Tag Archives: Christ follower

Cindy Helped Me Find the Happy Side of Life

Strange the moments you recall forever.  I remember that moment in church when I accepted Christ, but I also recall minutes later standing outside the church waiting for my mom.  I stood there wondering what I would tell my mom and wondering what my decision meant.

For a little bit of time, it did not mean much.  Life slipped back to normal.  I didn’t continue going to church.

Then a Christian Band played at my school.  (Public school–times have changed.)  They advertised they were having a concert over the weekend so I went with my friend Cindy.

I knew that being a Christian meant more than just saying one prayer, but I didn’t know what was expected.  My friend Cindy told me to come to her church.  They had a new youth director.  The next morning I went to Sunday school and the youth director told us to return that night if we wanted to be part of the youth choir he was starting.

That church taught me what it meant to live as a Christian.  Without them, I would have been seed on a rock.

Matthew 13:18 Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.

That night the youth choir (some times referred to as the Dirty Thirty) came to life.  We were a motley group.  Many just like me, a Christian whose family did not attend church.  But they became my Christian family and taught me about the Lord.  We were called The Happy Side Singers after a song “I found the Happy Side of Life”.  I can honestly say that not every day is joyous, but every day that I walk with Christ is filled with contentment.  I did find the Happy Side of Life.

The second person who had a crucial role in my Christian life was Cindy.  She asked me to come join her church.

A simple invitation changed me

549938_10151516636695090_692090491_nLet me back up a minute.  I started telling my tale of walking with Christ in the middle.

During my years of being a Christ follower many Christians have woven in and out of my life with varying amounts of influence.  But, as I reflect on my life, I recognize three people impacted my life in ways that changed me forever.

First person: Polly

Want to know the great exciting thing she did to change my life so significantly.  She asked me to go to church with her one Sunday.  Small act with a big impact.

My mom took me to church occasionally when I was younger and she read bible stories to me when I was really little.  But we were not a church going family.  Now as I reflect back, I can see God moving in my life even before this invitation.  Christians crossed my path and I saw their lives.  But it was a simple invitation that took this middle schooler to a place where I could meet Jesus personally.

Why did I go to church?  She was my friend.

I have no memory of the words in the sermon.  What I recall, like it was yesterday, was the Pastor asking if anyone in the church wanted to be a Christian.  I raised my hand.  And seconds later, and even at the time I had no memory of actually leaving my seat, I was standing in the front of the church.  A woman explained to me the very simple steps of how I could become a Christian.

Confess I was a sinner
Believe Christ is Lord and died for my sins
Ask Him to be my personal Lord and Savior.

From that moment my life was never the same.  It would take two more people to get me on the right path.

But today, I thank Polly for inviting a friend to Church.

I praise and thank Christ for dying for my sins and saving my soul.

He Reached Out His Hand and Lifted Me

Tears and thoughts of u-turning my car into oncoming traffic filled my afternoons.  I awoke each morning determined to not allow my pain to over take me again.  By noon, I always failed.  Months and months passed and the internal pain did not ease.

That year in many ways represents the point that separates my life into two major divisions.

Prior to this moment,  I knew Christ as my savior and I knew right from wrong.   But my life was more about me. What I wanted mattered.  What God wanted not so much.   My mantra was “God would want me happy” and it justified anything I wanted to do.

The pain I felt in this year had nothing to do with being punished by God.  The overwhelming depression came as a result of natural consequences.  The chickens came home to roost.

And at this moment, I realized I had ran from God.  The do it my own way attitude resulted in my separating from my Lord.  I stopped going to church most of the time, I stopped reading my bible and I stopped praying

I tried everything to breakout of the terrible place. Nothing worked.

My job required me to travel.  I decided to give one of these weeks to God.  My version of a time of fasting.  When I was not working, I would spend time in prayer and bible study.  I would focus on what God wanted me to do with my life.  I would ask Him and try to listen.

This week started a new stage in my life—my hand in hand walk with Christ.  The depression ended that week.  My path since has not been perfect.   I have gone through exciting times, I have suffered through hard times, and on several occasions I have strayed back to the “what I want path”.  But I have never been the same.

This blog is not about being a Born Again Christian, eventhough I am one.  It is about my journey as a Christ Follower.

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