So, as I said at the end of my last post, right when things are at their worst, God is able to come in and do His perfect work.
Before I get into that, however, I want to say that I won’t be going into great detail about everything that has occurred in the last two-three years, as much of it is covered in previous blog posts. What follows is what has happened in my spiritual life in that time period because that is the point, I believe, to everything. =)
Anyway, not long after I had hit my breaking point, I began to long to be a part of church, not just an attendee. I knew nothing else was working for me. I inquired about Women’s Bible Study in early 2008, but I was too late. Signups were over and that session’s study was just winding up. I was so disappointed and frustrated. I was lonely and hurting inside, and knew I needed the fellowship of other believers. I walked away from the information booth that day literally angry. I was feeling way too impatient to wait all the way until September! Alas, I had no choice.
So, after about a half a year’s wait (it felt like a whole year) and even more stupidity in my life, I’m sure, I was finally able to sign up for Women’s Bible Study, which would start in September. That was in August or so, which is also around the time that I committed to praying for Sandy’s, Juan’s and Mandy’s salvation everyday until they had accepted the Lord. These two things were my first steps on the road to true Christianity and a REAL relationship with Jesus Christ.
From day one, I knew I was in the right place and doing the right thing. It’s like the Lord started to then accelerate the work He had already begun in me. I immediately was convicted about numerous things in my life and started to change. Then one day, driving to study, I had a “light bulb” moment. The Lord finally got it through my head that my purpose in life was not to be married or be a mom—in short to fulfill my wishes for my life. My purpose was to serve and bring glory and honor to Him. My whole mindset changed after that.
Then early last year, I went to the Women’s Retreat. It is there that my life really changed. It is there that I decided to surrender all to God. It is there that I realized that I was wasting my singleness worrying about if and when I would get married and not serving the Lord. It is there that I decided to never turn back.
I decided to get baptized. Finally! I wanted to show the world my allegiance to my God. I waited and waited for an announcement of when the next round of baptisms would take place. It was finally announced that they would take place on July 26, 2009—my (and the church’s) 28th birthday! So perfect! So on my birthday, I was truly born again, a new creation in Jesus Christ, and by my very own pastor, Pastor David. Awesome! It was truly the greatest birthday of my life!
Now, I’ve had my ups and downs in the short time since my baptism (all you have to do is read my recent blog posts), but overall, my life has never been so blessed and amazing. As the song says, “Oh no. You never let go, through the calm and through the storm.”
The last decade ended far better for me than how it started. I went from being an unsure, immature, overweight, unmotivated, ungodly girl to a woman who is confidant in Christ, mature, healthy, productive, and FORGIVEN. I have learned so much and grown even more. I count it a successful decade because of the knowledge and growth, but most importantly because of the re-awakening of my love for the God who sent His only Son to die so that I could be forgiven of all the crap that went down in that decade (and is to come, since I am still a sinner) and come out of it a new creation, blameless and set free through His shed blood.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17
Hallelujah! Amen!
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