Miraculous...or Routine?

My conversion story is short and sweet, just like Tami's. I grew up going to church and Sunday School, and praying with my Mom at bedtime. At the age of 10 or so I was lying in bed, all alone, getting a little scared about where I would go if I died, and I knew I didn't like the idea of going to hell so I asked Christ into my heart that very night.

Pretty much the same as your stories!Grew up going to church Sunday school catechism classes 1st 3 years 4 hours on Saturday morning!Irecieved Jesus as my Savior quite awhile ago & am very glad I did!I am always glad to tell others witness to them about Jesus/God!Hes the keeper of our soul!Our peace in a desperate time!

I had recently married and came from a family of divorces. I remember seeing a counselor and asking, why won't my husband cheat? How will this world keep going on? Those questions couldn't be answered. The first time I asked a true Christian, those questions were confidently answered. At that point, I gave my life to Christ and have never regretted it. Thank you Jesus that you do have all of life's answers.

I grew up in a Christian home and regularly went to church. When I was eight years old, I went to First Baptist Church Orlando's Easter passion play called the Light. It portrayed the life of Jesus- including his death, burial, and resurrection. I had heard the story before but it became real. It was there I felt the prompting of the spirit to come to Christ on Palm Sunday. My dad was out of town and some asked me if I wanted to wait later but I said no because Jesus might return.

I also grew up in the church and was saved at a young age. I continued to get to know God and his saving grace throughout middle school and high school. After my first year at a christian college, I got bored and wanted to try out life without God. What a huge mistake and learning curve! I partied, drank, had meaningless sex, tons of meaningless friends, and got into debt. The crazy thing is that no matter what I did, I knew Gods way was better. That his grace and mercy and forgiveness and joy was way better than anything I could do. I continued down a path of sin and selfishness for years until I was so lonely and desperate to know the joy and love God brings. I typically try to hide, cover up or avoid talking about my past sins because I am ashamed. But, this story reminds me that God loves me no matter what. That my story and my past is even more of a reason to share because God delivered me!! He chose me. He is making a new path for me that is way better than anything I could have done! His grace is so freeing and its just, once again, MYSELF that gets in the way of God. Its not whats in my past that defines me, its what in my heart RIGHT NOW. Do I call Him Lord and Savior now? That is the question that matters, not what sins have I done. Thank You God for sending Jesus to clean up our mess and to send the Holy Spirit to live in us! Thank YOU!

I'm a first generation christian, saved at the age of 18. Backslide after a bad marriage break-up and lived without the Lord for 10yrs. thanks be to God his mercies endure for ever and he did not give up on me. during that period the Holy Spirit never left me. I did things that I'm not proud of today.... thank God for the Blood.

I have been rescued by the Holy Spirt in 1999, God love me so much he did not give up on me even when I turned my back on him and served other Gods. Today I love him so much and my joy is found in doing his will and every day I want to sere him better than the day before.

Thank you Holy Spirit for rescuing me and delivering me from myself.

I also grew up in the church. It seems to be a common theme here. However, I walked away when I was 20. I won't go into all the details, but I lived a pretty good life, married, had 2 kids, successful business, etc. The LORD brought me to faith when I was 45. I have lived both sides of the fence, so to speak, non-believer and believer, and long enough that I can remember them both. Believe me I would not want to go back. But I want to mention a number of points.

1. I am able to tell atheists, who often look down with derision on Christians, that I have been where they are, but they have not been where I am. In other words, I can "judge" where they are, but they cannot judge the thoughts of a believer.
2. I was the poster by for a, "pretty good guy." I was not saved out of a life of drugs or debauchery. God just gently brought me into His kingdom. Everybody needs a Saviour; even those who think they don't.
3. My mother prayed every night of her life for her family. She did not see me come to faith until I was middle aged. Parents, if your kids have seemed to have wandered from the faith in which they were raised, don't despair. Just keep praying.
4. Parents; keep taking your kids to church, even through their teens when they don't want to go. God's word will accomplish the purpose for which He intended it, even if it means nothing to them at the time.

I did not grow up in a Christian home. My father had been mistreated in a catholic orphanage, my mother converted to marry.

So, no talk of God at home. I was sent to catechism class after mass (unaccompanied to either mass or class).

I decided to read the bible, ostensibly, so that I would be familiar with literary references.

