Always Be Ready

In the book of 1 Peter 3:15, Peter tells the church, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” So, here is the reason for the hope that I have in Christ Jesus.

There was a time during my senior year in college when my life was spiraling out of control. I was drinking almost everyday, sex for me was just another thing to do to mask my pain and I was not taking my education seriously. I did enough to make a B in my classes and C’s were not that bad to me. I barely looked into Grad School or thought hard about my future. It was during this time I was living in my pain and taking past hurts out on me and others. I was slowing killing myself with the things I was doing to my body and putting into it.

My sexual behavior lead to an unplanned and unwanted pregnancy during the time I was suppose to be preparing for my internship with a local television station in North Carolina. My belief was abortions were murder but I find myself seriously considering it. It was also during this time a long time friend of mine was murdered. Despite my beliefs I decided to abort the baby because I never really thought I could give the child the life he/she deserved.

It was these two things and past hurts that would lead me to my knees months later begging God to help me. I knew there was something better I just did not know how to go about obtained the happiness I wanted in my life. It was there in my despair the LORD begins to set things in motion for the happiness I wanted in my life. He begins to send people my way who believed in Him completely. They begin to share their testimony with me, which led me to pray more and visit churches with friends.

I remember one day I asked the LORD to send me to a preacher who would teach me His Word. The LORD would answer the prayer on December 12, 2004, when I came home and visit the church in my community. I sat there and for the first time in a very long time I felt some peace. I figure now it was God allowing me to feel what a life with Him could be like.

It would be months before I would go back to visit the church and after another intimate encounter with the LORD in August of 2005 I answered the Lord’s call and give my life to Him.

So as I entered year five of my journey with the LORD, here is the reason for my hope in Christ Jesus. He found me where I was in the midst of my pain, anger, bitterness, regret, self-hatred, suicide and loneliness and HE LOVED ME PAST MY PAIN. He gave me a life and purpose. Each day I wake up I KNOW He is with me and through Him I will surely have the victory. He supplies each and every one of my needs. I hope in Him because in Him I found me. I hope in Him because He has never lied or led me astray. He has never broken a promise and everything I know will be okay because of Him.

I hope in Him because I would have never made it to 31 years of age without Him.