Put it in my pocket....Warning... this is long!!!!!

I know, I know....if you are reading this, you are amazingly impressed that I am blogging 2 days in a row during a school week! I must say I am rather impressed, too! Joey is actually not here and Ella went to bed early with a fever (daycare is already having it's effect...boo)....and my independent little boy wanted some t.v. time while he eats his snack so I jumped at the chance to get on!

Have you ever had a moment that you just want to savor? There are so many times I have thought, "I don't want to forget this memory, I want to put it in my pocket!"  I can recall just last Saturday....Joey, me, and the kids were in the car early in the morning driving with the windows down and music playing. I remember looking in the back at the kids and seeing Grayson smiling and Ella waving her arms and laughing and just the best feeling came over me. I remember the first time I met Joey at church when I was 20 and he just turned 19 (ohmiword...I know I am older) and I called my friend and told her that he was too cute and I wanted to marry him one day! I remember the feeling when I finally finished my master's degree. I remember the births of my sweet babies and the precious moments with my family growing up.

Having these memories and experiencing these moments amazes me but it doesn't even compare to the day that I was saved. I want to take this time to share my testimony and hope that it could help someone and glorify God in someway.

This is me.....a little girl who loved girly things from the start. My parents say I would "priss" around as soon as I was mobile. I always had accessories and cried to have my hair fixed and jewelry on in Kindergarten. This may sound horrible but I promise I have a point to make....when I was 5, I told the neighbor next door...."You're pretty, pretty ugly.....this just shows how we already have a sinful nature at a young age. We don't have to be taught to act mean or selfish, it is just within us. By the way, my parents were appalled by this!
Now, let's skip ahead to being a kid and a teenager. I tried to do what society says is "right." I always prayed and tried to be a good student and kid. I remember praying to God when I wanted something or when I was upset. I remember as a teenager thinking I was a Christian and even talking to people about God. I thought I was better than some people at times because I thought I was doing things right. Yet, I was so completely lost!
Let's fast forward to when I met Joey. When  I met Joey, I thought he was the most amazing guy ever (he still is). He had wonderful morals and we spent a lot of our time together at church. We fell in love and had a fairytale relationship, everything fell into place.

We graduated college, got married, got a house, jobs, had kids....and did everything in order but something was missing. One January, Joey just changed. I remember it all like yesterday, I think it was around January 2009. Joey started reading his bible more and he just started changing. He started wanting to censor what we watched and what we did. I, at the time, was upset. My thinking was....what is wrong with him? He is SO extreme and radical. For the upcoming months, I disagreed with a lot of what Joey said. We did not really argue but I just didn't want to hear about God and theology and the bible ALL.THE.TIME and his new way of life. Little did I know that the thing to be most radical about should be GOD!

Looking back, I now see that God was using Joey as a tool in my life. I started seeking God more and praying. I was in a bit of denial. I thought I was a Christian this whole time. I put cute bible quotes on things and went to church....doesn't that mean I am a Christian? I helped people and did good works...wouldn't that get me to heaven? Then one day, all of a sudden my heart just changed. I know that sounds funny but it really just changed. I realized that I am nothing without God. I realized that I am a sinner that needs his grace but so does not deserve it. There wasn't a rough patch in my life or an all time low for me to come to this realization.... God just got a hold of me and changed everything. He made it clear to me that He is the only way.

"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. 

No one comes to the Father except through me."

John 14:6

I also realized that, although, I thought I was a pretty good person....I wasn't.

"...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..."

Romans 3:23

I was a sinner....I am a sinner...this is not to judge or point out people's faults but to show everyone how much we need a Saviour. We can't make it through life alone. People will come and go even family will come and go but God is the only one that will always be there through the good times and through the bad times. I still struggle now, I am human. But the thing that God has given me is conviction through the Holy Spirit. No longer, am I jumping into sin with a knowledge of what I am going to do (am I going to covet, am I going make God into someone I am comfortable with and ignore who He really is). Now I have repented from sin and trust in Christ alone.

I know this isn't my usual blog about a cake I made or a family update. I am also not shoving this on anyone...just sharing in hopes that God will touch your heart or use this to help someone realize there is a great, just, and holy God.

 

Here is a great video that I would like to share with you, enjoy and have a blessed week!