I spent most of my life apart from God. For years, I viewed Jesus Christ as a figure in a storybook. I believed that the Bible was nothing more than a flexible set of principles that helped us live a "good" life, and that if I lived a "good" life I would be saved. For a long time, this was enough. I avoided those that challenged my interpretation of Christianity. I avoided the Church. And I avoided any true relationship with Jesus Christ.
My last year in college I started to feel emptiness. For the first time, my "good" life was not enough. I spent years trying to figure out this emptiness. I tried to fill it with more friends, more activities, more possessions. But the emptiness was still there. I think I always knew the emptiness was a lack of relationship with Jesus Christ but I was afraid to admit that truth. To do so meant that I would have to act. It meant I would have to seek out a relationship with Christ and follow His will. It meant I would have to give up my "good" (but sinful) life.
My life changed in 2003. I started law school in August and immediately attached to a group of guy friends. One of those guys was Andrew W. On October 4, 2003, Andrew’s younger brother was killed in a car accident. I expected Andrew to fall apart. I would have. I expected him to become angry. I worried he would fall into a depression. I worried he would start drinking. I would have done all of these things. But Andrew had something I did not, a real understanding of the love of God. Over the next several months, I witnessed what faith, forgiveness, and grace looked like as I walked through the grief process with Andrew. It was overwhelming. He had such peace and gratitude for the time that he had with his brother.
Eventually Andrew shared his faith with me and I came to understand the source of his peace. It made my emptiness all the more profound. At that point, God opened a door for a relationship with Jesus Christ. I started going to church with Andrew and asking questions. I started reading the Bible and other Christian literature. I tried to surround myself with people that would challenge my faith.
Two years later, on Easter Day 2006, I realized that I had come to know and love Christ. At that point I welcomed Christ into my life. I begged forgiveness of my sins. And I resolved to put God first.
On July 28, 2007, I married Andrew. He will always be the biggest supporter of my faith. And I am so grateful to share this journey with him.
I believe God is the ruler of my life. I believe I am nothing separate and apart from Him. I believe that I am the Church. I believe that I am called to introduce Jesus Christ to others. I know that I am sinful and that at times I will fail. But I trust that God will forgive me and help me walk in His light.
I am a child of God, saved by His grace.
