Are You Saved?

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1 Peter 3:15 NLT

[15] Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. 

https://bible.com/bible/116/1pe.3.15.NLT

So, Although I didn't realize it at the time, my journey for me finding christ started when I was around 9 years old. Even though now looking back it seems like it was more Jesus finding me. We start off in small town Wisconsin the year is 2004. This journey started with the birth of my sister,  my family wasn't attending any church or actively walking with Christ. But that all changed when my sister was born. One day my parents got a letter from a local church in the mail, it came out of no where it was a letter congratulating my parents on the birth of my sister and inviting us to church. Unknown to me my parents had been discussing going to church for about a month prior to this. Anyway they got the letter so we started goin. It was a small town Assembly Of God church, maybe a congregation of 30-40 people. Although the journey started here, it wasn't where my journey with Christ and knowing who Jesus is started. 

Miracles Do still Happen,

We attended for quite a few years. My first Miracle I've ever witnessed was in that church. My dad had major heart problems, the doctors were actually surprised how he was still alive. His heart was very enlarged and had alot of blockage (unknown to him at the time) but it was a big deal. The doctor scheduled a surgery as soon as he could. The surgery was happening on a Monday. So we went to church the day before. And my dad was prayed over by many people. At his doctors appointment the next day the doctors were perplexed. All the inflammation and blockage had disappeared within a week of being diagnosed with it. Miracles do still happen.

Fast forward a few years,

A man that was attending our little church was the son of a pastor. He invited us to his dad's church, just to check it out. We went and found the place we were suppose to end up. We were renting at the time and out of nowhere the Landlord wanted to sell the place, we had to move. We looked everywhere for a house close by to the school district we were all currently attending and found nothing. This is when the Journey really started...

Our Move to a New Church and a New Town,

We began looking for new places to live and long story short, we ended up in the town we currently reside in. That was the plan all along. I grew up from the age of 12- 19 in this church and accepted Christ, but I didn't fully understand what that meant (not truly).

At the age of 17 I started dating my current wife. I was goin to the church every morning before high school and praying specifically for a relationship with my wife, only if it was in God's will. She started to go to our youth grpup around this time also. Thankfully this was one of the times where his will lined up with mine and we began dating after 3 months of hard prayer and constant seeking of his word.  We Graduated high school and got married at the age of 19.

My Falling Away,

Unfortunately, after we got married work carried me away to different states. Church was hard to make on Sundays, I was gone 2 weeks at a time. When I would come home the last thing I wanted to do was go to church on Sunday, I was glad to be home and just wanted to enjoy home for the weekend before I left again for 2 weeks. Slowly aftwr about 6-8 months of this it led to neither of us going to church. That's when I started doing what I wanted to do and not what the Lord Called me to do. I went through a 8 years or so of a constant party smoking, drinking almost everyday. Looking back I know longer felt the presence of God at all during this time, but it always felt like there was a hole, something was missing. 

Fast Forward to The Birth Of My 1st Child,

Although we weren't attending church through the years I always told my wife, when we have kids and she's aks me to attend again I wouldn't day no. When my daughter was around 2 there was a church in a town about 20 miles from us holding an event called Hope Night, my wife wanted to go and I'm a man of my word. (This is when  the journey began to Actually knowing Jesus) So we went and I have to admit I was very uncomfortable there. We got home from the event and my wife said, we should go to church there on Sunday. Without hesitation, I kept to my word and said OK we can go. I went into it with the idea of I'm not gonna change who I am ill "come as you are" but I said Lord if you want me to change you need to show me. And I'll be open to it. I attended this church for about 3months all while occasionally drinking, smoking weed on the daily and as alot of us men struggle with it an addiction to pornography. I was struggling with the idea of being saved even though I was in bondage with these things. I began to ask the Lord for proof of me being Saved. I had re accepted Jesus but hadn't changed. I wanted him to tell me I needed too. One night the Lord gave me a dream. I had never had a dream like it. This is that dream. I all of a sudden was in a place. It was whiter than snow but not hard on the eyes. All I could see is an old looking oak pulpit up a couple of small stairs. I walked up and looked at it. There was a book on it. This book was old. Ancient old. Then out of nowhere the book flipped open, it was a book full of first and Last names in alphabetical order. As I was looking down a hand and arm came over my shoulder and pointed down at the book. The finger landed on my name. My name was in this book. I began to turn around to see who it was and I immediately woke up and began to just weep. I was just shown my name in the book of life and was in the presence of our savior Jesus Christ. This was an answer to the prayer I had been praying for a few weeks. So that coming Sunday during worship the Lord spoke to be and said you dont need any of that anymore you only need me. I knew what he meant, it was time to get rid of my addictions and truly commit it all to Jesus. After Service they were having baptisms and my wife wanted to be baptized. So she climbs in the tank and out of nowhere the guy doing the baptisms looked over at me and asked if I wanted to baptize my wife. I hesitated because I felt unworthy but the Lord earlier in the week showed me I was so I baptized my wife. The very next day I called out to the Lord and he showed up. Taking away years of addiction drinking, smoking weed, chewing 2 cans of snuff a day and pornography. He met me where I was at when I was truly ready. 

The next Year and Ahalf,

The next year and ahalf were goin great I discovered who Jesus actually is, i found my authority that Jesus gives us through the Holy spirit. I witnessed many miracles during this time and many deliverances. I was learning what it was like to truly exercise the authority Christ gave us. After that year and ahalf. I had a foot injury set me back. I own A asphalt maintenance company and couldn't let it slow me down so I avoided the doctor because of this. The pain became so unbearable I began to drink a little bit in the evening when I got home just to help with the pain and take that edge off. About 2 months into it I had a close friend who was also serving Christ commit suicide with no explanation and reasoning. Satan seen his opportunity. And I dove head first into the bottle. It got bad. Although I was drinking I kept attending church I knew if I stopped it would be over for me. I was consuming a full bottle a liquor a day everyday. This went on for probably 6-7 months everyday. Everything began to go south. My financial situations, my marriage began to become strained  all while my now 2 kids were seeing it. Although I did keep it hidden from them fairly well. At about the 7th month. I asked the Lord why everything was going wrong. For the 1st time in the 7 months span he spoke to me. He said "you are in the position your in due to your choice and your own free will. Then I replied. "Lord I can't stop drinking, I've tried many times. If it s my will that got me into this then it's now my will that you make me stop. force me!" So that's exactly what he did. About a week later i came down with a sickness that was the almost the worst I've ever had. But it was the Lord making me stop. About the 4th day into it. I cried out to Jesus after I realized this and he showed up. it is now almost June of 2025 and I am about 5 months sober thanks to Jesus.

As Humans we all go through things, battles struggles, fighting our own minds. But if Jesus Can do this for me maybe he can do something for you too thats why I share this. Jesus saved my life twice even when I didn't deserve it the second time. 

Romans 10:13 NLT
[13] For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.10.13.NLT