(from left to right) Nathan, Sue, Rod, Rachel, Chris, Sarah

I was born into a family with two Godly parents who took me to church every time the doors were open.

I learned as a very young child, about Jesus Christ, and how he had come to this earth to die for my sin. I also leraned that the only way to get to heaven was by accepting God's free gift of salvation. Although I mentally grasped these truths, they did not in any way alter my life.

One night when I was eight years old, I couldn't sleep. All I could think about was being scared of dying and going to Hell. I said a quick prayer to help calm my fears, and for seven years I fooled myself into believing that I had gotten saved that night. (Note: "saved" and "salvation" are biblical terms referring to the forgiveness of sins by God and the rescue of a person from the power and penalty of that sin. This is God's requirement for everlasting life. It is another way of referring to a person who is a "born-again Christian.")

In 1993, my dad became an assistant pastor at our church. This opened up a whole new world for me. All of a sudden I was a pastor's kid, and everyone expected me to be a perfect little Christian. And, that is exactly what I attempted to be. I made sure I acted like a good Christain, but deep down inside I knew I wasn't. Many times, I would hear messages preached about salvation and my conscience would bother me, but I would push the thoughts aside and reconvince myself that I was truly a Christian. After all, I was a pastor's kid and there was no way that I was lost.

Shortly before I turned 14, the principal at my Christian school said that he had gotten saved. I was thoroughly shocked and remembering thinking, "How could he haven been lost? It just isn't possible." I heard his testimony numerous times. He talked about how the Lord had acted on his conscience and helped him realize that he was truly lost. Each time I heard it, it bothered me even more. I remember one time being in tears, knowing that I was not truly saved. Again, with time, I was able to escape my concern.

When I was 15, the youth group at our church went to a youth camp in Missouri. The second night I was there, I heard a message about living a lie. The conviction overwhelmed me. It felt like I the speaker was speaking directly at me. That night I finally admitted to myself that I was truly lost. It was the worst feeling I had ever felt.

But, I was too proud to admit to any one else that I was not saved. After all, what would everyone think? So, I left the camp chapel that night still lost. I went through the next day knowing that if I would die then and there I would go to hell. I felt horrible. That night, I heard another message that bothered me even more than the night before. I knew I had to get this settled as soon as I could.

At the end of the service, the preacher gave an invitation, and I went foward and knelt at the platform. Tears were streaming down my face. I asked God to send someone to help me. Moments later my dad came and knelt beside me. I told him that I knew I was lost. He asked me if I wanted to go somewhere to talk about it, but I told him I wanted to get it settled right away. Right there, at the platform, on August 19, 1998, I finally admitted that I was a rotten sinner worthy of Hell, and that I needed the blood of Jesus Christ to cover my sins. I asked the Lord to forgive me of my sins and change my life forever. From that point on a peace flooded my soul. I finally knew, without a doubt, that I was a child of God and bound for heaven when I died. Since then, my life has been totally changed. God is now the ruler of my life. He now guides my steps as I trust and obey him.

How about you? Do you know for certain that you will go to Heaven when you die? Do you know Jesus Christ in a real, personal way? You can know beyond a shadow of a doubt, if you accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour. He will give you the peace and joy you have always wanted.