Before Jesus Changed My Life
Throughout my life as a child, my teenage years, and into being a senior in high school, I never truly knew Jesus. I believed God was real and knew there was a creator, but I never really truly knew Jesus. I struggled with sin at times throughout high school, and knew it was wrong. However, I never truly understood why until I learned about God. I never had a moment where everything just changed, but I just knew something was missing in my life for so long, and it felt like there was just a missing piece to me.
How Jesus Changed My Life
The summer before college, I met someone and started attending Salt Company at Iowa State. Throughout that summer, I grew closer to God and started to learn who Jesus was. I was getting closer, but I still didn’t truly know God yet. Then I began my freshman year of college, and I started going to Salt Company in Cedar Rapids. I took the Gospel 101 class. During my time in this class, God led me to truly know what the Gospel is, what Jesus did for us, and who He really is. This class is what made me understand the beauty of the Gospel and led me to place my faith in Jesus Christ. The two verses that really stuck with me are Romans 6:23, which says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” and Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” These passages help me realize that I am saved through my faith and through what Jesus did for me on the cross. I am not saved by my works but by what Jesus did by shedding His blood on the cross.
My Life After Jesus Saved Me
I now have hope in Jesus Christ, I have peace, and I feel His presence through the Holy Spirit. He gives me my purpose, which is primarily doing everything for Him and His glory and to grow His Kingdom. My hope is found in Christ and God's promise of eternal life to those who have faith. He is the light in the darkness, and He is the one who brings me joy. One of my favorite verses is John 15:4 which is when Jesus is talking about abiding in Him in order to bear fruit, He says “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” This is a great reminder to do all things through Him and for Him, and that He gives me strength to do all things. God has changed my life forever, and He is still working in me, and that is the greatest blessing ever. My life has changed forever, and knowing and placing my faith in Christ is the greatest thing I’ve ever done. I know I have eternal life through Jesus Christ because God gave us the free gift of eternal life through sending His one and only Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins so we can have eternal life through placing our faith in Him. (Romans 6:23)