july 30, 1990

july 30th has come and gone this year and i didn't even notice until now. i am almost finished with my study of the book of esther (as done by beth moore) and the last chapters are about the jews remembering what they had been through and celebrating it every year. so that is why i was reminded of july 30th, starting in 1990. here's the story:

the characters: a 6 year old girl, a 10 year old girl, and a 30something sunday school teacher.

the scene: night church (sunday evening), basement of a lions club building that doubles as a church. the carpet is red and orange with some sort of design throughout. there are approximately 3 pillars running down the center of the large room and kid's chairs set up on the left side of the room in rows.

this is how the story goes: a little girl - let's call her amy - was sitting in children's church on a summer sunday evening. she sang some fun songs and the teacher - let's call her melody - read them a story. the story was about a little boy and little girl who were out in the country with some sheep (the story is pretty fuzzy right here) and they were talking about lost sheep and how we as people are like sheep and we are lost from our shepherd who is God. if we don't accept Christ's gift of salvation we won't be with Jesus when we die and we will be separated from Him in hell, forever. perhaps they also sang a song about sheep - "all we like sheep, have gone astray, all we like sheep have turned our own way. all we like sheep must trust and obey and follow Him, follow Him, follow Him....." (can't really remember) this got amy thinking, "i want to be with God forever" somehow amy got from that thought to talking with her cousin, let's call her corie, about being with Jesus. now corie was maybe 10 years old but she knew what to do so she took amy away from the group so they could talk - this part is very vivid, right corner of the room, furthest from the stairs. anyway, amy asked corie to help her pray if she wasn't sure what to say. after that amy went outside to play and does not remember telling her parents right away or anything else from that night but she knew she was part of God's family and would live with Him forever when she died and that was a good thing to know!

so that little story is my story - i was either 5 or 6. the details i remember and have thought were true for 20 years now was that i was 5 years old when i accepted Christ and it was july 30, 1990. but, i looked it up and it would have been a monday if it was the 30th so maybe it was the 29th 1990 but that would make me 6 and i remember being 5 so maybe it was july 30, 1989 which was a sunday so, i don't know. we'll go with 89 but it's not like a five year old keeps a journal... "tonight i accept Jesus into my heart".... so for the sake of this post we'll stick with 1990.

i want to remember that day every year because that was a major turning point in my life. even though i was so small, it turned me toward God and ever since i have been growing in knowledge of Him and my actions have been guided by the Holy Spirit. how cool, that for most of my life i have had the Holy Spirit alive in me, working out His will for my life!

so, i thought i would share that memorable piece of information because i wanted to remind you of that day you realized who God really is. i hope you will celebrate with me too.