(As a note: While this exercise might have come from Bonnie's Baptist church, the premise of having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and looking to him for salvation and everlasting life in His arms in Heaven is basic to all Christian religions, regardless of denomination.)

My story transformed daily by my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ

Background:
Educator, wife and mother of four children, eight grandchildren.

Before:
Lived a great life!
Traveled, taught Sunday School, VBS, attended church and Sunday School— lead church youth groups, involved with intercessory prayer group.
Anyone could see I was a Christian!

Jay retired fro the Army; we moved to Tallahassee
Started attending Wildwood Presbyterian Church, Bible studies
Served on the mission committee — After about two or three years—someone asked me to be head of the Mission Committee — and also made the statement — you are a member of the church. Well no, I thought it was like all military churches — you were a member just by attending (and of course if you were in church you were a Christian) — so into a newcomers class I went — the final process of the class was to have a one on one with the Associate Pastor — Pastor Box asked me — if I had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ — WOW no one had ever asked me THAT question! My response that I had been a Christian all my life apparently wasn't the right answer — He repeated the question — Was there ever a time in your life that you asked Jesus to be Lord and Savior of your life and have you a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? — Well, if you put it that way — answer was NO!! We prayed and for the first time I understood what it meant to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. That was my AhHa moment!!

After:
My life has been perfect ever since — I have a perfect husband, perfect marriage, and perfect children — Isn't that the way Christian lives turn out after Jesus becomes their personal Savior??

I think I missed that class!!

God reveals his mercy, grace, and love for me daily —

Someone once said our lives are like tapestries on the front side they present a beautiful picture, but turn the tapestry over and you will see all the knots, loose threads, and disarray. That is so true!!! My life reflects many teachable moments:

• My son, Robert, was a missionary in England for four years and now works for a bank and with college ministries in Lanett, AL.
• My daughter, Anne, is in a serious relationship with a gentleman who is going off to seminary.
• My daughter, Sandra, has three children (her oldest daughter, Savanah, has tourettes syndrome)
• My oldest daughter, Karen, lives with her female partner who is a grief and marriage counselor in Brandon, and Karen has six-year old triplets. She teaches Bible study at St. Andrews United Methodist Church in Brandon and if I were writing my story, I don’t think it would read like this!!!

The Bible states that God is faithful. The Holy Spirit empowers our lives.

My girls have asked me if I died prior to my encounter with the living God — would I have gone to heaven — my answer now is no.

I was playing church: I read the Bible, went to church, and even confessed my sins and I proved that you can do all these things and not have a personal relationship with Jesus.

But once I had an encounter with your living, personal Savior — I was changed forever. I now serve a living personal Savior who knows all my imperfections and forgives and loves me anyway. All I have to say is Thank you Jesus!!! And I thank God for this wonderful church, life group and church family I have here at Bell Shoals.

Thank you for the privilege of telling you my personal story!!