I can only say that I was converted whilst reading Leviticus in my 50's. I was thereby made aware of how much God cares about how we treat one another.

August 2, 2010 is when I asked Jesus into my heart!!! I was never brought up in the church,and only knew a little bit of the Bible thanks to my friends who had invited me to go to church with them from time to time when I was younger. I only recently started going to church because my daughter had started going with my in-laws. She had asked me to come and I had given all kinds fo reasons not to, but when I started going I could not stop. When things started to seem the worst for me, Jesus was the one I turned to! He is now in my heart because I asked him to be and will always be!!! February 27, 2011 my daughter, husband,and myself were all baptized together. Praise the LORD!

I also grew up in the church but by my teenage years I strayed. However,in my early 20s, one Sunday night as I sat on my bed listening to a radio evangelist,I got convicted and realised the need for God in my life. Throughout my journey I have had many ups and downs as we all do. However, I have grown much more in my faith and is now walking more securely in the Lord as He takes me to greater levels of maturity. God is amazing.

I grew up in a christian home going to church was a must.I got saved when i was 14,And backslide not long after but i must say thanks be to GOD for his grace and mercy he kept watch over me and draw me back into his salvation plan.I just love GOD he never give up on me THANK YOU JESUS.

I went to church off and on as a young child, then in my early teens totally rebelled. Lived a life of alcoholism, drugs, prostitution, had several kids out of wedlock, etc: I knew of God, but did not know Him, till my late 40's. I had been delivered of my habits a few years back, but was so messed up on the inside, mostly with anger and hatred. After accepting Christ, I got into reading the Bible almost daily, and listening to others preach God's Word. Then I learned to become a "doer" and not just a "hearer."
I am now a lot freer on the inside, and though I make mistakes, now I know that I am forgiven and have God to help me back up. I never want to go back to my old life without God, and know I can make it each day by how I have learned to renew my mind with God's Word. God has made the difference in my life, and it is only He who keeps me wanting to carry on each day. God's way is the only way... the world's way cannot compare! But one thing I also learned... you have to do God's way whole heartedly... you cannot do God's way while also living the world's way. It's all or nothing!
Thank You God for loving me and accepting me, even when I didn't deserve it, nor did I love, accept, or care for myself. Your love is pure and forgiving. The world's love is selfish and unforgiving. Your love is kind and gentle. The world's love is full of abuse and misuse of power. I hate the world's ways and feel compassion for those still trapped in its clutches. I pray for all those who are still in the world, that they would come to know God's way of freedom and peace. Nothing compares to God!!!!!
Thanks John K. for the encouragement of praying for our kids who are not saved. None of my kids want anything to do with God, and I failed to raise them the right way, due to my habits, anger, and pain. Now that I am free, they admit the changes, but still don't want anything to do with God. I feel bummed out because I wish I knew back then how real God was and how much He loves us, but I didn't. My pain blinded me to all that, and so I failed to pass God's reality on to them. Thanks John K. for that little bit of hope... I will pray for their salvation daily, and try to trust God that He will change them also.

