For the first nineteen years of my life, I wasn’t a believer. My parents told me early on that we do not believe in God, and that I should just try to be a “good” person. But being a “good” person felt impossible, and no matter how hard I tried, I failed. I lived a life that did not reflect Christ and I had selfish desires and wanted what was best for me. I was selfish, mean, and lost. Then one night in my dorm room a friend told me to read the Gospel of John, and I decided to read it, and that changed my life forever.
Once I became a follower of Jesus, I realized what I had been missing out on my entire life, and I was not living the life God called me to live. When I started my walk with Jesus, everything was new. I did not know how to pray, where to go to church, or the names of the books in the Bible. I knew nothing at all, and I found myself at a college that, like most of the world, was a dark place. Thankfully, I realized that the answers I needed were in Scripture and that Scripture was God's word. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Paul let it be known that Scripture came from God himself, and it is beneficial in many ways, ultimately leading us to righteousness, maturity, and service.
When I started following Jesus, I felt relief in my life. I no longer had to think about what happened when I died, or wonder what the purpose of life was. I learned in John 3:16 “For God loved the world in this way He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” God, out of love, sent his Son to die for a believer like me who believes but still struggles with sin and temptation and lived many years away from my Lord and Savior. I now find my peace in Jesus and his love. My life has been changed because of Him, and I want to live out the mission He intends for us. To hear about what the mission is, tune in to my next staff journal.
- Kainan