New Life

The following is my personal testimony, the story of how He has set me free.

Works; works were what I based my life upon, what I longed to do, what I thought was required of me.  I had been raised in a Christian home, grew up with grandparents who firmly believed in Christ, went to church every week, and I was fed the Truth from a very young age.  I embraced this faith, I believed in God, and I wanted to prove it by doing works; most of these works were simple things such as behaving well in school, getting good grades, helping to get donations for the food shelf, treating others with respect, or simply following my parents rules, and these works continued into high school with mission trips, touring with a Christian singing group, not drinking, setting a good example, singing in church, and helping with bible school and other church related activities.  I knew what was right and what was wrong, and I was determined to prove that to others by living out my life "perfectly". 


It was in striving for this perfect image that I was trapped in the darkness.  I looked like Mr. Perfect from the outside; I appeared happy, always making jokes, and had more friends than I knew what to do with.  The inside was another story, and I hated what I had become.  I was overweight, I was presenting this false image to the outside world, and I found myself in a deep depression.

This all began to turn around for me in June of 2007. It was then that I fully grasped, understood, and felt what it meant to be in a full on, personal relationship with Christ.  It was on a tour with a Christian singing group from home, the Agape Singers, where Jesus revealed Himself to me.  I remember this night like it was yesterday, sitting on the floor in a hotel community room on the way to New York City.  One of the leader’s husbands had just given his testimony and asked me to read a verse from Ephesians aloud to the group.  As I read the words from Ephesians 2: 8-9, which says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast,” that God finally caught my attention.  I was instantly convicted of living a life dedicated to works rather than to the One who gave it all for me.  As the tears fell from my eyes that night, God lavished me with love, forgiveness, and acceptance as I turned my life over to Him completely.  I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders, I was relieved of trying to live my life without His help, of bearing the load by my lonesome.  I was no longer trying to earn this life that had already been offered to me freely, I had finally realized that I simply needed to accept it, to accept Him.

Life since that night has had its ups and downs, but knowing the Truth, knowing my Savior, and living committed to Him has saved me and set me free.  I no longer try to earn grace through works, but rather do works because of the gift of grace I have been given.  I no longer live for the approval of others, but know that I am loved by the King and that is all that matters.  I no longer live trapped inside my own body because He has given me the strength to beat obesity.  He has made me, changed me, and continues to mold me into the man of God I was meant to be. He is the Giver of Life, and on that June night in 2007, I was finally able to grasp and accept that. I had finally learned Who was in charge of my life, and continue to be in a daily process of allowing the King of all to sit on His rightful throne in my life.He and I had entered into a personal relationship, and He had given me new life.  

I pray this testimony finds you at a point in your life where you are eager and interested in learning about Who this God is, or at a point where you are ready to make a similar commitment to a loving God who longs for a relationship with you, or even at a point where you are willing to share the story of how this Savior has already set you free.  I am eager to hear any questions, thoughts, or personal stories from all of you.  Much love through Him!


God bless!