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I'm in the same boat as the Catholics. I was baptized when I was 6 weeks old, and don't ever remember not believing. I have gone through phases of difficult questioning, but not disbelief. Also, like the Catholics, it is during Confirmation that you take responsibility for your own baptismal vows.
How can one be born a Christian? You can be born into a Christian household...but when did you accept Christ as your Lord and personal Saviour? Not judging at all, just curious.
I accepted Jesus at the age of 4 or 5. My mom says she led me into the sinner's prayer at my request at that age. A bit later, my mom was singing in the spirit while my sister and I bathed. Suddenly, she heard me singing right along in a different tongue...
No flaming please! It was truly a very pure, very spiritual experience. No wierd fakery involved.
Hey, I'm a charismatic, Jeff. I definitely believe children who have accepted Christ can sing in the Spirit.
I was 25. I knew something was missing in my life. I did not grow up with the Lord in my life, or mention of his name, other than hearing it in vein.
Seeds were being planted left and right. I was aggrevated by it. I was at work and a very young black girl would come to me every day with the New Testament, reading scripture to me.
I kept thinking.... why doesn't she just leave me alone. I only get a short break, I bust my butt all day, and she does this to me. UGH! Both of my children were young, 2 and 4, I would say.
A new store was opening near my house. I wnet into it as she was setting it up. I liked everything in there. A very nice lady. I couldn't afford everything in there...lol, but I loved to look.
When she finally got the store open, I was in there almost every day. just looking, and talking to her.
I am a very talkative person... you may get that in some of my posts. I would just go in there and talk to her, tell her about myself, my kids...
One day, she invited me to go to her church. She actually had these I dont know what they are, a vase or something with a pic of the church or something. Salt pottery....something. Gray on the outside with blue lettering.
I thought church, thats not me.
One day, months later, I thought church, that may be me. I told my husband that I thought I wanted to give it a try, and bring he and the kids with. So we went. he was brought up in the church, and hadn't been in a very long time, i think he had lost his faith, and I dont know if he really has it now. that is him
Every time I heard that preacher speak, it felt like he was talking to me. I thought this is what I have been missing all of my life.... this is my void, this is what I have lost, but now I have found it. One day, out of the blue, I went foward. I could see in my dh eyes, he didn't want me to , but it was what i had to do, my heart told me to. I did it. I was saved, and not long after, I was Baptised in the bame of Christ, full immersion.... My sins washed away, my Love for Lord jesus Christ. My understanding that he died on the cross for me, that he forgives me of my sins.
This was supposed to be quick, right... uh oh... I could have said so much more, but that is the long and short of it.
Also... God is my Lord and Savior, forevermore. He has carried me for a long time, and now He walks next to me, holding my hand... My faith in Him is strong. I thought I lost it, but it was always there, only hidden in my pain, and he knew, he knew. And he carried me. he knew my pain, and He knew what I needed, he loves me. And I love Him.
I posted this in a similar thread, but will paste it here for easier reference...
I trust this will help those who read it and they may see the Glory of God through my experience.
I was born 5th out of 6 kids. My mother was raised in the church (independent Protestant) and was born-again. My father was an alcoholic who would occassionally attend church. He didn't belittle my mother or her faith, but didn't practice and didn't receive. Mother brought all six of us up in the church. I "prayed the prayer" at age 6 in 1979. I was disappointed a little because I didn't get the "feeling" others said they got when they accepted Jesus. But I knew what I believed and went from there.
Home life was not happy. Parents always fought. Home life didn't reflect what a "Christian" life should be and I saw this at that age. So we all rebeled in various ways. But I always knew, was convicted by the Holy Spirit, when I rebelled I did something against God. So, I would pray the prayer again and asked to be forgiven again. This went on until my early teen years.
Teenage attitude, rebellion, drinking, temper, fighting ... this is what I was doing while still going to church. I figured, I'm saved, I'm okay, what's it matter. Then I even started falling away from the church. At 15 we started to occassionally attend a new church (Baptist), a Sunday here, a holiday there .. nothing consistent through about 19.
During those years I graduated top 25 in H.S., went to college and graduated with a 3.8 GPA ... and drank and drank the whole time and fell into a great depression. Suicide crossed my mind more than once. But that came up as a big red flag God waived in my head. I may have dwelt on it, but could never bring myself to attempt it. By this time I had 2 physical altercations with my Dad, my Mom divorced him (due to adultery/abuse) and was rebuliding her relationship with God and I was in really bad shape. My relationship with God was minimal, to say the least.
