Christmas Eve 1969 Changed the Course of our Life
My husband didn't grow up going to church or having any spiritual teaching. I grew up attending a denominational church and learned a few Bible verses, but that was about all.
After we were married about four years, Jerry began to have a spiritual longing for more meaning to his life. He worked for an airlines and saw 65 year old men retire, get a lake lot and within a couple years they died. He thought there had to be more to life than working 40 years and then dying. A man he worked with began to share with him that God had a plan for his life and he needed to have a personal relationship with Jesus. He gave him some Bible verses to look up and Jerry asked me if we had a Bible. I told him I think I had one packed away that I had gotten in Sunday School years ago. He went to the attic and went through boxes searching for that Bible. He said when he found it and opened it up it creaked from non-use.
That Christmas Eve we went to a Christmas candlelight service and the Pastor told the Christmas story and when we were singing the last song, "Silent Night," my husband asked Jesus into his heart. I remember looking over at him and huge tears were rolling down his cheeks and I asked him what was wrong. He told me nothing was wrong, but quite the opposite, everything was right as he had made Jesus his Savior and Lord.
At this time I was only a church goer and not sure what had happened, but I told him I thought that was good as he needed that since he didn't grow up going to church. But as the weeks and months went by I knew that the man I married was changing before my eyes. He was always a good person, but now he had a heart after God. It took me a few more months to fully understand and make the same commitment to the Lord that he did that night. I will tell you my spiritual journey in one of my blogs in the spring.
The decision he make 42 years ago changed our lives and the lives of our families and friends. At that time we were the only ones in our families that were born again, so our family became our mission field. I am so blessed to say that our parents and most of our siblings, nieces, and nephews are born again. We raised our daughters using the word of God as our standard and they got born again when they were 4 and 5 years old. Our son-in-laws are born again and our grandchildren are also. Now we are a three generation family that loves and serves the Lord all because of a decision on that one Christmas Eve.
Maybe some of you reading this blog have also questioned why you are here and what God's plan is for your life. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "I know the plans I have for you, they are for good and not for evil, to give you a hope and a future." Make a decision to receive Jesus into your heart and give Him full control. It will be the best decision you could ever make!
Here is a prayer you can pray:
Heavenly Father, in Jesus' name I repent of my sins and open my heart to let Jesus come inside of me. Jesus, you are my Lord and Savior. I believe you died for my sins and you were raised from the dead. Fill me with your Holy Spirit. Thank you Father for saving me in Jesus' name. Amen
After we were married about four years, Jerry began to have a spiritual longing for more meaning to his life. He worked for an airlines and saw 65 year old men retire, get a lake lot and within a couple years they died. He thought there had to be more to life than working 40 years and then dying. A man he worked with began to share with him that God had a plan for his life and he needed to have a personal relationship with Jesus. He gave him some Bible verses to look up and Jerry asked me if we had a Bible. I told him I think I had one packed away that I had gotten in Sunday School years ago. He went to the attic and went through boxes searching for that Bible. He said when he found it and opened it up it creaked from non-use.
That Christmas Eve we went to a Christmas candlelight service and the Pastor told the Christmas story and when we were singing the last song, "Silent Night," my husband asked Jesus into his heart. I remember looking over at him and huge tears were rolling down his cheeks and I asked him what was wrong. He told me nothing was wrong, but quite the opposite, everything was right as he had made Jesus his Savior and Lord.
At this time I was only a church goer and not sure what had happened, but I told him I thought that was good as he needed that since he didn't grow up going to church. But as the weeks and months went by I knew that the man I married was changing before my eyes. He was always a good person, but now he had a heart after God. It took me a few more months to fully understand and make the same commitment to the Lord that he did that night. I will tell you my spiritual journey in one of my blogs in the spring.
The decision he make 42 years ago changed our lives and the lives of our families and friends. At that time we were the only ones in our families that were born again, so our family became our mission field. I am so blessed to say that our parents and most of our siblings, nieces, and nephews are born again. We raised our daughters using the word of God as our standard and they got born again when they were 4 and 5 years old. Our son-in-laws are born again and our grandchildren are also. Now we are a three generation family that loves and serves the Lord all because of a decision on that one Christmas Eve.
Maybe some of you reading this blog have also questioned why you are here and what God's plan is for your life. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "I know the plans I have for you, they are for good and not for evil, to give you a hope and a future." Make a decision to receive Jesus into your heart and give Him full control. It will be the best decision you could ever make!
Here is a prayer you can pray:
Heavenly Father, in Jesus' name I repent of my sins and open my heart to let Jesus come inside of me. Jesus, you are my Lord and Savior. I believe you died for my sins and you were raised from the dead. Fill me with your Holy Spirit. Thank you Father for saving me in Jesus' name. Amen
I am so thankful for that decision and for Uncle Jerry's steadfast, loving walk with the Lord. It has been an example to my life, to my family's life and has impacted us in ways that I am beyond grateful for. Love you!
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