Kat's Testimony to God's Grace

This past Sunday, my sister Kat, also known as Katie, or as I affectionately called her, the K K Monster, was baptized as a testimony of the work of Jesus in her life. This was a beautiful moment for her family. Just a little over a month ago, she was still avoiding talking about Jesus and still rejecting the truth of the gospel she had grown up with. Amazing Grace! Amazing grace to her and to those of us who love her and have labored to pray for her and speak to her the words of life. After attending small group with my mom out a sense of obligation for some things my mom had recently done for her, we began to see the Spirit suddenly and powerfully convict her of sin and bring her to repentance and faith in Jesus alone. Because of her experience in the small group sermon discussions she began to desire to hear more of the word by coming to actually hear the sermons and was convinced that all these years she truly had neglected to be a doer of the word and cast herself fully on Jesus. God delights in saving sinners; I am in awe of this. I am grateful and rejoicing. I am amazed at my salvation and I have recently been convicted through my sister's conversion how much I lack proper amazement, joy and expectation. I know and believe Jesus died for me and can only cry out in joy and receive mercy everyday, yet I began to believe God would never save my sister. What a contradiction. I lacked faith in a God who saves and I know full well delights in saving sinners. So, as I enjoy watching God work in and through my sister in such an amazing way, I am encouraged to press on in praying for and witnessing to my other siblings. My passion is reignited if you will, and my admiration for my mother's perseverence in doing good, praying and continuing to hope in the power of the gospel, has grown tremendously. The power of the gospel is something I want to keep at the forefront of my mind, since somehow along the way it was buried and jumbled in my messy faith. As you read Kat's testimony be encouraged to press on in praying for and preaching the gospel to your loved ones. The Gospel is the power, not you, not me.

Kat's Testimony

Scripture says in Matthew 7:21 - Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord”, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven will enter.

I was 7 when I first became guilty of shouting “Lord, Lord”. I had prayed, asked Jesus into my heart and chose Him as my savior. I did all the right things, like going to Sunday School and Church. And, as I got older I became a member of our Church choir, did 5 Day Club ministries, and assisted with our Church's children's musical.

I knew what God's word said, and I knew what sin was; but I never believed my rebellion and disobedience to my mom, was rebellion and disobedience to God. But, sin is just that, sin!

When I turned 18 and was able to make “ adult choices”, I didn't ponder for one second God or what His word says. All I saw was freedom to do what I wanted to do.

My fear of eternity in hell was my only drive to be saved and I repeatedly tried to save myself.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says: For by grace you have been saved through faith: and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

So, why did I think as a human created by God, Who made all things, that I have a right to think I even had a say! I didn't have that right. All I was truly doing was boasting in myself. I was a child of wrath, willfully sinning with a terrifying expectation of judgment.

I had let the things of this world be my focus and it kept me blind. It is only the grace of a merciful and loving God that saved me from myself. The moment I surrendered myself to the Almighty God, I was made broken and convicted of my sinful ways. It was in seeing who I was apart from God and His forgiveness of my sins that He redeemed me by the blood of the Lamb.

So, now I say to all of you, for now and forevermore, I desire to be a witness for my Lord, a slave to my father's word, and to follow Him all of my days.