“I Gave My Heart to God”
[Jesus speaking] “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.”
Barbie K. writes:
I learned this verse when I was nine or ten years old. It was not until much later that I knew the true meaning of it and how it impacted my life.
It was on October 16, 1985, at 2:10 a.m., that God showed me what to do and showed me through a good friend how much HE really did love me and that all I had to do was give my heart to Him and know the true meaning of His Love.
As a baby Christian, I believed (and still do) that whatever the Bible said was law, so to speak. I was so starved for God, his love and caring, that within the first six months of knowing and following Him, I marked up 3 bibles. Everything was important and was impacting me.
I felt like I could not get enough of God.
I believed the Bible meant what it said, and when I read something to the effect of “Don’t let the Lord catch you sleeping” or something like that, I did not sleep for three days. I soon found out that was not exactly what the Lord meant.
Everyday I thank Him for what He did on the cross for me, that if I were the only person left He would have still died for me.
I am so very blessed and have never in my whole life felt more loved than I do from my Jesus. He keeps me child-like, He shows me His awesome miracles every day.
Yes, John 3:16 has impacted my life, and I thank Him for dying for me.
Please note that the views expressed in this story are not necessarily the views of the American Bible Society. Story posted on July 9th, 2008 and filed under Bible, God's Love, Hope, Praise, Your Stories, Evangelization, Conversions, Life Verse.
July 9th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Dear Barbie K.:
Me, too, “Everyday I thank Him for what He did on the cross for me….”
(A man came up to Jesus and asked:) “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” (Matthew 19: 16; Mark 10:17).
(Jesus said:) “This is the first and greatest commandment. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your mind, and with all your soul. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:38-39).
Truly “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).
By his sufferings our sins are expiated, and it is consistent for God’s forgiveness.
I am, like you, forever “so starved for His Word.
“You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me” (John 5:39)
Thank you.
May GOD ALL MIGHTY Bless you infinitely and inestimably;
GODSPEED, always and forevermore!
Mary Sun.
July 22nd, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Thanks for your testimony…..to be just like a child about it, believing, is the most awesome thing, because Jesus said unless you become like one of these children you shall not enter the Kingdom of heaven, and the humility you show is a great inspiration to all of us.
I too wake up and see the miracles of God all around me. But people look at nature and at people and do not see the God-Universe connection at all, as if all this came about on its own. To appeal to the harmony and order of the universe is sometimes futile also. But I guess our example of how we live, and our joy, impacts unbelievers tremendously, when they ask themselves, hey, how can I get what that believer has? So your story is very touching and wonderful. Keep running the race! Looks like you are a finisher!