Hello friends out there in the blogger world,
I'm quite new to the blogging world and let me just start off and say that I'm from a generation that on a whole is truly self obsessed. With twitter and people posting about what they are doing every other minute, posting on blogs a million times a day, and sending a text every 10 seconds it is easy to become very self absorbed. (If you are reading this and do any of the above things that I just listed and have taken offense I sincerely apologize my purpose is not to offend you. Those things are not always on the whole bad, however I do think they can leave to people becoming extremely self absorbed.)
My point is right away I want to make it clear that by the grace of God this blog will not be like that. I will not be posting in great detail about the icecream I ate for desert, the cute shoes I saw at the mall, etc (you get the idea). I'm hoping that this will be a blog that will glorify God in the sharing of His Word, His mighty work, and will be a light as well as an encouragement to anyone who happens to read it.
I've been thinking lately of how gracious it was of God to save me from my horrific sin at such a young age. My salvation would have been incredible at any age of course but by saving me at sixteen years old He was especially gracious and merciful. I know I just said that this would not be a self obsessed blog, so I hope this next sentence does not make me a complete hypocit. I would like to share my testimony with you blogger world. Not so I can think highly of myself, for it was nothing that I did. I did absolutely nothing I most certainly did not choose God. He chose me and He saved me.
So here goes; I come from a family full of nonbelievers. I didn't go to church at all growing up. God blessed me with a family that is very dear to me, and loving parents that are still married. He also blessed me with an easy childhood. I moved from Colorado to California when I was about six, and I grew up being homeschooled by my mom and having the companionship of a brother 3 1/2 years younger than myself. My mom enrolled in dance classes at a young age and that was a big part of my life. It was when I was about seven years old that God first made me truly wonder about His existence. My Grandma was in the hospital, and that sparked a wonder about God, heaven and hell.
In my early teen years I became obsessed over dance, losing weight/dieting, and being "popular" among my friends. I was obsessed over having the best clothes, being the prettiest girl, and being the best dancer. Dance was truly my obsession though I danced at least 15 hours a week, ate very little, and gossiped more and more with my friends from the studio.
When I was fourteen I become close friends with a group of girls who did not dance with me. They all came from christian families, and had grown up together. I got along with them really well, and loved spending time with them. However, I always felt that I didn't quite fit in.
The fall that I was sixteen I started taking college classes. I took them with my 3 closest friends and they also started to take me to church on a regular basis. I enjoyed going with them, but the more I went the more I realized church wasn't just something you went to and being a christian wasn't just a label for a person. That fall the Lord truly started to open my heart. I saw the light in my friends' lives, and I understood that if I were to die right then I would surely be going to hell. When I realized that if I were to die right then that I would be going to hell I spent a good three monthes in depression wondering how I could be saved. I realized that if I wanted to be saved I had to give up everything, and turn from my sins, but I was still holding on. I was afraid of what my family would think if I became a Christian, and I didn't want to have to love God more than I loved dancing.
Praise God that He changed my heart. I started going to youth group with one of my friends that October, and on December 3rd 2008 the Lord opened my heart to hear His Word, repent of my sins and be saved. The teaching had been on James 1 (and sadly I don't remember the exact verse), and after the sermon I had wanted to talk with my youth leader who was always so nice to me. I chickened out though and decided to go to the car while my friend stayed and talked with her. Thankfully the Lord had other plans. My friend came out to the car and told me she really thought I should come in and talk to her. I was nervous but I came. Praise God for that!! My sweet kind youth leader (who is now a dear friend) gave me the gospel and prayed with me. I realized my sinfulness, my absolute need of a Savior, and what Christ had done for me on the cross. Praise be to God!! I am so thankful that He saved me from my wretched sin at such a young age. I didn't grow up in the church, and there was no reason at all for Him to choose me. I had no family members at all that gave me any kind of godly upbringing but the Lord still saved me. I am so thankful that for God's sovereignty that He ordained all things prior to my conversion to lead to my salvation and that all things in my life have been ordained by a gracious God. Though it is often a challenge I'm thankful for my having a family for of nonbelievers some of whom I have had the privilege and blessing to by the grace of God share the gospel with. The Lord is so gracious. I am continually amazed that He would choose to save me, and that He continues to grow me into the likeness of His son. Praise, glory and honor be to Him alone for His amazing grace and work!
"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." - Ephesians 2:8-9
"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." - Philippians 1:6
That's all. I just wanted to share, because I have thought of this a lot lately and have been again so very overwhelmed by the deep love of Christ and His amazing grace. That He become sin and died for me upon the cross so that at the appointed time I would be saved. What a great Lord and Savior we serve.
For Christ's glory,
-Willa
