Pharisee Turned Truly Holy

Since my best friend Sandi put her testimony on her blog, I decided to share mine as well. It's basically a story of God's grace in my life and how I got to be in ministry where I am now! Enjoy!

Testimony:
It is only by God’s amazing grace that I was born into a family that loves Jesus Christ and raised me in the fear and admonition of the Lord. I was brought up at Grace Church, so I learned about Jesus Christ from the time I was little. I also attended private school for most of my education, so I was constantly surrounded by and immersed in the influence of believers. At a young age, I “accepted Jesus into my heart,” understanding as much as a six-year-old possibly could.

As I grew up, I continued going to church every Sunday, but I was basically living for myself. I thought that I was saved because I was a “good person,” but I had mastered the art of compartmentalizing my life. I would go to church on Sunday and Wednesday night and neglect to acknowledge God for the rest of the week. I was constantly disrespectful, disobedient, and dishonoring to my parents. I was seeking the approval of man rather than God, which manifested itself in my pursuits and goals. I was intensely involved in gymnastics and I was planning on training for the Olympics. Gymnastics was an idol in my heart. It consumed all of my time, energy, and was my consuming passion, rather than God.

It wasn’t until I was at a winter camp with the jr. high group at Grace that the Holy Spirit opened my eyes and showed me that I was living a lie. It was then I realized I couldn’t rely on my parents’ faith to save me. I had to decide on my own to follow the truth. I learned that true, genuine, saving faith is a relationship with Christ who died as the ultimate sacrifice and payment for my sins. In a response of thanks for what Christ did for me, I am called to give Him every part of my life--not just Sunday. At that camp I committed my life to serve the Lord.

Right away the Lord put trials in my life to prune me and shape me into His image. My mother was diagnosed with cancer. This made me evaluate my priorities and put things into perspective. I began to focus more on significant, eternal matters. And for me, giving up myself also meant giving up gymnastics. I quit the sport that had once consumed my entire life. Now I had a desire to read Scripture and to have daily devotions. My motives for attending church were radically changed. I went because I loved God’s Word and His people.

I knew that once I made the decision to follow the Lord, I should be baptized, but pride held me back. I thought to have an effective testimony, you had to be saved from a life of drugs or outward sin. But my discipleship leader helped me understand the error of my thinking. Salvation is God raising someone from the dead (spiritually speaking). It is a miracle only God can perform. I was just as dead in my sins and praise God he pulled me from the pit of self-deception.

I am now a member of Grace Community Church. I am involved in 180--the high school ministry. High school was a pivotal time in my walk with the Lord. So now, my desire as a staff member is to encourage the girls in my small group to seek Christ in their youth and to make wise decisions now that will affect their futures. I know these girls are watching my life, so I desire to be an example to them and to be more like my Savior each day. I pursue holiness, because that is what the Lord requires of His children. I am daily amazed at God’s goodness and faithfulness to me, though I have done nothing to deserve the abundance of blessings I receive. I look forward to a life of service and ministry wherever I am.