The imperfections of self....helped me find my salvation

As many of you know, I am a Christian. I will give you a WARNING WARNING BEEP BEEP WARNING before you continue to read. If you are overly sensitive to the TRUTH of the Bible, then keep reading. Your feelings may get a little out of sorts and you may think "those Christians are so judgemental" BUT once you say hey, GOD if this wacky woman is right..... Well show me she is. I give it all to you. I surender. I am betting my first born child that he WILL show up. And well... everyone knows how I feel about Cole, so thats a promise...

What does this have to do with balls, trains, dolls, tattles and tears...??? EVERYTHING. It has made me who I am to endure, understand, and be excited about all of the above. Not only that, it has shown me that with out me living for Christ, there is an even slighter chance that my children will.

Here it goes..... I have always had an open mind. I have always seen both sides of the story. ALWAYS. For 32 years... ALWAYS.... If you asked me, Kendall if you died today, would you go to heaven. MY answer? As many others, I would say... well I hope so. I am a good person. I believe in God and I try my best to do what is right.... Little did I know then that if I HOPED I would go, I was on my way to a much grimmer place than this Earth. I had grown up in Church. I was even baptised when I was 10 or 11. Do I remember why? Sure I do. I went through a confirmation class and they baptised me. If you asked me 5 minutes after that class what I had just learned? I would say.... how to eat 11 slices of pizza at Pizza Inn and not vomit... Or, so I wouldn't have to pay for my left over pizza from the buffet, I learned there was a hole in the bottom of the booth that you could throw your pizza under so no one could see it! But, that was the extent of what I had learned. I am pretty sure there were other kids who learned about Jesus Christ and felt a conviction to accept him as their savior, but me... I wasn't sure what all that was about.

So, I grew up going to Church, church camp, blah blah blah. I imagine these things planted little seeds in my heart because I really did try my best to be my best and do what was right. I didn't go with the crowd, usually against it. I had lots of friends and usually was the one they were afraid to tell stuff too because they thought I was going to think bad of them... Little did they know! I wasn't afraid of the act they were doing, I was afraid of the 6'4 man I call Daddy. Who ME! That would put me on the front page of the news paper and my daddy would KILL me!!! When I went to college, I always said I would find a church. I didn't. I found many great friends. A few boyfriends, a lot of parties, and a lot of memories... some of those memories are only remembered through pictures... Maybe college was where I didn't always try to do the right thing, but I wasn't dumb. I knew what was right and what was wrong.

SO.... forward many many years later.... I married my best friend, Chad. Neither of us saved. Neither of us really knew it either, nor was it even a topic.... until... We got pregnant with Cole. Immediately I started panicing. I started thinking WE DONT EVEN HAVE A CHURCH... Chad wasn't really for or against it. Just what ever I thought was ok with him. We had Cole and on and off we would visit different Churches. Chad usually had to stay in the nursery with Cole because he would scream his head off (that was satan working) and it was kind of an easy way out for Chad. He didn't have to go in and hear all the things he did that week weren't really part of the plan. Instead, I got to hear all of the things we did that week wasn't part of the plan, and I would come back and we would argue. (also Satans plan).

So, fast forward to Aug, 2008. Aug 8th, to be exact. Chad goes to play in a golf tournament with my dad. I am home with Cole and Sydney. I had been praying alot to please help us fill this hole where something was missing. I wasn't sure what it was. We had a good marriage, 2 kids, a dog. But there was always something missing. Something not right. Nothing to fall back on when times got hard. What was that? I didn't know, but I prayed hard to find out. While Chad was away, many things happened. (I will save that story for his blog.... and no, he doesn't have one.) He and my sister and her husband formed a bond that weekend that started us in the direction we are in now. (Shannon, my sister, and her husband are Christians and huge influances on us.) He came home and he made it a priority to find a church. NO Ifs ands or BUTS about it.

Fast forward to August 22nd. My neighbor came outside to tell me she and her husband couldn't participate in a neighborhood cook out we were having on Saturday. They had a commitment at the Church and were sorry.. NOW this neighbor and I had never really spoken. I had lived here for 3 years and this was the first time she had ever introduced herself.... GOD is all I can say. When she said Church, I said where do you go? She went on and on for over 20 minutes about Mid-Way Baptist. How wonderful it was..... ring ring ring... Chad, hey. It's me. I know where we need to try this Sunday. Tammy across the street said she goes to Mid-Way, so let's do this. OK!

Me, Chad and my best friend from home went that Sunday. August 24th. 2008. That morning, I have NO CLUE what the message was about. But what I do know is the pastor gave a salvation message that pulled on my heart so hard, I couldn't resist it. I assumed I was in this alone. He asked if you said the salvation prayer to just lift a hand and no one would come to you or say anything to you. It was between you and God. Everyones heads bowed and at the same time, Me, Chad and Sarah rose our hand. I walked that aisle that morning and gave my life to Christ. What an amazing journey it has been.

You know that hole I was talking about? It was like someone poured cement in that hole.... air tight. Nothing is missing now. Nothing.. Is my life perfect? absolutely not.  Do I have problems. ABSOLUTELY. Do I feel alone sometimes? not really. Because I know that my Lord, your Lord, our Lord is there with me. I always have someone to talk to. I always know my problems aren't too big for him. I am more thankful, more grateful, and more humble. You won't see me posting on fb how my life sucks.... Which comes to THE IMPERFECTIONS OF SELF.... If I dwelled on them, I would be telling Christ that you dying for me wasn't enough. And Ohhhhh was it enough... It was more than enough. And I thank him for it everyday.

John 14:6-Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 3:16-For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

What does this mean? This means, trust him. Ask him to come into your heart and save your soul. Accept his gift of eternal life. If you don't do that, you will not spend your eternal life with him. The bible is very clear on salvation. I used to argue this with Christians. I didn't even have a leg to stand on because I hadn't read the bible. I mean.... really. If I had, would I really have anything to argue about?

Oh, PS- If you are going to dis agree with me and tell me you view the bible differently???? Try reading it first. love you all!