I had the privilege of being born into a Christian family that regularly attended a church. You could say that, since my childhood, Christian influences were always there, whether it was listening to worship songs whilst I slept on my mother’s lap in the pews, or when I was representing a little lamb in the church Christmas play. As I grew up and reached my teens, I really liked to participate in the youth retreats where young people from several churches of other cities came for three days of Christian activities and friendship.
Pretentiously, as I was turning seventeen, I thought that I already knew all about Christianity and all that it had to offer me. So, in my ignorance, I started a journey to discover the world and all its dazzling offerings. Briefly, to make a long story short, in less than two years I made the worst decisions of my life and started to harvest painful results. Although I considered myself a Christian at that time, I had broken my relationships, become addicted and depressed, and ultimately was at a loss. I have never hit so low in my life, however all these sufferings helped me finally open my eyes to see the real state of my faith. At that time, a few thoughts started to pop up in my mind, like: If I am Christian, where is the peace, joy, love, and fullness of life? Is Christianity and Jesus even real? If yes, why I am not living it? And what do I need to do to experience it?
In this state of brokenness and humility, I started to read the Bible again and invest time in prayer. After a life thinking I knew the Church of Jesus, I realised that I didn’t know the Jesus of the Church personally. After a while, as I surrender piece by piece of my life to God, I finally met Jesus and experienced his transformation. Suddenly, prayer became a pleasure, and His Word became the blueprint and guidance to rebuild my life. Miraculously, without realising what was going on, I was changed, born again, and started to live the full life that Jesus offered.
With all this transformation that I personally experienced from the Lord, I also must mention how God used a few people around me to show me the way, to give me support in the hard moments, and to encourage me to advance in a real relationship with Jesus. I was lost and hurt and in so many ways acted in ignorance against God, his Word, and his messengers. So, I thank God for those brave, faithful, and spirit lead Christians who never gave up on me and proclaimed Jesus to me despite all my hardness and hostility.
Today, I seek to live and act like one of those silent heroes that, like Jesus, never ceases to preach and love people, always striving to be the Lord’s instrument in their lives.