Sweet Conversion

Do you remember where you were when you accepted Jesus into your heart? Maybe you have yet to pray that prayer, the prayer that allows Jesus to be Lord of your life. Perhaps you have never been given that opportunity. It's so simple to do, so simple that my little Joei Kate has Jesus in her heart. I love that! I love how simple it really is. Unfortunately, Religion has complicated salvation. Religion makes us believe that we have to do x,y,z before Jesus will accept us. Thank you Lord, that is not the case. We simply just ask. Just ask.

I remember where I was. I was 14 years old, it was the summer before I entered high school. I was a mess of a teenager, let me tell ya. I carried so much hurt, bitterness and insecurity, that I could hardly even function right. Sure, I got by. But I was so riddled with insecurity and pain, masking it all the way.

I was invited to go on a church trip to Mexico. I thought it sounded like fun, get away from everyone, sign me up! I didn't know there was going to be preaching at night, and quite honestly, I don't remember any other service during that trip, except for the first night. That night, Coco Perez was preaching. He was using the text from the book of Joel, I will never forget it. He put out the call, that sweet simple call that has long been too complicated for people, the call to receive Jesus. And I did just that. I knew I needed something. I knew I needed something.

My life changed in an instant that night. I really mean that. The peace of God came over me, and I was changed. The pain began to release...Sure, I struggled with stuff, and of course had to face tons of obstacles, and still do, but I have tried my hardest to never quit running the race. All because of the simplicity of the gospel. It's so simple. And yet, I gained so much by accepting that simplicity. Thank you Jesus.

This Sunday mornings message has me thinking about this, Joey is preaching about his thankfulness for the Cross. I'm so thankful too.

That, and this morning I was reading about Saul's Conversion in the book of Acts. That is SO fascinating to me. He was a man that absolutely hated anything to do with Jesus. A persecutor of Christians. Just an all around bad egg. But that all changed when he had an experience with that sweet simplicity. Ahhhh Jesus.

I love Acts 9:15 because here the Lord tells Ananias that "This man (Saul) is my chosen instrument..."

Wow. An outwardly evil man. A man nobody would except that the Lord would use in such a dramatic way. But Saul, also called Paul, indeed was used.

I also love the verse in Corinthians (1:27) that says "God uses the foolish things of this world to confound the wise."

It still amazes me that the Lord would take a messed up, broken little girl like myself, and use me to do anything at all. I'm so thankful, this November, for the cross. I may not have confounded anyone just yet, but don't count me out! It aint over...

I'm so thankful for that sweet simplicity. Thank you Jesus.

Do you remember?