I prayed the prayer of salvation as a little girl. Truth be told, I prayed at the prompting of Gospel Bill - the television sheriff of Dry Gulch county on a Christian children's show that aired Saturday mornings on the Trinity Broadcasting Network in the '80s. Although the characters on the show were only pretend, the Gospel they shared was real and I now have a soft spot for Christian television and am quick to quiet anyone who finds amusement in making fun of it. (My mother also accepted Jesus while watching a television show nearly a decade earlier when Pat Robertson gave his regular salvation invitation from the couch of his "700 Club" studio - only one of the many random connections I share with my mother ~ i.e. ... she grew up on "Faith" street, I grew up on "Church" street).
In the years following, I was privileged to grow up in a church where the Bible was taught, the Holy Spirit was welcomed, and the pastors were honest and real. My mom made it her mission in life to teach me to have a relationship with God for myself, rather than simply giving me list of rules to follow and verses to memorize. Although I've never been perfect and there are LOTS of areas I'm working on (just ask my husband!), I did truly give my heart to Jesus way back then and have never wanted to ask for it back.
Remember the couch couples in "When Harry Met Sally?" They're so great because they've stood the test of time. They're not young and hot and hormone-infested... and yet they're still together and still in love and that makes us say, "Awe" and "How sweet." I want my walk with God to be like that... to go beyond a dramatic alter call experience at camp and to last through my selfish youth and to be a constant in the midst of all the changes that will come with having kids and different jobs. And I want to look back when I'm old and gray and be able to reminisce with God about the walks we've taken and the talks we've had. I'm sad when I think about all the friends I've watched drift from where they once were and who now feel distant and far from God when they once felt so close. BUT the amazing thing about God and His all-conquering love is this: He keeps loving. So if your story doesn't sound quite like mine and perhaps has been a little more "off and on" along the way, that's completely okay - your love story with Him can begin or begin AGAIN today and be just as beautiful. *** I've attached a link here to a website that provides a really clear and easy to understand explanation of WHY a person needs salvation and how to receive it from God. ***
Click here to listen: "Exclusively Yours" (I apologize in advance for the cheesy drum machine! :)
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