Saturday, April 10, 2004
EASTER OUR SENIOR YEAR
Thanksgiving and Christmas came and went. I rode the bus home and spent the holidays with mom and dad. The only conversation was between mom and me. Dad couldn’t find a way out of his silence. I understood and let it go by. I rode the bus back to Cabool and returned to school.
Time was hurrying by and our class had to pick out graduation announcements, rings, caps and gowns….all the things to close out the Senior year. I had been working extra in Speech Class for the competition in our district and worked with the yearbook staff. Spring was coming up fast and we would soon be on our way to Washington D.C.
A good friend of mine had asked me to come to her church for a revival that was going on. I agreed to go and listened to a powerful and persuasive evangelist tell about Christ and why He had to die to atone for man’s sin. It was the only way we could be forgiven and in good standing with God. He went on to say the reason we have to make that decision public is because Christ had a very public death. By coming forward we show we are not ashamed to be called his followers. Baptism was explained as the old body being buried and rising in the newness of Christ.
I had never heard such doctrine before. The churches I had gone to as a little girl didn’t speak of this and not as much from the Bible. People were often asked to join the church and become members but so far as I knew people didn’t know if they were good enough to go to heaven or not. They hoped they would but said God would add up your good and bad at the resurrection and if you had more good than bad you would go to heaven.
Hearing a gospel that told me you could settle it right now and be sure of your salvation sounded like something I wanted. I went forward and told the preacher that I wanted to go to heaven and be forgiven of my sins. He prayed with me and on Easter Sunday I was baptized and became a church member. I was the first one in my family on either side to do so. It was the basic Billy Graham message that I recognize now but in 1949 I had never heard of Billy Graham. I am thankful to this day that a friend of mine cared enough to be concerned for my soul.
It was 55-years ago that I became a Christian and God has been my steady companion ever since. Without Him I would have been so lost……..but with Him I have had guidance, mercy, training, forgiveness and the hope of eternity. At this time of year I felt I should give due credit to the One who has been my constant companion over the years.
My hope is that you have a blessed Easter and that Christ is the light of your life.
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
Time was hurrying by and our class had to pick out graduation announcements, rings, caps and gowns….all the things to close out the Senior year. I had been working extra in Speech Class for the competition in our district and worked with the yearbook staff. Spring was coming up fast and we would soon be on our way to Washington D.C.
A good friend of mine had asked me to come to her church for a revival that was going on. I agreed to go and listened to a powerful and persuasive evangelist tell about Christ and why He had to die to atone for man’s sin. It was the only way we could be forgiven and in good standing with God. He went on to say the reason we have to make that decision public is because Christ had a very public death. By coming forward we show we are not ashamed to be called his followers. Baptism was explained as the old body being buried and rising in the newness of Christ.
I had never heard such doctrine before. The churches I had gone to as a little girl didn’t speak of this and not as much from the Bible. People were often asked to join the church and become members but so far as I knew people didn’t know if they were good enough to go to heaven or not. They hoped they would but said God would add up your good and bad at the resurrection and if you had more good than bad you would go to heaven.
Hearing a gospel that told me you could settle it right now and be sure of your salvation sounded like something I wanted. I went forward and told the preacher that I wanted to go to heaven and be forgiven of my sins. He prayed with me and on Easter Sunday I was baptized and became a church member. I was the first one in my family on either side to do so. It was the basic Billy Graham message that I recognize now but in 1949 I had never heard of Billy Graham. I am thankful to this day that a friend of mine cared enough to be concerned for my soul.
It was 55-years ago that I became a Christian and God has been my steady companion ever since. Without Him I would have been so lost……..but with Him I have had guidance, mercy, training, forgiveness and the hope of eternity. At this time of year I felt I should give due credit to the One who has been my constant companion over the years.
My hope is that you have a blessed Easter and that Christ is the light of your life.
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
