“When I wake up in the Land of Glory, and with the saints I will tell my story, there will be one Name that I proclaim….Jesus, just that Name.” Big Daddy Weave, The Only Name (Yours Will Be)
I was raised in a Christian home. Our church was a Bible based church, and we were there every Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night.
I knew almost from the time I could read, the truth of John 3:16: That God loved me SO MUCH, He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for me, so I could have eternal life. He sent His Son to die for MY sins. That’s the way my Mama and Daddy raised me. At the age of eleven, I took a childlike step of faith, and asked Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of my life. I gave my life to Him and was baptized.
Unfortunately during my high school years, my parents didn’t go to church as often as they had when I was a child. I don’t fault them. They worked hard for a living, and were tired on weekends. During those important teenage years, when my Christian roots should have been fed steadily and growing deeper and deeper, they remained shallow. There was no discipleship. My brother chose to go to a different church with his school friends. I occasionally went to church with a friend of mine, but being an introvert, it was hard for me to go to a strange church. I chose to stay home with my parents.
On many weekends during those years, we would go camping. There would be a non-denominational service at the campground on Sunday mornings. I loved worshiping the Lord outdoors. To this day, I feel closest to God when I am outside. However, there was no discipleship and no real growth.
Then came college. I was in the habit of NOT going to church. SOMETIMES, though not often, my roommates and I would go to a service.
In college, my habit of disobedience and the lack of a growing knowledge of Jesus and His word, led me further down the wrong path. I met, and later married, a man who was not Christian. During the eleven years of our marriage, I only went to church for weddings. I was a stagnant Christian. I would pray, but only when we were in a bind.
After 11 years, he left our marriage. I was devastated by the rejection! I was four hours away from my family, and alone. It was at this time, that I began leaning into Christ Jesus. I praise God for His pruning in my life.
John 15:1-2 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.”
I had been a fruitless Christian. While I don’t condone or advise divorce except in extreme circumstances, I see my divorce as God lovingly pruning my life and leading me back into His arms and care, to be used by Him. I was HIS child, and He wanted me back!
I met Jesus Christ as my Savior when I was 11 years old. I met Him as my Redeemer as a young woman, learning to lean into Him! Today, He is redeeming my years of wilderness wandering. He has blessed me with a wonderful husband, beautiful grandchildren and a life of service to Him!