July 30th 2002, A Birthday Celebration

You know, its pretty fun getting to celebrate two birthdays a year.  Yesterday, I had the joy of turning 10 years old :) as I celebrated the day in which I surrendered my life and my sin to Jesus.  


I remember that day, just like it was yesterday.  I remember what I was wearing, I remember the scene around me, everything.  It will be forever etched in my mind as a day that I will never forget, for it will stand as the greatest moment of my life.  The day in which Jesus Christ made me a new creation, forgiving me of all my sin, instilling his life and purity in me through the power of the Holy Spirit. 

I remember, listening to the Youth Pastor as he told us that we are all dirty rags because of our sin and that the only way we can get into Heaven is if we have a clean rag and the only person that can wash our rag clean is Jesus.  In that moment, it all hit the fan for me.  I'd grown up in church my whole life.  I knew all about Jesus, but I didn't know Jesus.  I was miserable, because I was living life without really knowing the one who created me.  I knew that I had sin, I knew in that moment that I was a dirty rag and that I needed a rescuer. I remember praying these words, 


"God, I'm so tired of living life on my own, wash this dirty rag and help me start a new life through Jesus Christ."


Oh, what joy floods my soul as a type those words.  My eyes are welling up with tears, because God in His faithfulness came without delay and answered that prayer.  Oh, how I love the name of Jesus.  


In fact,  I was walking to the YMCA yesterday morning and was so struck as I recalled that moment in time on July 30th, 2002, as a broken, wandering 18 year old who had no hope and no purpose.  I had to take a moment to just stop, shed a few tears there too and thank the Lord Jesus for His power to truly transform my life.  I can't explain it really, its hard for me to put into words of just how much Jesus Christ has redeemed me.  Lord knows, I'm still in a process of letting go of that old self and putting on Christ, but if you knew me 10 years ago, there is no denying that I'm truly a different person.    


These past 10 years have been quite the journey with the Lord as He is shaping me more and more into His image.  There have been times of great pain and times of great trust as I've clung tightly to the Lord Jesus.  


My life before Christ was truly a mess.  My identity was wrapped up in what others thought of me, my self image was terrible, I had no hope, I believed that my life had no purpose, and why would God create someone like me?  I'm just a mistake that He has made.  I used to believe that I was ugly, not good enough and would never amount to anything.  I must say to you, that God has taken those lies and given me a fresh hope, a new identity and a purpose greater than I could ever dream or imagine.  


God desires that for all of us, to be made new, to let go of our life and to trust Him.  We have to recognize that we have done wrong things, we have sin, and that God cannot allow sin into Heaven, but Jesus, died for sin so that you and I, if we place our faith in His death and resurrection and we call out unto Him to save us that He will come, without delay and make us brand new.  Isn't that a wonderful truth that God doesn't just save us, but He wants to make us brand new.  Hallelujah!