prompt: In light of this reality, describe your decision to follow Jesus Christ, and using specific examples, describe how you have grown spiritually over the course of your high school/college career.
One Saturday afternoon, a friend, Eunice, came into my room and found me crying. Immediately, she took me into her arms and asked what was wrong. I told her I was not able to stir out of lethargy. "I had three consecutive dreams... I remember I was running away from someone. When I realized it was just a dream; I knew I had to get out but I couldn't. As soon as I forced myself I instantly fell back into sleep. This time there were three little boys that came after me. Their eyes were distorted. Then, I saw a pole and I climbed up thinking that they would not be able to catch me. However, within a matter of seconds they were grabbing my feet. I became aware that it was a dream and I constantly told myself, "Get out! Get out!" Yet, as if something was pushing me down, I was unable to move. Finally, my eye opened but it slowly closed and I was back at the same place. In the corners of the wall an old grandma stood with a hunched back. Her disfigured face and eyes followed every step of mine. I trembled in fear and screamed, "HELP!" but no one was there. That's when I forced myself to become conscious."
Eunice grabbed my shaking hands and shaped them into a small cup. She said," These are God's hands. We are in the circle of his world protected by the evil things. However, when we start to walk out of his kingdom there will no longer be protection but evil temptations that will haunt you."
Ever since that day I have thought about my dream and worried about my spiritual relationship with God. I gave some time and thought to my dream and wondered what it meant. In Romans 2:5 says, "But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God." My heart was hardened but I did not take care of my heart. I was just an educated unbeliever who knew more than those who never went to church, but was never a step closer to the kingdom of God. A pastor once told me that those who have never been to church comes and hears is all for the first time might believe on the spot. But those who have heard it their whole lives and think they know it all might be so hardened and resistant that they might not believe. Eunice was right about what she had told me. I was blinded for my own needs rather than to fulfill God's desires. I walked out of his kingdom.
I reminisce on the dream; I can say that it was one of the lives changing moments that brought me to a realization. In Acts 26:17-18 it says, "'Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God's people, who are set apart by faith in me.' "Throughout the prior years of my life, I have avoided God and hid in the darkness. I realized that as much as we hide in the black darkness our sins will not be forgiven but will be increased to a larger amount.
For the next three years of my high school life, I began to work and volunteer both at churches and hospitals. As I witnessed the work of God sweeping through communities, I could not pity myself. A number of people were breathing their last strokes to live but I was complaining of what I already had. I was rebuked, humbled, and restored. In Isaiah 6:8 "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'" There, I dedicated my life to my Savior Jesus Christ., so that he will be able to use me to preach His name among all people and change the non-believers into believers of Jesus Christ. God took me back and molded me into the woman I am today. Since then, I have taken each step with consideration of what God wants for me and learned to accept Christ with a better attitude. I cannot completely say that I have ultimately changed because I am still a sinner, but as it says in Ephesians 2:4 "because of His great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace we have been saved."
From the day I took breathe; God blessed me with a stable, Christian foundation that I was able to grow up on safely and steadily. My dad as a Pastor taught me the word of God and grew up in the church, seeing what was good and knowing to follow only that. Despite of having a firm foundation I was too young to realize the wonderful meaning of receiving God's gift of giving his one and only son to us. However, through experiences, I come to realize that Christianity is not set on just going to churches and being a "fake" Christian, yet it is for us to become like God, the perfect man, who gave his son to show us a clearer revelation. God had his doors willingly open for me to come back, as it proclaims in Revelation 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." The doors of God's Kingdom were and are always open. It was for me to open up to him. In addition, Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." As I walk behind the steps of God, I continue to grow in his faith and pour out my love to those as he has poured out his love for me. I seek to become like him.
One Saturday afternoon, a friend, Eunice, came into my room and found me crying. Immediately, she took me into her arms and asked what was wrong. I told her I was not able to stir out of lethargy. "I had three consecutive dreams... I remember I was running away from someone. When I realized it was just a dream; I knew I had to get out but I couldn't. As soon as I forced myself I instantly fell back into sleep. This time there were three little boys that came after me. Their eyes were distorted. Then, I saw a pole and I climbed up thinking that they would not be able to catch me. However, within a matter of seconds they were grabbing my feet. I became aware that it was a dream and I constantly told myself, "Get out! Get out!" Yet, as if something was pushing me down, I was unable to move. Finally, my eye opened but it slowly closed and I was back at the same place. In the corners of the wall an old grandma stood with a hunched back. Her disfigured face and eyes followed every step of mine. I trembled in fear and screamed, "HELP!" but no one was there. That's when I forced myself to become conscious."
Eunice grabbed my shaking hands and shaped them into a small cup. She said," These are God's hands. We are in the circle of his world protected by the evil things. However, when we start to walk out of his kingdom there will no longer be protection but evil temptations that will haunt you."
Ever since that day I have thought about my dream and worried about my spiritual relationship with God. I gave some time and thought to my dream and wondered what it meant. In Romans 2:5 says, "But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God." My heart was hardened but I did not take care of my heart. I was just an educated unbeliever who knew more than those who never went to church, but was never a step closer to the kingdom of God. A pastor once told me that those who have never been to church comes and hears is all for the first time might believe on the spot. But those who have heard it their whole lives and think they know it all might be so hardened and resistant that they might not believe. Eunice was right about what she had told me. I was blinded for my own needs rather than to fulfill God's desires. I walked out of his kingdom.
I reminisce on the dream; I can say that it was one of the lives changing moments that brought me to a realization. In Acts 26:17-18 it says, "'Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God's people, who are set apart by faith in me.' "Throughout the prior years of my life, I have avoided God and hid in the darkness. I realized that as much as we hide in the black darkness our sins will not be forgiven but will be increased to a larger amount.
For the next three years of my high school life, I began to work and volunteer both at churches and hospitals. As I witnessed the work of God sweeping through communities, I could not pity myself. A number of people were breathing their last strokes to live but I was complaining of what I already had. I was rebuked, humbled, and restored. In Isaiah 6:8 "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'" There, I dedicated my life to my Savior Jesus Christ., so that he will be able to use me to preach His name among all people and change the non-believers into believers of Jesus Christ. God took me back and molded me into the woman I am today. Since then, I have taken each step with consideration of what God wants for me and learned to accept Christ with a better attitude. I cannot completely say that I have ultimately changed because I am still a sinner, but as it says in Ephesians 2:4 "because of His great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace we have been saved."
From the day I took breathe; God blessed me with a stable, Christian foundation that I was able to grow up on safely and steadily. My dad as a Pastor taught me the word of God and grew up in the church, seeing what was good and knowing to follow only that. Despite of having a firm foundation I was too young to realize the wonderful meaning of receiving God's gift of giving his one and only son to us. However, through experiences, I come to realize that Christianity is not set on just going to churches and being a "fake" Christian, yet it is for us to become like God, the perfect man, who gave his son to show us a clearer revelation. God had his doors willingly open for me to come back, as it proclaims in Revelation 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." The doors of God's Kingdom were and are always open. It was for me to open up to him. In addition, Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." As I walk behind the steps of God, I continue to grow in his faith and pour out my love to those as he has poured out his love for me. I seek to become like him.