Imagine me. 11 years old. Remembering only one painful experience in my entire life – the death of my Grandma Allen.
Imagine me. 11 years old. Sitting in a camp chapel pew next to my two “best friends for life” [girls I had met just days before]. Listening to the preacher tell us the reality of Heaven – and the reality of Hell.
Imagine me. Wondering how I can avoid Hell – and hearing the preacher say “All you have to do is confess with your mouth, believe in your heart, and be baptized in water.”
Sign. Me. Up.
When the invitation song began, with tears in my eyes, I walked forward. I repeated Peter’s Great Confession. Two days later, I was baptized in water.
That’s good. I am not sure anything is necessarily wrong with any of that. HOWEVER. Over the course of the next 5 years, I decided that this whole Christian thing was not really my cup of tea.
Oh yes, I still went to church, to youth group, to camp.
Oh yes, I still said and did all the right things.
Oh yes, in my heart and mind, I denied God’s existence.
In those years, I lived through the death of a 9-year-old boy, an 18-year-old girl, a 16-year-old former classmate, and a young uncle. If God were real, why would He let that happen?
Imagine me. 17 years old. 6 months after a near-death experience via car accident of my own. Sitting in a that same camp chapel pew next to my best friend. Hearing, and possibly for the first time believing,
GOD LOVES ME.
Not only does He love me, but He is fighting for me.
He gave me the choice to follow Him. He showed me love, grace, and mercy that I definitely did not deserve. He told me that He still loved me — enough to keep loving me through my anger.
When the invitation song began, I was drawn to my knees, tears streaming down my cheeks. This time, I decided to accept Jesus out of love — not fear.
Imagine me. 23 years old. Living in a different country every month. Spending each day with an amazing community of believers. Having my heart and mind completely transformed by God, Jesus, & the Holy Spirit. Knowing and believing without a doubt that God loves me.
God wants me.
God has chosen me.
Imagine me. Wanting to show God how much I love Him back. Wanting to let Him know that I am in this for real.
Imagine me. Sitting on a bed in an Indian hotel. Sharing my story with some of my closest friends on the World Race. Surrounded by “family” who have walked with me through some of my hardest days.
Imagine me. Walking into the tiny hotel bathroom with two amazing brothers [Patrick and Jared]. Squatting in the tub full of water. Outwardly expressing my love and dedication to Christ through baptism in water.
Imagine me. Returning to the bed where I shared my story. Listening while everyone in the room prayed over me.
Imagine me. Completely clean. Completely whole.
Thank you, Jesus.
