Some people have a great struggle growing up. I was not one of those. My upbringing was a safe and hardworking one. There was no drinking, smoking or drugs related aspects in my life. This is something I have come to be very thankful for as I hear the stories of others. I was raised on a farm in northeast Missouri and we attended a formal, old German, traditional Church of Christ. I learned many bible stories there, but never caught a glimpse of the personal relationship I could have with God and his Son, Jesus Christ.
When I was in high school, I had an argument with a good friend. She told me that she believed there was a God and I told her I did not. This was the seed planting of an idea which would lead to my becoming a Christian. At the end of high school, God brought a young man into my life who was a Christian, who had been raised in a Bible believing church and who had a family strong in the faith. He and I attended the same college and became active in the Baptist Student Union. When I was 19 years old , I gave my life to Christ after a speaker presented an invitation. There was an overwhelming joy that came over and within me. Sunshine in my soul, if you can visualize it. I returned to my dorm room and called my high school friend that had planted the seed of belief within me. She was very happy for me and I must say I had trouble falling asleep that night as I thought about the verse of leading “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father(God) except through me(Christ).” John 14:6.
Two years later, I married the Christian fella I mentioned before and with his knowledge, other Christian friends that were put in my path and a wonderful Sunday School teacher named Rosie, I began to build a foundation of faith. One that I stand on today.
God grows us each differently. One of my greatest struggles, which I shared with my husband, was not being able to have children for 5 years. The cost of procedures, the years lost to a fog of hopelessness and the pain of watching others holding babies is not to be taken lightly. I have great compassion for those unable to have children and great appreciation for those who chose adoption. Fortunately for us, God decided to hear our plea and, according to his will, gave us twins and a bonus boy two years later.
Over the years, I have been burdened by other health aspects, watched cancer consume those near me, lost my hearing in part, lost my passion for teaching and presently struggle to find a new career path. Even though those seem minimal, they affect me every day in some way or another.
As a believer in Christ, I am not guaranteed an “easy” life. I am, however, promised that I will be given strength, comfort, guidance and forgiveness during my journey. I walk each day with that knowledge and assurance.
You can only see and feel those things after you accept that Jesus is God’s son, that he died for all the wrong things you have done and that when asked, he forgives you freely for all of it. Once you have Him, the bible says, “…He will neither leave(fail) you nor forsake(abandon) you.” Due 31:6 It doesn’t get any better than that!
Take a leap of faith and I will see you in heaven!