The Christmas Gift That Changed My Life

THE CHRISTMAS GIFT THAT CHANGED MY LIFE! I was only 5 years old ( I do not remember why I knew I was going to hell- but I did! My life was full of trying to do good things because I hoped GOD WAS WATCHING ME. We went to a church every Sunday, but somehow I did not hear of a time I could be set free and know how to go to heaven. I got married and still no one was telling me how to go to heaven. I got married at 16 but still knowing He’ll was my eternal destination. I really never asked anyone. I taught Sunday School – no one told me! As I held our first baby at age 19, I KNEW GOD HAD CREATED HER! But still I did not know Him. She was born December 4th with jet black hair and 10# 7 ounces! Our church asked my husband and I to play Joseph and Mary and our baby as baby JESUS in our Live Nativity! So we did- yet I did not understand the meaning! Two years later, on December 1st our second daughter arrived and again was asked to do the live nativity! Still no meaning to me! Again I knew GOD had given us another child- how I wish HE COULD HEAR ME AND I COULD HEAR HIM! We had a third child a boy, but not in December. My life was busy but I knew my destiny was hell! We moved away and I actually was asked to teach Sunday School at the new church. I accepted, but it was strange to teach about the earthly things knowing GOD MADE THEM, yet my life was empty! We moved to Iowa on Christmas Eve, still no meaning to me. Then there was a postcard in our mailbox at our new address! How did anyone know we lived here? It was an invitation to our children to attend a GOOD NEWS CLUB 4 houses away! I called the phone number and a man answered and told me about the club- and was excited about it! ( the thing that stuck me was it was a man! In the churches we had gone to hardly any men helped- mostly women! I told him I would bring our children Monday when school started up again. The Lady asked me to come in and watch so I knew how the Club was run. She asked me to watch the children and award one the “Quiet chair”! So I did and as we were leaving the neighbor suggested I come back and help again. So I did. The next week I brought my nephew too. They sang cute songs about JESUS! Then the older lady told the story on a board with paper doll-like People in Bible Time clothes- then after the songs and stories were told- the older lady asked the children if anyone wanted to ask JESUS TO FORGIVE THEIR SINS AND CONE INTO THEIR LIFE SO THEY COULD GO TO HEAVEN TO RAISE THEIR HAND. A few weeks later a boy about 9 raised his hand. I saw them pray with him and he had such a smile on his face! Week after week I watched the stories of JESUS and BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND GOD’s PLAN ! It was JESUS! I now knew what I had to do!! It was the last meeting before summer! No school no GOOD NEWS CLUB – if I died before September, I knew I would not go to heaven! I waited until the story was over! Then the lady asked the children to close their eyes and if anyone wanted to ask JESUS INTO THEIR HEART TO RAISE THEIR HAND. I DID!! And as I opened my eyes I saw my Mom – who had started to come- raise her hand too!! So we both prayed and asked JESUS INTO OUR LIVES! When Christmas came around that year- there was no Santa Clause in our house- but it was the MANGER AND ANGELS AND SHEPHERDS!! As I LOOKED AT THE BABE IN THE MANGER – tears rolled down my checks – for I WAS SO THANKFUL THAT I KNEW GODS SON!! He had been born for me so I would not go to Hell! My Mom looked at me and smiled, too! What a gift- undesirable! I was 27 then -I am 78 now and the Gratefulness of Salvation is a daily PRAISE IN OUR FAMILIES! I hope each one who reads this and has not been told that JESUS WAS CRUCIFIED, BURIED, AND AROSE FROM THE DEAD FOR EACH OF YOU! Please take time and say “JESUS I ASK FORGIVENESS FOR MY SINS AND ASK THAT YOU BECOME MY SAVIOR AND LORD — THANK YOU ! Then listen and you will hear THE VOICE OF YOUR SHEPHERD INSIDE OF YOU! THEN YOU WILL KNOW THAT YOU KNOW!!