My whole life, I have been in the church. I grew up a church kid, as my dad was a youth pastor and both my parents made sure our household revolved around Jesus. From when I was young, I was apart of a small group bible study, I always attended the service Sunday morning, and my favorite movies were Veggie Tales. I remember my dad would read me devotionals and pray with me every night before bed. I knew a lot about Jesus since I was very small; however, I was too young to fully recognize Jesus’s purpose for dying on the cross. I didn’t know in my heart that he died for me– I only knew it in my mind.
I have always known God is good and he has a plan for me. When I was 7 years old, it registered to me that even when I tried my best to be good on my own, I would always fall short of God’s glory; I’d slip up if i tried to control my own life and relied on my plans rather than His. So, I talked and prayed with my parents. I prayed that I was a sinner, but I wanted to separate my life from sin to become more like Jesus. I believed in my heart that Jesus died on the cross as the perfect sacrifice so I could be with him forever in heaven and have eternal life. From that point on, I confessed Jesus as my savior and Lord because I understood how unconditionally he loves me. He loves us all unconditionally, and His love is the thing that brings me peace and lasting joy throughout any circumstance.
Right after the moment I decided to follow Jesus, my life didn’t look a whole lot different because I had always wanted to do what’s right. I wanted to please God because I was raised that way. But now, I can call my faith my own. I have been a born-again Christian for nearly 10 years now, and it is hands down the best decision I have ever made. Each day I grow closer to Him and His plans for me become more clear. Relying on God to provide for me has helped me avoid a lot of heartache, and it has helped me get through the trials that are inevitable. When others face hardship and feel as if they’ve lost all hope, it breaks my heart. I know the truth: the only way to have true joy is to make Jesus the center of everything; relationships, work, school, family, friends, everything. I am so blessed to have known Jesus for so long, and my hope is to share this blessing with as many people as possible, because I assure you Jesus will change your life for the better. He has endless love to share, he is just waiting for us to accept this perfect gift.