The Choice

        I feel like as people spend time learning about Jesus, and trying to understand more about him I feel like they miss a big part, and one of the most important, and that's how much Jesus loves you. I can sit here and say yeah Jesus died for us, took our place and he gave us the one and only way to join him in heaven, my initial question is what does this mean?



John 3:16

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

Lots of people know this verse, but what does this mean. I feel like it’s the ultimate testament of God's love for us because he gives us the opportunity to choose him. It is by his grace, that he is able to forgive us, and allow us to go and join him in heaven. In Ephesians 2:10 it says that you are a masterpiece for God, he died for you. He died, he was beaten and broken, and he was scared, but because he loved us he died for us.

Luke 22:42-45

42“Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me. Yet not My will, but Yours be done.” 43 Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. 44And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. 45When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow.

           

            So where this takes place is the garden of gethsemane, hours before he was to make the ultimate sacrifice, and to take the place for our sins. Jesus shows us several things that he knows what is to come, that he is terrified to take this next step, and he prays before he does anything. It also shows that Jesus by himself, couldn’t have done and made this sacrifice, the angel for heaven comes to help him, similarly Jesus puts people in your life to help you. The amount of pressure, stress that was on him in this moment was just the beginning because he knew he was going to be broken, but he also knew the purpose behind it. That with Jesus dying for us, that the war between heaven and hell would be won.

Why I named this post the choice: Jesus did it for us, he sacrificed himself for us, so that we can go live with him forever. In John 3:16 at the top of the page, it says that whoever believes in him. What this means is it is a choice, it’s your choice no one on earth can force you to except Jesus he made the ultimate testament of love, he did all of this for you. You have to except it, it’s your decision, and a decision between you and God.

  

My Story:

I was born in New Mexico. My biological mother couldn’t take care of me, so my sister and I moved in with my aunt and uncle in Georgia. A few years later, family friends in Kentucky adopted my sister, and one year later adopted me. It took me a long time to trust my parents now. I felt like I had to do everything alone and by myself. I felt like I had to take care of my sister on my own. I was always stressed, depressed, tired, grieving, sad, worried, and angry. I didn’t seem to feel anything, but I felt unloved, and wondered why my biological mother didn’t want me. For a long time, my sister and I were all each other had. In 2002 I was baptized, but I didn’t feel anything, and I didn’t do it for me. From there, my life went downhill. I coped with my stress and anger through different sports, but the more I tried to cope, the worse I felt. I felt betrayed, why wasn’t I good enough? I kept making bad decisions and hurt the people I love the most.

I hit rock bottom, and was too tired to keep carrying all my baggage. So, I sent a text to Jake Fouts, and asked him for help. He invited me to a UK basketball game, and then later took me into the prayer room. I told him I needed help, and that I was missing something. Jake told me the missing piece was Jesus, but that I had to find Him myself. I finally realized in that moment, that Jesus was the missing piece, and that I needed Him. Jake led me in a prayer to ask Jesus into my heart. In that moment, I felt everything that was weighing me down, leave my body. It was all gone. This lyric kept going through my head ‘Take a load off Fanny, take a load off me’ because that is how I felt. I felt joy, relief, and lifted.

Before I met Christ I felt like I was hiding behind a mask, now I have removed the mask. This is me, this is who I was created to be. The transition isn’t easy, and when the old me tries to come back, Jesus is with me. I am not alone. He picks me up and guides all of my steps. I am getting baptized today because I am loved by Jesus.

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