So I thought it would be fun to share my salvation story. I haven't shared it with many others in public just in private. Mine is not one like many others. It's actually quite different than most peoples. I feel like it's kind of been the rhythm of God with me though. So here it goes.
In 2004 I decided to move to Texas, but the move wouldn't happen for at least 6-9 months. I was planning on moving in the summer of 2005, however come January of 2005 I just knew I needed to move sooner. I needed to live on my own and stand on my own two feet.
So I decided to make the move. In the midst of it all is when I met my now husband of 16 years. I promise you he is part of this story. At the time we both lived very secular. Both raised with faith and beliefs, but weren't living what we were taught. It was kind of like that part of our beliefs were put on a back burner.
After we moved in together it was kind of like our house became party central. I had 2 young kids not from my then live in boyfriend, and they knew poker better than most adults. I think back and now and I would never allow that around them, but we were young and just living our life how we wanted. Then in February of 2006 I got pregnant with our daughter Ariah.
It was that late spring early summer that things began to change. I had this sensing of wanting to pray. I had prayed the only way I knew how and that was just talking with God. I didn't know any other way and that way felt right to me. It was prayers like God lead me and guide me, give me good rest, and protect our families. Kasey and I had thought about church, but we had NO idea where to even look or begin. He was raised Baptist and I was raised Catholic. Although we didn't completely agree with either of the beliefs we knew we didn't want to be in those churches again. So that is about as far as those conversations went.
Then in October of 2006 Kasey deployed to Iraq. I was due in November and my mom agreed to stay with me until after I had the baby. She even stayed for a couple months after to make sure I was going to be OK before she went back home to Colorado.
She left back home and then I was all alone in Texas for the next several months. For a while I would go back and forth to visit my family in Colorado, but I knew I wanted to be in my home. The home we created. With Kasey being deployed and my oldest being homeschooled, I loved the flexibility. It was during one of my visits back in Texas that my life would be so radically changed.
It was right after Easter and I was at Walmart. I called my dad to ask him what kind of bible to get. I didn't even know that there were more than 2 versions. Catholic and Christian that is all I thought existed, but here I was standing in Walmart book section confused on what to get. I was afraid I would get the wrong one and be worse off than before. He told me to get the King James or the New King James version. When I hung up I noticed that right in front of me was ONE NKJV bible. Here is the cool part of it all. It was on clearance for $1.98!!!! I thought this was so cool and up until 10 years ago I didn't realize how expensive bibles could get.
I went home and just began reading. I started in Matthew and began reading through the New Testament. I was addicted. I loved reading it. It was like a good book I just couldn't put it down. There were a couple of nights that I ended up staying up all night reading. I think in one night I read through the disciples account. My sweet husband didn't know what happened. One week he is talking to me about having parties when he gets back and the next I am sharing bible verses with him.
A couple of weeks went by but I didn't miss out on my reading time. Everyday I read my bible and began to pray more and more. One day I read the story of how Nicodemus is asking Jesus how to be born again. This was one of my first revelations of a rebirth (John 3:1-21) and how much your life can change when Jesus becomes part of your life.
A few days later I got to a verse in Romans 10:9 and it basically says that if you declare Jesus as your lord and savior, ask him to cleanse you from your sins then you will be delivered. When I read that it was like I wanted Jesus to come into my heart and cleanse me from any unrightesouness, unholiness, and clean my spirt and heart up. The next morning I just got on my knees in my living room, and surrendered my life to him. No emotional alter call, no addiction to drugs, just a mom, and wife wanting to live for the lord. Just me wanting to a deeper sense of who I was created for.
Ever since that day it has been me and Jesus. The one that I turn to, and depend on. Although it hasn't been perfect he has been. I have failed him many times and I will probably fail him many more. One thing I know for sure is that the day I gave my life to the Lord it was never the same since. I became one with the father and always will be. No matter what is going on, or what the situation is nothing can take that from me.
In case you were wondering, yes I still have the bible. No I don't still read from it, because it has literally began to fall apart. Over the years I have gotten other bibles, but this one I kept going back to. It's been prayed with, spiritual wars have been fought with it, and healings have manifested through these words. I will keep it and pass it on to my children and grandchildren one day.
If you haven't received Jesus and ready for him to cleanse you from sins, darkness, or unrighteousness it's simple just pray and ask him to come into your heart. Ask for your sins to be forgiven and let him mold you, and heal all of your brokenness.
Blessings and Love,
Juanita Espinosa
Comments
Post a Comment