"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and don't lean on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths.
— Proverbs 3:5-6
This past week, I celebrated what I like to refer to as, "my spiritual birthday."
Many years ago, I made a decision that has proven to be the most important one I could ever make in my life.
I was fortunate to have grown up in a community where I saw love and faith lived out in many practical ways.
There is an old African saying, "It takes a village to raise a child." I believe my childhood was a classic example of this.
Living in a small, rural community, lives were woven together into connections that provided warmth and security to our family life.
When needs arose, a neighbour was always there to help. Shared experiences seemed to bond families to each other. How can I forget the long, wintry evenings when neighbours would drop in for a visit!
As a child, I would often fall asleep on the floor, my head on a pillow, listening to their shared stories of hardships, adventures and humour. The indescribable feelings of contentment and belonging no doubt helped in the development of my outlook on life and acceptance of others.
Sharing in the different community events gave us the feeling of an enlarged family.
The hymns, were filled with inspiring and comforting Biblical truths, that today, many still remain deep in my memory.
As a young child, I remember being awed at hearing some of the older men of the community, raising their mighty prayers of faith to God, as they knelt in holy reverence.
On one occasion, a visiting preacher came to our little country church with his powerful, picturesque sermon on Heaven or Hell.
Being too young to comprehend what it all meant, I thought God was angry with me, like a parent can be at times. I knew that I did not want God to send me to that awful place called Hell.
Though I was very young at the time, I believe my heart was stirred with the reality of my need of a loving God in my life.
Blaise Pascal, a 16th Century scientist and theologian, said, "There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every person which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known by Jesus."
As a child, I had a growing awareness that there is a God — somewhere.
Despite the vivid sermons I had heard about Hell, as I grew, the fear and awe of such thoughts faded, and I became increasingly drawn to God's amazing love for me.
So it was, that on May 2, 1946, at age 16, I began a personal relationship with my loving Creator and Heavenly Father.
Being taught that Jesus is the only way to God, I asked Him for forgiveness and for His Spirit to come into my heart. (John: 14: 6 ).
His Spirit gave birth to my spirit. In a sense, I was reborn — spiritually. (John 3:6-7).
This is why I call each May 2, my spiritual birthday. God's Spirit really did begin to change my life.
Claiming Proverbs 3: 5-6, as my life's verse, I began to trust in my Abba Father's loving care and direction for my life.
I could relate many stories of His guidance throughout my life's journey.
Along the way, there were always many hard life lessons to be learned.
I am still learning to live each day in total dependence on my Father who knows my every need, even before I ask.
He continues to give my life purpose and meaning as I watch His agenda for me, unfold daily.
Believing God has a plan for each of us — the following statement by Charles Stelzle echoes my sentiments.
"God has a purpose for my life. No other person can take my place. It isn't a big place, to be sure, but for years I have been moulded in a peculiar way to fill a peculiar niche in the world's work."
So, I say — "Who am I, Lord God...that You have brought me this far?... There is no one like you, Lord, and there is no God but You..."
— 1 Chronicles 17: 16, 20
— beulah
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