the gospel and me

I'm currently going through the membership class at Brook Hills. Homework this week was an amazing exercise that guides you through writing out the gospel in your own words, and your testimony.

The Gospel Is:

God created everything to glorify himself. In his justice he must judge sin. In his grace, he has provided a way for us to glorify him despite our sin. Instead of submitting to the will of the God who intimately created us, we think we know what is best for us. Anytime we choose something other than God, we defy the authority of God in our lives and sin. Christ, completely without sin, died in our place and paid the penalty that was due us for our sins. His sacrifice satisfied the requirement of the law, so that we could be righteous before a holy God. We are completely unable to reconcile ourselves to a Holy God on our own. Our only hope is faith in Christ. One day we will stand before a holy God who will look on us and either see sin worthy of eternal punishment, or the blood of Christ making us worthy of eternal life.

My Story:

I had a difficult family life growing up. I desperately wanted to break free from that, and make a better life for myself despite it all. I was very independent, and driven to make the life I wanted for myself. I wanted a great family, a successful career, and security in my finances. I wanted my kids to grow up doing everything a normal all-american kid gets to do... something I never got. Basically, I wanted the American dream. I grew up in church. But I was completely blind. I saw Jesus as a means to an end...heaven, blessings on earth, etc. I tacked Jesus onto my existing life to make it better. I invited him to join ME, and thought this made me a christian. God began working in my heart about 2 years ago through some extremely difficult family circumstances. I started seeking him truly for the first time. Then in the last year, as I read many books, God began opening my eyes. I realized how blind I was. That I had been incapable of understanding anything on my own. And that it was only by the grace of God that I didn't stay that way. He began revealing himself to me, and for the first time, I could see. I realized how precious it was that HE had chosen to be gracious to ME. That he had chosen to reveal himself to me, and had chose me to be one of his children. I knew I did nothing to warrant it. It was all his grace. I discovered a God who is worth everything. And that to have Him, he asks from me just that: everything. I decided that he was worth it. I realized I could never be righteous on my own before a holy God. I realized that I desperately needed a savior, and I found that in Christ. Everything changed. I knew following Christ meant drastically changing my life and the path I was on, and FOLLOWING him instead. I knew my goals and dreams and desires had died, and were replaced with his. My desire is to spend my life for Christ. For his will and purposes in this world. And ultimately, my desire is for Christ himself. I want to use my life for the glory of God. Whatever that means for my life, by God's grace that's what I want to do. How this looks right now in my life is radically changing how I spend my life and my resources. My husband and I sold our dream house in San Diego, 2 months ago, and moved to Birmingham, AL to become a member at Brook Hills. We felt God calling us here to be taught and equipped, and become part of the ministry Brook Hills is doing throughout the world.