What did I do on my last day ever as a teenager?
I had a normal day, just as any other day would be. Tomorrow I turn 20.
Today is not just the last day of being a teenager, but it's actually my birthday in another sense too.
My 15th birthday, to be exact.
I still recall the night we were driving back from some birthday shopping with my mom and brothers. I was sitting in the backseat of the car and somehow the topic of Jesus came up.
I don't remember all of the surrounding circumstances myself, but my mom tells me that at that time I was extremely afraid because a few days after my birthday I would be flying to the States to get eye surgery. At 4 years old (one day away from 5), I didn't understand that this surgery was safe and the worst that could happen wasn't as bad as I thought (I had a condition called strabismus that had developed one odd day and didn't go away on its own like it was supposed to; hence, the surgery).
I wish I could step back into my five-year-old mind for a moment and remember more, but what I do recall is that I was afraid and I needed to know that I wouldn't be alone during the surgery and that I would be safe if anything bad happened to me.
That night, on the drive back home on October 7th, I put my faith in Christ. Mom told me the words I could say because I didn't know what I was supposed to do. I was embarrassed to pray with my brothers right next to me, so I listened to my mom's words, tucked my head behind the seat, and repeated the words as she told them to me sentence by sentence.
It's not that there's a specific formula you have to say to trust in the Lord. But it helped to have someone guide me through it... at any age, but at 5 especially!
Fear didn't magically go away after October 7th, but my mom says that I did seem a lot more settled after that. God gave me peace and comforted me. The surgery wasn't successful the first time because I developed a rare infection after it, but by the second surgery, I was on my way to full recovery.
But more importantly, my life has never been the same since that night when I prayed and trusted Christ as my Savior.
"'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.' Nicodemus said to him, 'How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?' Jesus answered, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.'" -John 3:4-6
"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." -John 3:17
Today I celebrate my 15th "spiritual birthday", and tomorrow my actual 20th!
(The picture above is literally something I would still do today. I guess some things don't change.)
I had a normal day, just as any other day would be. Tomorrow I turn 20.
Today is not just the last day of being a teenager, but it's actually my birthday in another sense too.
My 15th birthday, to be exact.
I still recall the night we were driving back from some birthday shopping with my mom and brothers. I was sitting in the backseat of the car and somehow the topic of Jesus came up.
I don't remember all of the surrounding circumstances myself, but my mom tells me that at that time I was extremely afraid because a few days after my birthday I would be flying to the States to get eye surgery. At 4 years old (one day away from 5), I didn't understand that this surgery was safe and the worst that could happen wasn't as bad as I thought (I had a condition called strabismus that had developed one odd day and didn't go away on its own like it was supposed to; hence, the surgery).
I wish I could step back into my five-year-old mind for a moment and remember more, but what I do recall is that I was afraid and I needed to know that I wouldn't be alone during the surgery and that I would be safe if anything bad happened to me.
That night, on the drive back home on October 7th, I put my faith in Christ. Mom told me the words I could say because I didn't know what I was supposed to do. I was embarrassed to pray with my brothers right next to me, so I listened to my mom's words, tucked my head behind the seat, and repeated the words as she told them to me sentence by sentence.
It's not that there's a specific formula you have to say to trust in the Lord. But it helped to have someone guide me through it... at any age, but at 5 especially!
Fear didn't magically go away after October 7th, but my mom says that I did seem a lot more settled after that. God gave me peace and comforted me. The surgery wasn't successful the first time because I developed a rare infection after it, but by the second surgery, I was on my way to full recovery.
But more importantly, my life has never been the same since that night when I prayed and trusted Christ as my Savior.
"'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.' Nicodemus said to him, 'How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?' Jesus answered, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.'" -John 3:4-6
"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." -John 3:17
Today I celebrate my 15th "spiritual birthday", and tomorrow my actual 20th!
(The picture above is literally something I would still do today. I guess some things don't change.)
Happy Birthdays, Sweet Claire. I am so grateful for both of those days in your life.
ReplyDeleteJust reading this post again - I love it! And that drive back from Ostrava...such a precious memory for me too. I am so glad you put your faith in Jesus that day, and that it was real!
ReplyDeleteTried to leave a comment...not sure where it went, but I'll try again!
ReplyDeleteI just read this post again and was so touched by it! I remember that drive back from Ostrava like it was yesterday. How glad I am that you trusted Jesus that day, and that it was real - there was evidence of true faith from then on. And it's still true today!
Love you!!!