said they hope their children will have stories like yours; I deeply regret that my children don't. They came to know Christ in spite of us! But their children are growing up this way, thank God.
Thanks for your comment on my blog. I see that I must have unintentionally left the impression that I think somebody could become a Christian without a conscious commitment! I think I'm going to write an entry for tomorrow about that!
Your blog is great--Little Lump is precious.
I think your testimony is great. We all go through whatever it is for a reason. I am enjoying reading all the different ways people chose to serve Christ.
awww.. what a blessing. I hope that my children can say something similar as their testimonies someday :D I thank God most of them are still very young!
Jenn
How similar your life is to mine! I accepted Christ at seven when my older sister told my twin and i that our pryares didnt work that well because we hadn't accepted Jesus into our hearts. I was so confused. I thought I had always been a Christian. And I think in truth I had been. It was just another step in growing in Him.
The stories of believers who remained faithful and steadfast in their walk with our Father, never turning to the world, are the ones that bless me the most. You're testimony is wonderful and I'm so glad to have heard it. Thank you for sharing.
FROM EMAIL I RECEIVED:
Yeah, thanks for sharing. (And letting me know about my blog address...)
Just was thinking about how the devil tried to work you with the pride thing, with you being concerned that everyone would "expect" that you were already Christian at age 8. I suppose that's what keeps a lot of people from knowing Jesus. The enemy's right there telling people stuff like, "Oh, you don't have to say some silly prayer or anything..."
Well, praise God you got saved, even without having to "go down into some pit"!
Thanks again, Jen
P.S. I tried to post a comment, but had to resort to this!
Susanne- Thank you what a GREAT compliment that is!
Cheryl- Thank you and I must agree. He kept me from much pain.
Kim- Thank you for your comment. I appreciate you saying I had a "firm stance" and "sensitive heart".
Free In Christ- Thank you!
Heather S- It sounds like in that way you and I are much alike!
Peach-Thank you, and you are welcome for the verses. Hope they help!
Barbara H- Thanks for your encouraging words.
Rebecca- You mean the struggle to go forward in the beginning? Thank you for your comments.
E Mom- Well thank you. I hope it was encouraging to read.
Erna- Thanks for commenting and reading. Yes I remember your post as well. Welcome on the scriptures.
Linda- That is so sweet. Thank you.
Judy- I am glad that your children came to know the Lord anyway. I made another comment on your blog about my last one. :)
Chandra- Thanks
Jammy- Thanks for your encouraging and kind words.
Janice- Thanks. Now I will say I always knew I wasn't a Christian [up to age 8] I was just acting like it, and exptected to be, and act like one. :)
Mugwumpmom- I love your reply to my post. Thank you for that wonderful encouragement.
Jennifer- Great thoughts and thanks for commenting. You are right, thank the Lord I didn't have to experience that!
This is a beautiful testimony! Like you, I was raised in a Christian home (sort of) but I don't really think I made the choice until I was out on my own at college. I guess everyone gets to that point at different times.
Thank you so much for sharing this! It was great learning abit more about you and your faith walk!
-Heather
Thanks for sharing! I haven't posted my testimony on my blog yet, but its like yours. Praise be to God that I was saved early. And even if I didn't fall into life damaging sins, I know that we all no matter what are just as sinful and need HIM just as much!! And I am praying constantly that my children will get saved at an early age as well.
I was in the same situation as you. Born into a Christian family and thinking that meant I was saved. I love how the Lord speaks to our heart and draws us to Him.
Thank you for sharing your story. I could visualize the determined little girl marching to the alter. It made me smile and I'm sure the Lord smiled too.
God Bless your walk.
Lovely testimony. Thanks for sharing it. Hasn't this been awesome?
I love this - our stories are so similar. What a blessing, though. I think that 8-10 year age is pivotal - old enough to sense God's conviction but young enough to still have such child-like faith.
I agree w/Susanne. Thanks for sharing.
I also could not agree more with Susanne. A wonderful testimony and one I hope my kids have one day. Thank you for joining in and sharing with us.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful testimony.
I have never been to your site before, but I was checking out some of the links for the Bloggy tour of Testimonies. I have to say that every one I clicked on has talked abotu being saved as a child. I have often wondered about how that wokrs, can they really have been saved. But your testimony really sealed the deal for me. I understand now that it is possible, and infact a very great bleassing indeed. I have of coursed prayed that my kids would be saved in their youth, but I hadn't really believed it was possible. But God has a way of working these things out, and your testimony coupled with a few others really made it clear to me that what I was praying for my kids really is possible. Thank you for sharing.
Mrs Meg Logan
Mine is up now too.
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