Why I became and stay a Christian

January 14th, 2010 by Rose

It’s been on my agenda to write this entry for a long time and it’s inspired by re-reading Steve’s testimony on his blog again last week.

Why I became a Christian – The Beginning

My Christian journey started as a small child with my Mum giving me a small plate with the Lords prayer on it. I used to recite it every night before bed as a young child. Later at about age ten in a caravan park in Eden, NSW one summer holiday – I met a girl about the same age whose family were Christian, I didn’t have any exposure to Christianity before this aside from the Lords Prayer.

On that holiday I asked Jesus into my heart and life. I recall afterwards starting to go by myself to a Presbyterian church in Epping, Victoria for some time before finally being put off by their constant reference to us all ‘being sinners’ – even at that young age I knew that church should have been an empowering experience and not all doom and gloom.

I drifted away from Christianity and in 1994 in my first year of university after reading a small advert in the local paper, starting taking a meditation course nearby. I drifted along with them and at various stages had a varied involvement with them – preferring mostly the uni life of partying, getting drunk and having what the world called ‘fun’.

Around 1999-2000 I became more involved in the Indian religion from which it stemmed. This organisation followed these principals: vegetarian, abstaining from alcohol, smoking, sexual relationships and daily meditation with what they call the Supreme Soul.

It was during that time I was able to overcome my excessive smoking and drinking habits. Still to this day I am still vegetarian and don’t smoke or drink.

In early 2004 I was still practising my meditation often getting up at 4am and having half an hours mediation time in the stillness of the morning. One morning, I had this strong desire to put the TV on which was in my room. This lady appeared, dressed well and a strong American accent – she was saying the most amazing things that related to things going on in my life. This woman was Joyce Meyer, a well known Christian Preacher. Before long I was waking each morning at 4am to listen to her. She had this amazing no nonsense way of communicating her message. It was what I needed though I didn’t pursue Christianity – I still identified with my other religion.

That same year I started talking more through the Internet with a guy from England called Steve. After many hours of conversation we met in person and fell in love. In November 2004 I moved to England and we spent two years there.

During that time we attended when we could the nearest meditation centre about an hour or more away for this organisation. It just didn’t ‘fit’ right though and I was forever questioning their beliefs and not being content with the answers I was getting.

I was homesick and missing the family/community environment being a part of something like that offered and kept getting the push inside me to visit a church.

We attended a number of churches, what an eye opener and I am so glad we stuck with our search and were not put off by some of the strange places we encountered.

Finally, at the beginning of the New Year in 2006 we went to a service St Johns Church of England in Woodbridge, Suffolk and the very first morning we were there, God sat a retired vicar next to us. We became friends and attended some small groups at their house on a number of occasions and pumped them with questions and such like. It took many months for me to finally make the decision as an adult to become a Christian.

I made the decision that if I lived my life by the principles of Christianity, and it turned out to be wrong, I had lost nothing. But, if I lived my life by the scientific principles of atheism, or indeed New Ageism, and THAT turned out to be wrong, then I had lost everything. I asked Jesus to become Lord of my life. I made the decision in faith, there was no bolt of lightening or Road to Damascus experience for us like Paul experienced in the Bible to have him convert from his Roman ways to be a follower of Christ.

In November 2006 we moved back to Australia and tried out a few churches in our area before making our home at New Horizons Assembly of God Church in Whittlesea.

Before we went there we did attend a different church in the area, the vicar of which ran a course called Introducing God. It was really at this point I really clicked into knowing WHO Jesus is and WHY I need him in my life. He also lent me a book called ‘More Than A Carpenter‘ by Josh McDowell. The book put things into perspective in such a way that I really couldn’t ignore it any longer – and argued so well that Jesus Christ was the Son Of God, that logically I could no longer argue against it. At that point I decided I had to find out more, and began to seek out who Jesus really was.

Steve and I were baptized in water, by Pastor Shane at New Horizons in October of 2007. Since that time I have been given more and more evidence that Jesus is Lord because the Bible IS accurate.

Life has taken many twists and turns – without my faith, this religion – I wouldn’t be where I am today. I would be so bitter and angry as I have a lot to be bitter and angry about with the experiences I have endured in the past; sexual, physical, emotional abuse and abandonment to name just a few.

It is of great comfort for me to know that the world and the people in it are going to hurt me and let me down. But my heavenly Father loves me eternally and at any time I can go to Him. I know that when I take the love and approval I need from Him than people – the greater I become.

Why do I stay a Christian?

In my time as a Christian I have witnessed some miracles, been blessed beyond measure and had the opportunity to serve on the mission field in Africa, in and around my home town and amongst my friends and family. I’ve seen lives changed and people so broken you would never think they could be fixed be healed in their hearts and in their lives by the power of God.

It is certainly an amazing life I lead now I have learnt that God is more interested in my character and not my comfort and I have come to try my best to ‘consider it pure joy to go through trials’ because I know they are shaping my character and developing my relationship with God even more.