June 27th is a very special day for me. So Here's the deal: Yes, I prayed the prayer at 4 years old. And yes, I got baptized at 8 (mostly because all my friends were doing it). Yes, I grew up in a Christian home, I memorized all the verses, went to Awana, and did all the right things. But honestly, I was just doing all that because that's kinda what you're supposed to do. Ya know? It was all outward. I only read my Bible because my mom told me to, and Christianity seemed like this big chore. I would lay in bed at night SO scared of dying, because deep down inside, I knew I was not saved.

But I'm so glad Jesus didn't give up on me. Out of the blue (now, I see it was God's grace)... 2 summers ago, I started to feel horrible. Like realllyyyy horrible. It came to the point where one night I absolutely couldn’t go to sleep and I wanted to know for sure that I was going to heaven. So late on that night of June 27th, 2014, I felt such an urging feeling on my heart and tearfully was just crying out to God and begging Him to give me a heart of surrender. Right then and there, Jesus took full hold of my life. I remember turning in my Bible that night to Philippians 1:6 (which is now my very favorite verse!), which says: “He who began a good work in You WILL complete until the day of Christ Jesus.” I’m so glad God continued that "good work" in my heart. This is not because of me whatsoever. This is 100% His work, because on my own, I didn’t want anything to do with God. So today, June 27th, I would like to give a very special shout-out to JESUS! He is amazing. If it wasn’t for Him, who knows where any of us would be?

✨