testimony

this is kinda out of inspiration of a friends blog, in which she included her testimony. i realized ive never written it out, so here it is:

I was blessed to grow up in a christian home, although i took advantage of it. at four years old, in a childrens program during the night service at church we were given the oppurtunity to talk to a leader about salvation. i didnt have a full understanding of what it meant, but i knew if i didnt not ask God for forgiveness that i wouldn't be going to heaven. i have a distinct memory of going through the "salvation prayer" with the class leader, and excitedly telling my parents that i was saved when they came to pick me up. I never gave much attention to church as more than just going because my family always went, or because i had to.

In third grade i learned about baptism and what it meant and it sparked an interest. i did realize that it was something that i wanted to, and that it was important to become a member of the church. so, in third grade i went through membership classes, and was baptized on easter sunday.

in the continuing years i lost interest in church. i never felt like going, and i got into some of the wrong things. I didnt like my parents because i thought they were over the line strict, and as i look back now, i really was mostly miserable unless i go my way or was with my friends away from my family.

in 9th grade i transferred to baptist high school...little did i know that it would make a difference in the next four years of my life. during freshman year, my outlook on church, etc. did not change much. The summer after 9th grade i went to TLC (teen leadership conference) at baptist bile college, and really got smacked in the face. It really hit me that i had not been living the way i should be. even though i was a christian, in a christian family, and in a christian school, i wasnt acting like it. It says in the bible that youll know a chritian by their fruits..meaning how they act. well no one probably would have guessed that i was any different. as i was ilstening to the different speakers that week at TLC, i really took into consideration that i needed to make some changes. I decided to start acting different, to make an attitude change, and really live for Christ. I made the commitment to try and turn things around.

It didnt happen all at once..thats for sure. sophmore year i took more advantage of the fact that we prayed in class, and even had devotions in some, before class even started. I realized that i had more interest in learning about what exactly i believed in. over the next three years i really took in as much as i could, whether it be from missions trips i went on, conferences i went to, or even in class at school.

I look back now and really see how much i changed things, but then i see how much i am still learning, about my personal reltaionship with God and how incredibly important that is in my life, and how i need to be open to whatever God has planned for me. I still stumble and struggle everyday, but its a learning expierence! I feel like im always learning more, and having more of a desire to strengthen my relaitonship with God. Its definitely worth it! I have a desire to honor God and really completely live my life for Him. and it can be frustrating at times when things get confusing and i dont have answers for things, but really...its all in Gods hands!

this is really not the most detailed testimony, but its a good overview. so i just need to say one more thing, ill NEVER loose my love for learning more...

heh well its late, annnd i dont have much to say at the moment. but heres something ive been thinking about...

i stumble everyday as a christian. i learn through making right and wrong choices. i find it alot easier to just put myself down when i make a mistake but when i do make a mistake its up to me what im going to do with it. im the one who has to change things in my own life, not the people around me, or shoudl i say the world around me. learning through mistakes has been challengig..but heres the awesome thing; God never puts anything in fornt of me that i cant handle. when i say "i cant handle" its important to remember that its not and should not just be me handling things. thats part of being able to have a relationship with God. God should be involved in every thing i do everyday...and unfortuately that concept can be forgotten by me on a more regular basis then it probably should be. God sent him who had NO sin...to be sin for us...so we could have a relationship with him! its a huge deal!! Im part of God's family, and totally completely in his hands, for him to lead me where ever he wants me to go. i really need to work on my relationship with him, theres nothing im more interested in right now than learning. i want to learn how i can be closer to him...and to share that bond with other believers...its such a cool thing to me that i have God in common with others : )

take this heart of mine, theres no doubt: Im in better hands now.