I remember the day I was saved like it was yesterday. In my young mind, it was so simple that I had a hard time understanding why everyone wasn't saved. As I have grown in my faith (thirty-something years later), I have come to realize that it isn't quite as simple as my childlike mind thought. Not everyone walks the same path and has the same story.
My childhood was far from perfect; however, I grew up in a Christian family that taught me about the bible and faith well before I could read. So, I had a decent understanding of the bible at an early age. God blessed me with fantastic Sunday School teachers who helped guide me in my walk as I learned about God, Jesus, and His wonderful gifts.
The day I proclaimed my belief that God sent His Son to die for me so that I could be saved and live eternally in Heaven with God, one of my favorite uncles died suddenly. I had a hard time dealing with the emotions of not being able to see and talk to him in person ever again. But the scariest part was understanding that no one knew whether or not he had accepted the ultimate gift of salvation. I was scared to fall asleep. I was afraid that I would not go to Heaven to be with Jesus and most of my family if I died. So, I did what anyone my age would do. I hid myself in a closet on the top shelf with a flashlight, determined that I would never go to sleep again.
My older sister was in charge of me and had been the one to find me missing from my bed. It was the middle of the night. I had hidden myself quite well, so I thought. It didn't take her long to find me. I had scared her quite a bit. She started yelling. I started crying. She quickly realized that more was going on than me just hiding. She softened her tone and comforted me. It took a little while to coax it out of me; she eventually got me to talk to her about what was wrong.
That is when she talked to me about God's plan for all using one of the most memorized verses in the bible. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth shall not perish but have everlasting life." She took the time to explain to me what this meant. It was like my whole world lit up. God sent Jesus to die for me to save me from my sins. I didn't have to die and go to hell. If I believed in Him and prayed to Him proclaiming my faith, I would go to Heaven when I died. I would be with my family and with God. It was the most amazing gift I had ever received, the gift of life.
Today, as a parent, I have a deeper understanding of how deep the sacrifice was. God sent His only Son for every single one of us. You see, we are all born sinners. As humans, we are not capable of being perfect. So, God had to send His perfect Son here to take on our sins. He had to die on the cross just so that we could be gifted the gift of salvation. Without realizing the full depth of what had happened, I asked God into my heart. For me, it was simple. I knew I wasn't perfect. My faith in God was strong. I knew he was the ultimate power who could forgive me for being a sinner. All I had to do was tell God and accept Him and his gift of eternal life.
I prayed a simple prayer back then that changed my life forever.
God,
I'm sorry I'm not perfect. I promise you I will try my best to be good and do what you want me to for the rest of my life. I know you sent your Son for me. I am asking you to save me from all the bad that I have done and help me to be a better person. Please come into my heart and never leave.
Amen
Once I prayed, the feeling that came into my heart was the most powerful feeling I had ever felt. The beautiful part is I get to live with that feeling forever. In the darkest times, I have a light that shines bright in me. My faith has grown deeper with every trial I have fought. He walks with me as I walk while carrying me when I can't.
**A special thank you goes out to my siblings for being a guiding light and participating in my community no matter where you are.
Love,
Your sister in faith
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