Coming to Christ

As I listened today to Rob telling his cousin of his conversion to Christ and baptism in the Holy Spirit, I was once again in awe of what the Lord can do.  It's not for me to tell Rob's story here, but it is an amazing and wonderful one.  He was a hard case and the Lord changed his whole life.

As I've said before, I was brought up Christian and accepted Christ as my personal Saviour when I was 13.  That experience was one I will never forget.  I went to a Billy Graham Crusade in Los Angeles and was so moved to hear his words that I went down front with no urging from my friend's mother who had taken me there. It was a wonderful moment.  I received some study materials, sent them back and received more.  I studied this way for two years.  I thought of the Bible as my textbook for Jesus.  I loved it.

Then just being a teen and the influence of the world tempted me and though I never stopped loving the Lord, I walked away into a life of sin.  For the next 12 years, I was lost most of the time and looking for answers for my life.  I got married twice.  I had 3 children (not necessarily in that order) and drank a lot.  I never drank the Lord away though.  He was always there waiting for me, as he waits for all of us.

At age 27, I got sober and turned my life around.  I truly believed that God had saved my life.  As much as I believed, I wasn't ready to give it all back to Him as I had done in my teens.  I had too much pride.  I also had a few things I wasn't ready to let go of.  I went to church sporadically, but not too often.  But something was happening to me.  I missed that communion with the Lord that I used to have.

At 38, I was going to church more regularly and getting ready to get married for the 4th time.  I prayed often about this marriage, that God would take care of it because I certainly hadn't done well without Him.  We weren't married long when we were having a time of prayer and my husband said, "I really love the Lord."  With tears in my eyes, I said I did too.  Right then and there we got on our knees and rededicated our lives to the Lord, telling Him that whatever He chose for us, we would follow. 

That was 1987.  In 1989, we moved to Mexico, where God already hadplans for us.  We served him together until my husband's death 8 years later.  I have served Him sinceboth alone and now married.  Although not as dramatic as Rob's conversion, my own life with Christ is uniquely mine and important.

What was your conversion experience?  Are you willing to send it to me in an e-mail and have me post it here?  I love success stories. Send to firestormkids04@aol.com

May the love of Jesus surround you all,

Penny