I decided to start a new blog that will be an open journal basically of things relating to my daily life. I will share things that I face such as trials, marriage moments and things in life that are hard. Today I would like to share something that is very dear to my heart. I want to share about my salvation experience and my life since being saved.
I grew up in a Christian home, attended a Christian school and attended church all my life. I memorized scripture, knew things about God, and thought because I had said a few words like a prayer that I was saved. However when I was sitting in a revival service for the youth, the pastor preached a sermon on true repentance. I realized that while I had said a few words I never truly repented of my sins and made a complete change in my life. When we accept Christ the old things pass away and we become new. Our lives should completely change and become radically different. I realized at that moment God revealed to my heart that I needed him more than anything else in the world. I spoke with dear friend and asked her what I needed to do and she said "you know what you need to do". She sat with me as I cried out to God with few words and said, "God, I need you and want you to save me. I need you more than anything else in this world." I knew at that moment that I was truly saved and I had completely repented of the life I have lived apart from Christ.
Once being saved my life was not all "peaches and cream". I have faced some of the darkest days that I never realized I would face. I have faced family relationships broken, a time of deep depression, ministry struggles, loss of a home, cars, and almost everything, chronic pain and health issues and the loss of two precious children that God gave to Ryan and I for just a little while. However, the positives always outweigh the bad even though it is so hard to see sometimes. The positive things are: I am a child of God and am saved so I can meet my Savior one day, I am married to the love of my life and would not trade our marriage for anything in the world, I have a home to live in, clothes to wear, food to eat, ministries to serve in, a career that I love, healthy enough to live my life without assistance from anyone, two dogs whom I love, family and friends whom I cherish, a church I love to be a part of and a life that while hard is my unique life filled with ups and downs that grow me closer to God.
Has life always been easy? No, and that is the reason for the title to this blog. Life is hard, but there is always good things that will come from the bad. One of the most trying times I have ever faced was just this past year and yet I have made it to a place in my life where I am at peace. I know that God is there and He is my hope!
So in the days ahead, I hope that these blogs will be a way of encouragement to those who need it and they will be a small testimony of the amazing things God has done in my life.
