I was brought up in a Baptist Church and learned when I was very young that Jesus loved me. When I was fourteen I made a commitment to Jesus and was baptised.
When I look back, I can see how God was faithful to me even though I quite often did my own thing !!
I think I loved Jesus in the same way that people revere a pop idol, and put their posters on the wall, but without ever really knowing the idol as a personal friend.
Nothing dramatic happened to me and I had mostly a good time - I believe God protected me from the very bad things (Drugs.......,etc)
I was later happily married with a nice home and was later blessed with two lovely daughters.
Then when I was thirty two the Lord revealed to me just how much I had compromised my faith in Him.
I had never learned to trust Him and seek FIRST the Kingdom of Heaven, I certainly had not denied myself and taken up my cross daily and followed after Jesus as he asks us to.
I knew this was my chance to really give myself 100%, regardless of the consequences, instead of just promising to like I had all those years before.
I knew certain things would not go smoothly, my husband was not a Christian, but God gave me the reassurances that He would help me in all things.
My life changed from that moment and I was soon having to face real trauma, but now with the Lord closely at my side.
Two days later my mother died very suddenly from meningitis, two months after that my father-in-law died of a long standing cancer.
The grief was immense but alongside the great sorrow the Lord was upholding me.
He was also beginning to teach me new and wonderful things I had never understood before - a new life in me was unfolding and it was exciting.
During the following year my husband decided to leave me and although it was very tough the Lord had prepared me for his going and gave me the strenght to cope.
I don't know how I could have coped without Jesus
I am overwhelmed by his love and compassion as he helped me through each day.
No w my life has changed yet again as I learn to be married again - but oh so differently !! Matthew loves Jesus very much too and so we are able to trust in Jesus together.
I hope those of you who do not know Jesus or perhaps not at all will be encouraged to think about Him.
