January 11 - Diana Marcum
Recently I’ve felt increasingly convicted about being bold in sharing my faith in Jesus Christ. I think most people can agree our country (and world) seem to be falling apart at an increasingly rapid pace- more now than ever people need Jesus! We need to know Him and how much He loves us, we need to know the hope, peace and joy that transcends circumstances when we enter into a relationship with Him!
I want all of my friends to know Jesus, I know how He CAN and WILL save your life! Not just from an eternal perspective but in the here and now! I will be sharing my faith more on here, but figured the best place to start is with my “testimony” - my story of how Jesus saved me!
Most of my life I did not know Jesus (not personally at least) I knew religion (being raised mostly catholic), I knew about Jesus like I knew about George Washington, I believed in Him in my head as a historical figure… truthfully I was too distracted with my life to consider Him much more than that. I didn’t care- he wasn’t relevant to the fun I was having at the time and I viewed all the “rules” in the Bible as something that would put a damper on my fun - which was pretty much my main goal in life.
I started going to a non denominational Christian church in NYC (that my parents had been attending) when I was in college, every now and then and mostly for the free brunch and getting to see my parents. I continued going to that church into my early 20s (for the wrong reasons). One Sunday everything changed.
The message that finally allowed my heart to be softened and ask Jesus to come into my life as my Lord and Savior.
We were created by God for a relationship with Him! We were created to worship Him!
Whether we know it or not we are worshiping something, if it’s not God, it’s a “god” of our own making - self, money, beauty, love, intellect, power, fame, kids, a person, a political party etc. The only thing in this life that will NEVER fail you is God, everything else will always fail you. With money it will never be enough, with beauty that fades, kids they will disappoint and someday leave the nest, any other person - self included will fail you. Even if you are the most beautiful, the most rich, the most successful you will soon realize that won’t fill that void you have - just look at those people, they’re usually the most miserable!
We’re all chasing Jesus, because that’s what we were created for, and until we put our trust in Him and worship Him we will NEVER be satisfied. No amount of money, beauty, power, fame, or power will satisfy, no person or thing will satisfy- THE ONLY ONE that can satisfy and fill that void is Jesus!
I’ve heard this message or a one similar to it multiple times, but it wasn’t until this one particular Sunday that the message actually took root and Jesus captured my heart. My heart was just finally in the right place to recieve it, after spending most of my teens and twenties seeking love and validation in all the wrong places - I knew this message was true! I was tired of doing things my way; I was ready to receive the Gospel and give my life to Jesus (more on that and what it means coming soon)! I asked Jesus to come into my life and was saved at around 25. And it was the BEST decision I have ever made in my life!