A few days ago, I posted this on my Facebook Page:
I am working on a "Stories of Faith" video. I would love to hear your personal story of faith and how Jesus has impacted your life. Please email your responses here
Zach Snow , my Executive / Teaching Pastor and I are working on putting together a video series on the transforming power of the Gospel and are looking for stories to use and share with all of those who the Lord allows us to connect with.
This is the first response and it is from my lovely bride, Natalie Brown
I met Jesus when I seven, one morning in Sunday school. Came home told my parents about my new friend Jesus, I knew they too knew my friend. They were Sunday school teachers, a youth minister and head deacon. The following Sunday, my Daddy walked to the front with me as I shared with our Pastor, that I knew I was a sinner, and believed that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and died on a cross for me, and I wanted HIM to be my friend, and I wanted to tell others ALL about HIM, how HE loves me! Life was quite simple, as a seven year old. I truly felt guilt and remorse when I would do things that I was not to do; like tell a lie, not pick up my toys, say mean words to my brother... I asked my friend Jesus to forgive me and teach me not to do the things again. He did!
After the divorce, being thrown out of my house at nine years old, the new family, sexual harassment from a sibling, life/things were different, we didn’t go to church, life was complicated... I knew the difference between right and wrong, it just some how wasn’t as important, or emphasized by those around me...
Oh, I asked for forgiveness, and then continued on, the tug at my heart, the guilt of knowing that I was going to be asking again, weighed so heavy that, I stopped asking... How could someone who knew what was right from wrong, keep asking and keep receiving? How could my “friend” love me? How could HE forgive me?
The summer of 1991, I went with my college BSU group to Glorietta, New Mexico. The first night there we were challenged to find a quite place and listen for the Lord to speak to us. Before I could listen I needed to empty my heart, it was about to explode, with guilt, hurt, bitterness- “friend where have you been, where were you when I was thrown out, where were you when I was harassed, when my world was falling apart”...?
I was on my own in the mountains, literally on a rock that evening, just me and my “friend” Jesus. He remembered me. As a seven year old I made a profession of FAITH-- but it wasn’t till on the rock, and at rock bottom, that I understood the Grace, the Love, of my friend Jesus, that I truly BELIEVED!
Daily, I crawl in the arms of my Savior, my friend Jesus and HE reminds me, you are loved, cleansed, and my FAITH is continually restored- HE never gives up on me!
“It's like this: When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child does. But when I grew up, I put away childish things... All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now.
There are three things that will endure--faith, hope, and love--and the greatest of these is love. “ 1 Corinthians 13:11-13
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