GOD HAS CALLED ME TO MAKE A CHOICE

Art had become the centre of my life, my passion. And yet I was going round in circles ...   

The sudden death of a friend got me thinking.   

When I reread the Gospels, I discovered that Christ was the man I was really looking for. Kind and respectful, gentle yet firm, Jesus Christ knew how to respond to everyone, or keep silent. He refused to be influenced by anyone, including his friends and disciples. I found myself admiring and loving him. I wished I'd known him when he was on earth, walked with him, talked to him, listened to him...

One day, in prayer, I spoke to him and felt the tangible presence of GOD in my flat.

Little by little, I opened up to him. I was honest with GOD: I told him about my frustrations and everything that was preventing me from believing in him. He opened his arms to me. He called me to make a choice, Deuteronomy 30:19, to belong to him, to become his disciple John 21:22. I said yes.

Starting my new life was difficult: there was a lot of damage to repair. One by one, the Lord pinpointed all my bad choices. I confessed my past faults and put an end to my love affairs.

I'm now married, and when I was 43 the Lord gave us a beautiful boy.

What was the point of a lifetime of selfish, unsatisfying artistic creation? 

I finally realised that I had missed the source of true happiness. 

Painting is still my favourite activity, but it has taken second place to my relationship with GOD.

Marjorie (Source: La bonne semence 2014)

WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I LOOKED FOR GOD

When a wretch cries out, the Lord hears, Psalm 34:7  

"Jesus delivered me, He healed the wounds of my heart, Luke 4:18".

Even as a child, I believed in God, but without really knowing him. My childhood and adolescence were difficult: my parents were separated and, at home, I often cried in my corner. From time to time I would pray to God in my room, asking him to give me joy.

I left home the year I turned eighteen, penniless. As the months went by, several friends took me in. Every weekend I went out, I led a not very healthy life, it was another escape from my sadness.

Then I met a boy. With his mother's consent, he offered to take me in. But this lady practised the occult, which made me feel uncomfortable, so I left. Two years later, I got in touch with her again. I didn't recognise her any more, she had changed completely. She spoke to me about Jesus Christ and what He had done for her, and I was very touched.

But it was at a Christian convention, some time later, that I believed in the Lord Jesus. I cried a lot that day, tears of joy and peace. God had answered the prayers I'd prayed to him as a child. I was looking for him and he came to me. Jesus delivered me, He healed the wounds in my heart, Luke 4:18, He taught me to forgive. Admittedly, I sometimes go through "deserts", but the Lord is with me.

If you feel lost, if you don't know where to turn, it's not the person in front of you who's going to solve your problems. The only one who can solve them is Jesus, Matthew 11:28! 

Vanessa (source: La bonne semence)