My testimony

I realized as I was reading Kelly's link-up this morning that I don't think I have ever shared my testimony on my blog.  Honestly I have struggled with my testimony at times because I feel I don't have a "good story."  But over the years I have realized that it is a blessing and an honor that the Lord has kept me from certain sins that others might/have struggled with in the past.  God has saved me just as He has others and He brought me from death to life and that in itself is truly amazing.

I was blessed to grow up in a Christian home and my parents were teaching me and guiding me through scripture for as long as I can remember.  My father was a minister and we were at church every time the doors were open and it was always a priority for my family.  I know that church doesn't make you a believer and there are some that "attend" their whole life and still don't know God.  But I am very thankful that it was a priority and NOTHING came before church (sports or other activities).  They instilled in me early on the importance of priorities and what was truly important.

I was saved when I was 6 years old in the summer of 1985.  I was at a VBS puppet show and I knew that God was calling me to accept Him.  For me, I remember the day like it was yesterday and it was even a physical feeling for me.  The moment I realized I needed Him, I got chills all over my body and my heart felt physically heavy.  I accepted Jesus right there and my burden became light.  It was like a load had been lifted off.  No I didn't know everything about God and never will, but I knew I was a sinner and that God had taken my place on the cross.   I followed through with the Survival Kit (like a 6 week training making sure you understand the decision you had made) and was soon baptized by my own dad.  That was so special to me and must have been such an honor for my father.

I was blessed with an amazing youth minister that challenged us throughout my middle school/high school years and held us accountable.  I spent lots of time in the Word through quiet times during those years and I believe that is the only thing that kept me out of "trouble."  Today I am so thankful for the teaching/guidance/accountability I had over those years.

I was able to go to a Christian college (Union University) and again surrounded myself with wonderful Christian friends that challenged me in my walk with the Lord.  I had several relationships in college and some that I expected to end in marriage. When things didn't happen the way I expected them to happen, I was discouraged and felt very alone.  It was during those times that the Lord drew me to Himself more than ever before and I was at a place of full surrender.  I realized that I was absolutely nothing without Him and my focus changed from what God could do for me to what I could do for Him.  I believe that is when the Lord truly transformed my thinking.

It was during those few months when I was emotionally at rock bottom yet closer with the Lord that I had ever been before that I met Jay.  I truly felt that the Lord was waiting on me to be at a place of full surrender before He brought my mate into my life.  My relationship with my husband is amazing and I truly feel it is because Jay loves the Lord more than he loves me and together we have a common goal.  We don't expect that the other will fulfill us because it is only the Lord that can fill those voids.  Knowing that, we are able to enjoy one another and serve each other faithfully.

The Lord has continued to take me on an amazing journey and the longer I have been a believer, the more I realize that I serve a complex yet amazing God and the more I realize I don't know but want to know about Him.  He has given me many blessings that I don't deserve and could never repay Him as long as I live and could never be "good" enough for Him.  That is where I claim God's grace He has given me and I will be forever thankful for that gift.

My desire at this point is to be a Godly wife to my husband and to teach my children the ways of the Lord.  I pray that the Lord saves them at an early age and that I live to see the Lord transform their lives. I want my legacy to be one of a Godly woman by Biblical standards, not the world's standards.  I realize I am not perfect and will never have it all together, but I will continue to strive to be all that God has called me to be.