This is a true story of how GOD revealed and drew me to HIMSELF…
I went to church for many reasons throughout my youth, but it wasn’t to pursue a personal relationship with GOD. As a young child, I remember church only as a place to eat cookies, drink punch and to hang out with friends. As a teenager, I viewed church as a place for fun activities, games and meeting girls.
It’s not that I didn’t believe in GOD; I did. I had heard a lot about GOD growing up , but didn’t really understand what it meant to have a personal, loving &growing relationship with HIM. As a result, going to church for me was just going through the motions.
One Wednesday evening in Kingman, AZ. a church leader at Manzanita Baptist Church shared the good news of JESUS CHRIST with me, and asked if I wanted to pray “the sinner’s prayer.” I said “yes”, but only because my best friend at the time had done so. I didn’t really understand what it meant to ask JESUS into my heart. Therefore, I continued to live a life for myself as if nothing had ever happened.
As a junior in high school, only 3 things mattered the most to me: to be popular, to do well academically and to excel in athletics, particularly in basketball. I believed that these goals would of helped me to pursue my dream of playing college basketball in the future.
But by the end of my senior year, I had failed to make the varsity basketball team, hadn’t earned straight A’s and was frustrated with my social life. Feeling like I was a failure and didn’t deserve to live, I went home one day from track practice, went into my bedroom, which I fell to my knees and prayed a heartfelt prayer asking GOD to physically take my life.
2 weeks later, I found myself very ill while participating in a track meet. After returning home, I developed a high fever, couldn’t barely walk and began having convulsions. I was then taken to the hospital while I moved in and out of a state of consciousness. After 3 days of tests and treatment, I was diagnosed with a deadly disease/virus and was moved to a quarantine room within the hospital.
Lying in bed, I found myself remembering my prayer from 2 weeks earlier. The recognition hit me that there really is a GOD and that HE really does answer prayer. As I realized this, I quietly prayed a second heartfelt prayer talking to GOD saying… “GOD, I realize now that YOU are real and that you do exist. I ask that you would deliver me from this deadly disease/virus and give me a second chance at life…not just for myself, but for others and most importantly, for YOU.”
Within 2 hours of this prayer, I began gaining my strength back. My fever broke, my convulsions stopped and I was able to eat and drink again. Amazed, the doctors marveled at my miraculous recovery, wondering how I was deathly ill one moment and symptom-free the next. But it was no mystery to me; I knew without a shadow of a doubt that it was GOD who had delivered me from my deathbed.
Unfortunately, when my health returned, so did my worldly ways. Although school was important to me, I wasn’t diligent enough in my studies while attending college at NAU. I was placed on academic probation and, eventually, asked to leave.
After returning home, I returned to Manzanita Baptist Church (MBC), where I attended youth group while I was in high school. While attending MBC again, I started learning about the love of CHRIST. In time, I expanded my involvement at MBC by becoming a youth leader, but my spiritual growth was merely intellectual, not really a transformation of the heart.
This all changed one Friday night, as I watched a Life Action Ministries video entitled, “America: You’re Too Young to Die.” This video explained man’s sinfulness and his need to have a personal relationship with GOD through the acceptance, forgiveness & sacrifice of HIS son JESUS CHRIST.
For the first time in my life, I was struck with the enormity of GOD’s love for me/mankind, and the understanding of why JESUS had to die for me/ mankind. Weeping uncontrollably, I returned to my house that evening, went into my room, fell to my knees and asked JESUS to forgive me of my sins, to come into my heart & life and to be my SAVIOR & LORD. That night I cried myself to sleep with tears of joy and love. At age 22, I had finally committed my life to GOD.
But even as I found life in GOD, and grew in my love for HIM, I still faced depression & many hardships (including suicidal thoughts). As I was going through this, I felt pulled into 2 different directions. I learned that if I followed GOD whole heartedly, I would lose everything that had once mattered to me: family, friends and basketball.
GOD is always faithful and in doing so, HE divinely brought Scott & Stephanie (Youth Pastor & wife) into my life to point me to GOD’s unconditional love and everlasting truth. With their influence and help, I eventually realized that I couldn’t please both GOD and man. I knew it was time to choose and in doing so, I chose to follow and abide in GOD and in GOD alone. And as a result, I found true meaning in life!
Returning to College (Southwestern Bible College) as GOD provided the funds to do so…I studied HIS Word, built meaningful friendships, played on the men’s basketball team and continued to grow in my loving walk & relationship with GOD. 3 years later I graduated (the first in my family to do so) with my degree and eventually, served in Youth Ministry for a couple of years.
Sadly to share that for the next 7 years or so, I found myself falling in a trap of religion (Do’s/Don’ts: man’s way of trying to earn GOD’s acceptance, favor & love through doing “good” works, etc.). But so grateful & thankful to a gracious & loving GOD who cared enough to intervene & help me to understand that HE didn’t create me/mankind to follow a set off rules, but to follow HIM in a loving rich relationship. HE did so by bringing a certain person into my life who taught & showed me GOD’s underserving grace, compassionate mercy & rich-unconditional love for me. And as a result, I have a burning passion to share GOD’s love with YOU & the world.
I now dedicate my life to encourage others to seek, find and to come know GOD personally. I can honestly share with you that if you truly want a JOYful life =
Jesus first.
Others second.
Yourself last.
If you would like to know GOD personally and have never invited HIS son JESUS CHRIST into your heart and into your life, I would like to invite you to do so through the following simple prayer:
Dear GOD…I know that youcreated me to have a personal relationship with you and I want to know you personally. I know that I am a sinner and that my sin separates me from you, but I believe you sent your one & only son JESUS CHRIST to die for me in order to forgive me of my sins because you love me so much. I believe HE died on the cross, was buried and rose three days later and is now up in heaven preparing a place for me to be with You. JESUS, I ask you to be my Savior & my Lord so I can live for you because you died for me. Thank you JESUS & thank you GOD for forgiving me of all my sins and for giving me new meaning & purpose in my life-amen!
Congratulations if you asked JESUS into your heart and into your life! If you need any help in growing in your new found relationship with GOD, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I would consider it a joy to help you!
Thanks for taking the time to read this & hopefully you are encouraged by it.
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