My Testimony

By God’s grace, I was 5 years old when He granted me the faith to ask my parents some questions and to pray to receive Jesus as my savior. I don’t remember a whole lot about that time, but I do remember that my parents wisely prayed with me and then waited and trusted for God to continue to lead in my life.

At the age of 7, I remember sitting in church at the end of the service during the invitation time, and I grabbed my mother by the hand and dragged her down the aisle, because I was ready to talk to someone about being baptized. I went through a “Precious Lambs” class our church offered to disciple children making a profession of faith, which, upon looking back all these years later was actually quite thorough and a good beginning discipleship class, after which I was baptized.

God continued to hold me, and at about the age of 12 I began to more fully understand about Jesus’ Lordship and to understand how to study my Bible and learn about Him and to be more aware of my sin. It was at this age that I really began to personalize the faith my parents had been teaching me. It really became mine as my understanding grew and I committed my life to Christ anew.

Because I was so young when I made that initial profession of faith, and because I grew up in a church where pinpointing a specific time of conversion (my spiritual birthdate, if you will) was often seen as very important, I struggled some with doubting my salvation as a teenager and young adult. When I began to study the Bible more and learn more, and to understand that it is the Holy Spirit who regenerates us and grants us faith, I began to understand my own profession of faith better. It became less important to me to be able to state absolutely the exact, specific date and time of my conversion, but much more important to understand what my hope of salvation is depending upon.

I’m not sure how much I understood at 5, but I know that God kept me and allowed me to grow in understanding and grace, and I know that today I am trusting, not in my own works or in a simple prayer I prayed at the age of 5, but in Christ’s righteousness and His sacrificial death on the cross as the basis of my salvation. I can look back over my life and see how God has kept me in His hand and granted me the faith to believe Him and trust that His Word is true. Also, as I’ve grown in the faith, I’ve become more aware of how sinful I really am and how holy God is. Even at 5, I needed a savior, for we are born in sin. Though I’d not done anything we would consider heinous at that point, I still have a sin nature and had already committed sins as a 5-year-old. I also know the daily, moment by moment struggle I have with my flesh. And I know that in Christ I am forgiven and reconciled to God – what an amazing gift that is! The older I become, the more I am aware of how undeserving I am of such a gift, and the more grateful I am for it. I can also look back over my life and see how my love for my blessed Redeemer and Lord has grown, and how my understanding of the depth of His love and grace that He has extended to me is growing and shaping my life. This faith in Christ has been the anchor for my soul all my life, and for that I say, “To God be all the glory!”

Thank God, He is still holding me and I am still learning and growing in faith, by His grace, and He has kept me from ever straying too far, though I have, on occasion, done some dumb things and sinned for sure. By His grace, He will grant me the faith to persevere to the end, for my hope is in His righteousness, not my own. And all the praise goes to Jesus Christ, my Lord. I pray constantly that the life I live will honor Him out of love, joy and gratitude for the precious gift He has given in cleansing me from sin and reconciling me to Himself.