Here is my story:
I was struggling through a situation. I also was struggling with needing to spend time with other ladies at the time. I just wanted to be part of something so I could get out of the house once a week for a little bit. I heard about MOPS so I called and got information on it. I started to go to this group of ladies that met once a week. It was wonderful. I was seeking out other things in my life at that time. Seeking out answers to my way of mothering and parenting etc. The cool thing is through this situation although I was not seeking out God, God was certainly seeking me out!:) Over a period of time I was asked by one lady, if I wanted to get involved with a Bible study that this small group of ladies were starting, I said yes. I was just excited that someone had thought of me and asked me:) I was not "seeking" out God yet. So I began to go to the house that we would meet at, we had a good time. We finished the book, and we went to go pick out a new Bible study to start. We meet together and started the new Bible study book. This is when my life began to change. God totally began to open my eyes! I am in so much awe I can hardly continue to write:) He worked through me that I didn't know was possible. As I read verses, God became very real to me. God and His ways became real to me. At this point there was a page that had asked about surrender to God. I decided to sign it. I meant it. My heart was linked to God. God is real. God was not real to me before, He is now. My eyes began to open to things I did not see. I couldn't see without God in my life. I couldn't see without God and His ways, guiding me. I thought life was all about me and my ways. I learned it is all about God and His ways. I am so grateful and thankful that, although I was not at the time seeking out God, but God was seeking me out. God had be working through my situation to bring me to Him. God had worked through my brokenness. Thank you Lord so much for that!! God is so GOOD! I am so glad at how God works!! Although we may have no intentions to seek God out, but God is seeking us out. That is so amazing to me!! God thank you so much for all that you do. Lord I don't know how I made it all that time without you. I can never imagine now life without you! That would be unbearable! Thank you Jesus for seeking me out. I was lost but now I am found!!!! That brings tears to my eyes!! I am so in awe of you Lord. Lord you have given me so much and I want to share and give to others what you have given me. You Lord are a best friend I want to share!:) We can only make it so far without you Lord. Life is so empty without you. I don't want others to live a life without you. I want others to know what a wonderful and freeing thing it is to have you in our life. Life is so amazing with you in it:) I could never make it in this life without you Lord. Thank you for dieing on the cross for my sins, and thank you so much for making it possible to have a relationship with you. Thank you Lord for opening my eyes to see there is so much more to being saved. It is about living out life WITH you Lord. It is as I read your Word you open my eyes to the things I did not see.
We need our heart to be open to God. We need our eyes taken off of us and onto God Himself. Gods is an amazing God we serve. we need to be in His Word daily. How do we expect to learn and grow with out the input of God and His ways without reading the Bible. That is like trying to be good at football. You are going to have to read about it, study it, practice, before you know and begin to understand it. It's one thing to know something and it is a whole other thing to live it out. It is so amazing living life with God.

I like so many saved Christians grew up in a Methodist home. My Mother sang in the Choir; she was a very powerful Contralto singer. I inherited this gift I sing Tenor and was successful a National Festivals in the Tenor class Male and Female Duets, Male and Female Assembles. I came out of the church because of a perceived wrong done by the Minister. Of course I strayed right into Satan's camp. I drank every day, smoked excessively and even though married entered in to a life of Adulterous fornication. I was really messed up 100%. Got Divorced and started to live in what we call common-law relationship with [name removed] who I subsequently married. Here my life began to change. Every evening I would hear a small voice asking this question "Is this all you are going to do with your life. You are intoxicated and will sleep it off and tomorrow do the same thing again" I became afraid and started to look at Christian Television but, and here is the but you cannot fool GOD. Good Friday 1997 my partner, Bridget invited me to visit a church she attending for Good Friday Service. The Wed before she invited me to attend I agreed so as not to have a row. On Good Friday morning I had decided I was going to look at a Christian film and then join the boys for a drink. When Bridget realised that I was not going she commenced to make a scene- a voice within me said "do not let her go to the service angry" so I agreed and went with her. During the preliminary singing before the service began it consisted of songs of Praise and not the traditional sad Goo Friday hymns. Then it happened for me The Pastor on taking the Pulpit announced that "Today was a day of rejoicing" My life changed on that statement. I accepted Jesus and IMMEDIATELY lost all desire for my then life, friends and everything connected with it.

Today I am Ordained Minister of GOD teaching new Converts the wonderful life changing and redeeming WORD of GOD and the SALVATION JESUS invites us to partake of.
My prayer is that someone who is hesitant will be touched at what GOD did for me without my asking an GRAB THIS SALVATION NOW.

Anonymous (3 posts above)
If it is not innappropriate to mention on this site, I would suggest you find an Alpha course in your area and invite anyone you care about to come to dinner. It is a great, non-threatening way to introduce people to the Christian faith. I am sure there are others, but I have been involved in Alpha for many years and have seen many people come to Christ through it.

I want to encourage Anonymous with the children.
I did not know Christ until I was about 32 years old. At the time I had four kids ranging from the ages 13-5yrs. old. We had so many changes in our household after God changed my life. I had a friend that pretty much told me to my face that my kids could not change. I thought other wise. I did not believe a word she said, I believed what God tells us in His Word. My whole family has made big changes. We are all a work in progress. God has done so much!!! Please stop beating yourself down. Look back at your own life............look at what God has done!!:) I am so proud of you and I am so happy for you. God is going to use your situation and turn it for the better. Trust God, and continue to pray. Have a wonderful day.

Anonymous with kids ... please be encouraged. God has plans for your children just as He has plans for you. And you are now the biggest example of Christ in their lives. Go forward with confidence in all that God can do in your life and in the lives of your children!