I grew up in a home that always put Christ first. We went to a church that preached the Bible and took a stand for what was right. I was raised in a family that knew what it was to do hard work, and that nothing came without a price. I was very fortunate to have the chance to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ from birth, but this was something that I spent a long time running from. When I was about 5 or 6 I remember hearing about being saved so I just decided that I wanted to do it. I didn't know anything about what was going on, I just nodded to the person that was talking to me and did what they told me to do. There was no conviction over sin what so ever, just me doing what I thought other people would be happy with. As time went on I kept feeling, what I now know was the Holy Spirit, a tugging at my heart telling me I had never accepted Jesus Christ as my Saviour. I just passed it off saying that I was crazy, even though a change had never really taken place in my life and I was able to do everything I used to do, sin the same way I used to sin, before I said I got "saved".
When I was getting ready to go into the 8th grade my parents and myself moved to Winston Salem, away from all my family and friends in Avery County. This move was something that I hated and something that caused a great rebellion to rise up in me against my Mom and Dad. I fought them every way I could... and sad to say I damaged the trust they had in me and our relationship in a great way. It was my freshman year in high school at North Forsyth High that I honestly got tired of fighting with my parents. It was then I decided to change and I thought to myself "hey, what better way than to tell people I got saved?" I lied to my youth pastor, and to my parents again, and to my church; but they were none the wiser because I had changed. Its sad that lies that we even teach ourselves to believe... Thankfully God kept convicting me of the need to be saved, but sadly I kept fighting it and running from God. I went through all four years of high school telling people I was saved but living like the devil. That lie of a life has crippled the possibility of witnessing to many of the guys that I played football with, and telling them about a true life in Jesus.
During my first semester of college God really began to convict me of my sins and on August 25, 2004, I asked Jesus Christ to be my Saviour. It was at that very moment that I passed from death unto life and a true change took place in my heart and life. It was no special prayer that was said; it was knowing that I was a sinner that was on my way to Hell; it was seeing that Jesus Christ paid the debt that was owed for my sins and He wanted me to live forever with Him in Heaven; and it was me, a poor wicked sinner, calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and believing in my heart that God had raised Him from the dead. Almost two years later, on August 9, 2006, God called me to preach His Word.
I don't know why God loves me so much. I've done nothing to earn it... All I know is that He saved me, its not anything that I had done or could do that saved me, and He called me to preach His Word. There is a desire in my heart now to share Jesus Christ with this lost and dying world, and to proclaim Jesus Saves wherever He takes me!
Thank you Lord for your goodness to this undeserving sinner!!!!!
Are you saved? Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour? Has there ever been a time that you felt true conviction over your sins? What are you trusting in to keep you out of Hell and to take you to Heaven? Only the blood of Jesus Christ can take you to a Heavenly home, everything else leads to a fiery destination.
