45 Years Ago, Today . . .

I was miraculously set FREE.

I found out that although I was a sinner, I had a Savior Who loved me, no matter what I had done, no matter where I had been.

I made a decision to accept Him into my life. I invited Jesus Christ to come into my heart and be my Savior.

I became His beloved.

Forty-five years is a L O N G time . . . but, sadly, I was not ever discipled.

No one ever shared with me HOW to live the Christian life.

I went to church. I sang in the choir. I taught Sunday School. I helped out counseling at Bible Camp in the summers. I loved Jesus, but I was not studying His Word. I was not truly communicating with Him as with a Friend. I prayed, certainly, for what I had need of, but never just to ‘talk’ to Him. Never to simply share my life with Him. What I knew of Him was on my Sunday visits to church, the lessons I went over to share with the kids in my Sunday School Class.

Years passed and I did start reading my Bible on a regular basis, and acquired a lot of head knowledge of Who God was; however, it actually took my disabled child having to be placed into a care-facility (and my emotional breakdown over that) to open up the channel from my ‘head’ to my ‘heart’ and have the knowledge of God become a reality within my innermost being. When I was at my lowest point, felt like nothing would ever go right, not understanding why, wanting to give up on everything, that God finally – LOVINGLY – said “I’m here, My daughter, I’ve always been here. Are you ready now to make Me everything in your life? To allow Me to direct you, guide you and mold and shape you into the mighty woman of valor that I desire you to become?” I broke, completely, before Him and cried, “yes, Lord, Yes!”

So whenever April 22 rolls around I always celebrate it with mixed emotions.

I KNOW beyond any shadow of any doubt that Jesus was in my heart and that I would have gone directly to be with Him in glory should anything have happened to me during my life; but along with that though is the poignancy that I would have had nothing to offer Him. All my ‘works’ . . . all the things I had done, choir, teaching, etc. were quite honestly, wood, hay and stubble. Things that would quickly burn away leaving nothing in their stead. I praise Him for saving me and coming into my life, and for graciously allowing me to serve Him even in my spiritual blindness, yet I grieve over the years lost in intimacy with Him. That glorious intimacy that I have now enjoyed for so many wonderful years.

Dear ones, if you are new in the Lord. If you know someone who is new in the Lord. PLEASE, hook up with someone who will share their faith-walk with you. Allow a mature Christian to show you HOW to apply God’s Word to your daily life. It contains EVERYTHING we NEED for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). We need to realize that Jesus did not just lay down His life for the forgiveness of our sins, which would have been more than enough, but that He lay down His ALL so that we may have His ALL – His abundant, fruitful, faith-filled, life. That life full of the richness of communication with Abba Father. That life lead most deeply and wonderfully through Holy Spirit. To experience His glory, His power, His provision, His grace, His healing . . . there is nothing else like it . . . and, it is eternal!

Abba Father, thank You for sending Jesus. Jesus, thank You for all You did on Calvary, and as You lived Your life as an example to us for living our lives. Holy Spirit, thank You for Your comfort, Your instruction, Your peace. Lord God, I am overwhelmed on this, my 45th re-birth day . . . I am ever grateful to You for choosing me to be Your handmaiden. To work with You in bringing Your hope to others, is beyond description. Bless You, Lord, my God, my King! I praise Your Name!!! May my life bring glory and honor to You. Amen.

©klh 4Given Ministry