Works of God Monday - Salvation Testimony Week!

Well, this Monday started eeeaaaaarrrrrllllyyy, probably exaggerated due to our "vacation" extended weekend. It was fantastic - I will write more about that tomorrow.

It's Salvation Testimony Week! If you haven't ever shared your testimony on your blog, I encourage you to do so today! It is always awesome to hear how God worked together His plan and brought other believers to a saving knowledge of Him! Before I tell my salvation story, I just want to share one little thing that was a highlight for me this week. Aaron is beginning to understand the concept of sin.

We've been working on teaching him the reason for his disobedience - his sinful heart - and telling him that only God can help him to obey, to have a sweet attitude, etc. Last week we were driving in the van and Aaron pipes up from the back, "Where is my sinful heart?" It was an interesting question, and Michael was there - it was good to hear him try to explain that concept to our barely-three-year-old! But it is exciting to hear Aaron's questions, and to wait with anticipation for the day that he will truly understand his sinfulness and God's great grace.

I grew up with two parents who are believers, hearing the gospel multiple times, attending church, AWANA, a Christian school - pretty much a greenhouse for gospel understanding. And I did understand, at least intellectually. I made several professions of faith over the years, but looking back, I believe it was out of my desire to please people - and to have them think highly of me, rather than a true heart-understanding.

All through my growing up years, I was gripped by doubts of my salvation, and specifically, fear that the rapture would come and my whole family would be gone and I would remain. It was terrifying, and I remember sneaking into my brother's room multiple nights to make sure he was still there. It was horrible. I talked to my parents about it, prayed with them, and they would patiently explain from the Bible that if I was a believer, nothing could change that - that God held me in His hand.

It was one night - I was fourteen - after returning from a week of summer camp that I came to the realization that I had been trying to "do salvation" by myself, in my own power. I had been trying to live the life, talk the talk - but I had never understood with true understanding that I could not do it on my own. I looked at the evidence - no real spiritual fruit, no prompting of the Holy Spirit or real conviction, no desire to relinquish my will to Christ, nothing, nada. The evidence pointed to no real growth, no real life.

That night I struggled hard, for as a teen I knew what surrender to God meant - not only was I accepting His gift of salvation, I knew this would also mean that I would have to say goodbye to all of MY plans for the future, and I wasn't sure about that. I knew from all my years of teaching that God would accomplish His best in my life, but I had yet to experience it - to taste and see that He is good - and it was so scary to me. I knew I was at a crossroads - continue living for myself, or forget all of that and live for Christ. By God's grace, and because of Him alone, I accepted Christ as Savior that night, all alone in my room.

The change, to outsiders, may not have been that dramatic. But to me, it was totally life-altering. I am so thankful for God's mercy and grace!

So, how did you come to a saving knowledge of Christ? I would love to hear! You can share what God has been doing in your life this week - but please consider sharing your salvation testimony!

"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up..." 1 Thess. 5:11

In the Mister Linky widget below, simply type your name in the top box, or a short description of the work that God has done, and then in the second box, paste the link from your specific "Works of God Monday" post. If you don't have a blog, use the comment section! Feel free to use the image from the top of this post if you like.