When the Word Comes Alive

About six months ago, I truly started seeking the Lord. I told Him that I was ready to give up anything that was keeping me from Him. I did not know where to begin, I only knew to cry out to God and ask Him to help my unbelief. I knew what my parents raised me to believe, and I have seen with my own eyes how Jesus how changed my mother entirely, but I wanted to truly believe it for myself. I wanted to know who I was in Christ.

I was encouraged by a friend to read the Gospel according to John. Stubbornly, I did not read it until a couple of months later. I have never understood Scripture. My Bible has always sat on my bedside table covered in dust. Little did I know, the words in it would soon change my life and turn my world upside down. As I sat in my apartment late one night in December, I prayed before I read the book of John. I asked the Lord to open my eyes to His Truth, so that I may understand and live for Him. As I began reading, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The Gospel had surely come alive right before my eyes. I understood exactly what Jesus had done for me, and that he FORGIVES me for all I have done and could HEAL me. I continued to read and became more amazed by every word.

I developed an intimate and close relationship with Jesus, and I know that I will never be the same. A couple of months later, after praying continuously, I expressed to my parents that God had laid global missions on my heart, and it seemed to not be going away. They were shocked, mainly because I do not step out of my comfort zone, and I was telling them that I felt the Lord calling me to the nations. I was scared to death when I came to them with this, but I knew without a doubt God was speaking to me, and had been for months. I could not hold it in any longer. All of this is a result of reading Scripture myself, and relying on the Spirit to guide me and teach me. (John 14:26, 16:13, 1 John 2:27) I now know that I cannot rely on another person to tell me how to feel about Jesus. I have to know Him for myself in order to answer my calling and know my purpose.

I am 20 years old, a nanny, and headed to nursing school in August. Over the next two years my nursing school campus is where my mission field will be. After that, I would like to take my nursing skills to a third world country. I feel the Lord has called me to the medical field for a great purpose, and to use it to share the Gospel while treating and taking care of patients. I am beyond excited to know that I have surrendered my entire life and everything that I know to be comfortable in my life to God.

“But I do not count my life of ANY value to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the Good News of God’s grace.” Acts 20:24

by Mary Todd Pittman, Pinelake Starkville