My faith in God is a huge part of my life. As I grow older
and deal with more things it only becomes more so. Cancer more than anything
else I have gone through has made me realize my need of God. My hope is that
everyone that reads my blog would consider their individual need of God. It is
in these trying times that each person must really think through and test what
they have come to know about God. It is OK to ask questions and wonder why God
did the things He has chosen to. Other much greater people in the Bible have
asked similar questions. I believe that God is more than willing to meet us in
these times of need and questioning and to show Himself more fully to us if
only you will look. Let me tell you a little about how I came to know my Lord.
I grew up in a Christian home with parents that took me to
church whenever the doors were open and sometimes when the doors were not
officially opened. Both my mom and dad were very involved in the church we went
to, and I knew at a young age that God and church should be an important part
of my life. When I was in grade school, I went to an after-school program
called Kids Klub. It was one of the many places that I heard of my need for God,
but it took a while for me to realize that all the verses I was learning
applied to me. One day though it made sense, and I realized that I was a sinner
who had done many wrong things. I realized that the verses that said that I
should ask for forgiveness for these bad things were meant for me as well as
everyone else. On that day I went home and asked my mom to help me pray to God.
I asked God to forgive me for the bad stuff I had done and to help me to live a
better life. I believed that Jesus had died on the cross for me and that His
death was the only way I was going to get to go to Heaven. I remember being so
happy after that prayer!
Of course life went on and as I grew sometimes I didn’t feel
like following God. I wondered if it was worth it when so many other people
seemed to be doing OK with their lives without going to church all the time. I
realized that it was hard work to live a life that followed the Bible and was
pleasing to God. I also started questioning a little if I could fully trust the
Bible. I didn’t go off the deep end. If you know me, you already know that. :o)
But I did ask lots of questions in my head. And I needed to find answers.
Luckily God met me in that time and helped me to know Him
more. I went off to college at Illinois State University, and the first group
on campus that I ran into was a Christian one. I was so excited to have them
stop me on the campus, and I decided right there that I was going to get
involved. The group I ended up choosing was InterVarsity Christian Fellowship,
and I’m so glad I did. I learned so much those two years in IV. Things of
eternal importance like how to really study the Bible, how to grow and work in
a community of believers, and how to start to find out what God wanted me to do
with my life. I will cherish those
lessons for the rest of my life.
So fast forward to the present. I am still very much in need
of my Lord and Savior. I cannot imagine going through something so serious as
cancer without God and His promises. My prayer for you today is that if you do
not know God (which is more than knowing about Him) and if you have not asked
Him to forgive you of the wrongs that you have done, then please find out more
information. Find a good church. Start reading the Bible. I promise you if you
start reading the Bible that God will meet you where you are and help you to
know Him. Talk to someone else. I love
to talk about my faith and would be so happy to chat. Just call or send me an
email! Thanks!
