What was life like before you met Jesus?
Before I met Jesus I felt myself falling into worldly desires. I cared more about what people thought about me and the things I had. I judged people a lot more and was more concerned by what other people were doing than by what I was doing. I lacked a connection with God where I felt comfortable talking to Him. I believed in God and always have but I didn’t have a relationship with Him or know about Him. I tried to control everything in my life instead of knowing He was in control.
How did you meet Jesus?
My wife and I were living in North Carolina and had left all of our family back in Iowa. We didn’t know anyone but had met this lovely couple from our apartment complex. They invited us to the Easter service at their church. We hadn’t been to church in quite a while but decided let’s give it a shot. We went and it was not at all what we were expecting or used to at our old churches. The people were so welcoming and we could actually understand the message from the service. I was so used to my older church in Iowa where I was raised where I sat in the service and listened but could not understand what the message was and how to bring it into my life. God was with me in Asheville and led me back to church and opened my heart to Him and I was able to hear what He was telling me. When we returned to Iowa I mourned losing that church family and wanted to find that back here. Some friends of ours invited us to Veritas and we decided to give it a try. It was a lot like our church in Asheville and I felt like God was talking straight to me with so many of the messages. I started praying more and taking more steps to get to know God and I have never felt so complete in my life. I had always felt like I knew Jesus and that we needed him but never really took any action. I started to view him as my savior and took that seriously because I grasped it more than I ever had and knew that because of how great and gracious our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is that I wanted to serve him properly. As Proverbs 3:5-6 states, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Since giving all control to Him, I am free and He is creating the way for me.
After being saved by Jesus, what is your life like now?
God is in my life in so many more ways now than ever before. I lean on Him and talk to Him more than ever. He has helped give me the strength to get through the most challenging year of my life with a new career change and bringing a child into our family. Even with being so busy and not having a lot of time for anything, it is never an option to not go to church on Sunday because I know that I need that message that God is giving me. My wife and I have been tested this last year and I know if it wasn’t for Him we would not have been able to make it, but He has been with us and gives us the things we need to come together and grow together in love and faith. He does all of this for me even when I was not giving myself to him entirely. His love for me is forever and I know that by giving my life to God, I will have eternal life. Romans 10:9 says, “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved”