Conversion

I thought it would be encourageing and fun to hear testimony's. I know for sure I haven't heard all of my friends testimony's and wanted to, so I decided to start a "Conversion Tag." Please join in and share your conversion and tell your other blogger friends too! I can't wait to read about the faithflness of God in the lives of all of you!! Love, Sara

I was born on a beautiful Michigan fall day in 1978. I was a shy little girl who loved Kermit the frog, Little House on the Prairie and the Atari game Frogger. My dad and mom excelled at laying down their lives for my brother, two sisters and me. My dad was a hard worker and tried to teach us values such as diligence, generosity, and laughter. My mom was the most patient mother I know. Never do I remember her getting angry with us when we were young, (and there was a lot to get angry about!) instead she consistently gave away her time, money and laid down her desires so she could serve her family. From the time I can remember my parents told me about God and how he sent his perfect son to die on a cross for sin. My family would go to church on Sunday, play in the church softball leagues, and occasionally attend the Sunday school services. To me church was something we did on Sundays, not something we built our lives around. My thoughts about God were selfish and full of pride; “What could he give me.” “How could he make me happy.” I thought to be saved you had to ask Christ into your heart repeatedly and you just never knew if you had lost your salvation. I remember thinking things like,” If I don't repent of my sins (from that day) the second before I died than hell was my final destination.” My obedience to mom and dad was out of fear of man, not a heart that loves God and desires to glorify him in all things. Growing up I would have said I was a Christian. My life was nominal, at best. As I got into the teen years, rebellion in my heart started to deepen and express itself outwardly. I loved the world and believed the lies that it is where happiness was found. My life was characterized by fear of man and selfishness. I was street smart and knew whom to please by telling lies and telling them what they wanted to hear. I was a hypocrite; I would say one thing and then do the opposite. I was a liar and idolater. My heart longed for worldly pleasures and pursued them at great lengths (worldly music, impure relationships, ungodly friendships, and a party lifestyle). I did not love God. Looking back my life actually revealed a heart that hated him. When I was 17 years old, my parents began the process of a 2-year divorce. Anger, rage, deceit, self-pity, and unbelief were permanent residents in my heart. I hated my parents for getting divorced but I loved the freedom it brought me.

In the kindness and sovereign hand of God, he gave me a family member who was faithful to share the gospel with me. I moved out of my home at 17 and into the home of my aunt Jenny and uncle Joe. Although I was not regenerated, God began to soften my heart and used their family to draw me to himself. Aunt Jenny always told me about God and what it means to surrender your life to him. Not only did they preach the gospel…they lived the gospel! They did not make compromises but always tried to glorify God with their lives. That was attractive to me because they were always filled with joy, and actively serving others. They did not look like the world- they were different. My heart remained hardened. In the spring of 1997, God also used Aaron's sister and future husband to continue to draw me to him. Aaron and I were in their wedding and could not help but notice that their friends were different. They loved Jesus and were joyful and fun. They were having a great time and were not even drinking. That was foreign to us. After the wedding, Aaron's sister asked us to return something for them while they were on their honeymoon. While we were driving back home Aaron asked me to put on my seat belt. In my pride I responded, "If I die, I die.” Not realizing that if I died my soul would have been eternally in hell. I fell asleep thinking I was in control of my life, I woke up knowing I was not. Aaron had fallen asleep at the wheel and we totaled his mom's van. We walked away distinctly aware of the mercy and kindness of God to save us not only from injury but to take care of our greatest need by sending his prefect son to die on a cross for sin. He made us alive to Christ and aware of the desperate state of our hearts. He opened my blinded eyes to see that I was in rebellion against him- a perfect, just, and holy God. He opened my heart to the knowledge that he sent his one and only son to live a prefect life and to die a humiliating death...for me. In that moment, God changed my heart. He began to take away the desire to live for myself. He replaced those desires with desires to know him and to glorify him with all of my life. Once all I thought about was how I could be served but now I wanted to serve Him and others.

How grateful I am that God chose me...a sinner and changed me forever

"For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person-though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die- but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we now received reconciliation." Romans 5:6-11