My Christian Testimony

I was really fortunate to grow up in a Christian home where we went to church almost every weekend. Weeknights in childhood would be filled with church-related activities like Sonlight (a lot like Awana). My parents homeschooled me to have a deeper relationship with me and I always had plenty of social interaction.

During one of the Sunday school classes there was a speaker who told us how every one of us are sinners and because we’ve sinned, deserve eternal separation from our Holy Father. But God loves us, and wanted to make a way for us to be with him again. However God also loves justice so our sin must have atonement. Without this atonement we cannot be with God. God sent his son Jesus to take our sinful punishment and atone for our sins. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we can be restored and be with God again.

Even ask a kid I knew that I was a sinner and that this was good news. I confessed my sins to God, and asked for Jesus to be my savior.

Throughout my childhood I continued being involved in church which fostered my learning. I went to Bible quiz (a quiz bowl competition), youth groups, and mission trips. Each of these activities continued to plant seeds in my life and hide God’s word in my heart. But as I grew older, my sinful nature was exposed in new ways. I started struggling with lust (honestly what man does not?), and I cared about myself more than anyone else (something that was probably always there). I constantly disrespected my parents and rebelled against them and fought with them. It was as if new sin had crept into my life, but that sin nature was always there.

In college I began to take more ownership of my faith transforming it from something my family did (and was) into something that was mine. I attended a Chi-Alpha campus ministry at my university and fully surrendered my life to Christ again. I began to understand deeper concepts of how Christ’s sacrifice for me justified my penalty of damnation, the role of the Holy Spirit in our life, and how that it is by grace and faith alone that we are saved (not of works, so that no man can boast). God’s own glory is the purpose for creating the universe and that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.

I realized that although I was baptised as a baby in a Lutheran church, I had never made the decision to publicly declare myself that Christ was my savior. So one cold Wisconsin Winter night, I went down to the university pool during one of the Chi-Alpha nights and jumped in to be baptised by my best friend and declare to the public that Christ is my savior. What an awesome feeling that was!

I still struggle with sin every day and my sinful nature manifests itself in new, sometimes surprising, ways. But my creator is making me new through His word and Holy Spirit. He is always good, He always provides a way, and has given everything for us to be with Himself for eternety. To God be all glory and honor and dominion. May His kingdom dwell on earth as it is in heaven.

I am eternally grateful for God who has called me to himself by His grace alone. He can do the same for you too if you confess your sins and repent. Turn away from your old ways, and enjoy the deeper, fuller joy of knowing Christ and living for His glory. I pray that if you do not know Him, that you turn to Him. Amen.