Share Your Salvation Story!

"Lead me to the cross where your love poured out... Bring me to my knees, Lord, I lay me down... Rid me of myself I belong to you... Oh Lead Me.... Lead me to the cross...." ~ From "Lead Me To the Cross" sung by Hillsong United (Robin Mark)
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Over at the Lifeway Forums one of my sister friends asked for us to share our story of when we were saved and then share any feelings or things we remember about that time. I have shared mine below and encourage you to share your own in comments or at your own blog. Either way - leave me a note after you've written your story! I love to hear about how God has introduced Himself to others.

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I was twelve when I received Christ as my Savior - but I didn't make Him Lord. I know that seems like it could not possibly be true, but it is I believed with my whole heart that He was the Savior for our sins and the payment for that penalty of death - I knew He rose from the grave and I was sure He was my God. Still, I had spent so little time in church in my young life that I could not even grasp the deep truths about God it takes to make Him Lord and to identify with Him so personally. I have never, not once since that day doubted my salvation. However, I have had many occasions over the years to doubt my worthiness.

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At that time, I was required to visit with the elders of the church in our home and they asked me a lot of Questions. Gave me a list of them actually and asked me to look up the Scripture references and write my answers down. They came back a few days later and we discussed all the Scriptures I had read, afterward, I prayed to received Christ. I remember that so clearly - it was such an exciting moment.

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I was not an excellent student in school, so when it appeared they were presenting me with a "test" to become a Christian - I thought, "UH, OH!" When they nodded their approval that night I felt like I could walk on air!

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As for how I knew... One day in the worship service, I just had this deep sense that something in my life was missing, and I knew what that something was - it was someone - Jesus. I had a deep knowing that it was time for me to embrace not just the story of who He was, but the person of Christ. I told my parents on the way home from church that day. Not my usual excited response to something I wanted desperately to do, but instead, quiet - subdued and thoughtful.

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As the years passed, I drifted away from the salvation of my youth. I became the prodigal who ran away from not only my parents and my home, but also my God (or so I thought) squandering my youth in wild living. But God used that wild life to reach deep inside me and let me know that nothing would ever be right in my life if I never served Him from my heart. If I never received His love and loved others from that truth. He wanted all of me, not just the part of me that wanted to be saved.

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In May 2003 I began the journey that would change my life forever. I surrendered to the Love and Mercy of God, I lay before Him on the floor of a banquet room in a metropolitan church and wept because I had so forsaken Him. His love washed over me like fresh water from a warm spring. I left there filled with His love, His grace and His truth. I cried deep cleansing tears for nearly 36 hours... I told my husband I understood what Paul felt when God removed the scales from his eyes, "I just see God everywhere."

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Since that time I have had many experiences with God like the one I just described - each one drives me deeper into Him, pressing in expecting a response and my deep love for Him and my relationship with Him was born out of the few occasions I had over 21 years that prepared my heart to see Him in a brand new light.