At about 19 something in me stirred. I believe the Holy Spirit was shaking me on the inside, telling me "turn back to God or you will die". I was slowly killing myself with drinking and associated behavior. The Holy Spirit was shaking harder now. Until I finally fell on my bed and cried and begged God to forgive me, to save me from myself. I rededicated my life to him. I cried for about two days .. crying was something I refused to do from about age 13 because of my Dad. After that, I went back to church. I read my Bible. I prayed again. God impressed upon me that yes, you were saved at age 6, but you must show the fruits of that salvation. Truly being saved meant you had to show it, live it. So that's when I believe I truly became a child of God because I started living for Him and not this world or myself.
Once I did that, then the blessings started coming .. fast and furious Age 20 I met my wife-to-be (also born-again). Age 21 we were married in church. Age 21 had my son; age 22 along came my daughter (each of those experiences is a testimony in and of themselves). I'm now 34 and we have been married 13 years. My life has been turned completely around. I have been blessed. We have had struggles for sure (mainly health & financial) but we are blessed and all is going according to His plan for us. PRAISE GOD!!
In closing -- all six of us kids have come back home to God. We're all productive and active in our respective churches. We've all forgiven each other and our parents for the past and have moved on. Dad and I came together shortly before his untimely death in 1998.
As I said above -- I hope this helps someone see the power of Emmanuel (God with us).
I posted this in a similar thread, but will paste it here for easier reference...
I trust this will help those who read it and they may see the Glory of God through my experience.
I was born 5th out of 6 kids. My mother was raised in the church (independent Protestant) and was born-again. My father was an alcoholic who would occassionally attend church. He didn't belittle my mother or her faith, but didn't practice and didn't receive. Mother brought all six of us up in the church. I "prayed the prayer" at age 6 in 1979. I was disappointed a little because I didn't get the "feeling" others said they got when they accepted Jesus. But I knew what I believed and went from there.
Home life was not happy. Parents always fought. Home life didn't reflect what a "Christian" life should be and I saw this at that age. So we all rebeled in various ways. But I always knew, was convicted by the Holy Spirit, when I rebelled I did something against God. So, I would pray the prayer again and asked to be forgiven again. This went on until my early teen years.
Teenage attitude, rebellion, drinking, temper, fighting ... this is what I was doing while still going to church. I figured, I'm saved, I'm okay, what's it matter. Then I even started falling away from the church. At 15 we started to occassionally attend a new church (Baptist), a Sunday here, a holiday there .. nothing consistent through about 19.
During those years I graduated top 25 in H.S., went to college and graduated with a 3.8 GPA ... and drank and drank the whole time and fell into a great depression. Suicide crossed my mind more than once. But that came up as a big red flag God waived in my head. I may have dwelt on it, but could never bring myself to attempt it. By this time I had 2 physical altercations with my Dad, my Mom divorced him (due to adultery/abuse) and was rebuliding her relationship with God and I was in really bad shape. My relationship with God was minimal, to say the least.
At about 19 something in me stirred. I believe the Holy Spirit was shaking me on the inside, telling me "turn back to God or you will die". I was slowly killing myself with drinking and associated behavior. The Holy Spirit was shaking harder now. Until I finally fell on my bed and cried and begged God to forgive me, to save me from myself. I rededicated my life to him. I cried for about two days .. crying was something I refused to do from about age 13 because of my Dad. After that, I went back to church. I read my Bible. I prayed again. God impressed upon me that yes, you were saved at age 6, but you must show the fruits of that salvation. Truly being saved meant you had to show it, live it. So that's when I believe I truly became a child of God because I started living for Him and not this world or myself.
Once I did that, then the blessings started coming .. fast and furious Age 20 I met my wife-to-be (also born-again). Age 21 we were married in church. Age 21 had my son; age 22 along came my daughter (each of those experiences is a testimony in and of themselves). I'm now 34 and we have been married 13 years. My life has been turned completely around. I have been blessed. We have had struggles for sure (mainly health & financial) but we are blessed and all is going according to His plan for us. PRAISE GOD!!
In closing -- all six of us kids have come back home to God. We're all productive and active in our respective churches. We've all forgiven each other and our parents for the past and have moved on. Dad and I came together shortly before his untimely death in 1998.
As I said above -- I hope this helps someone see the power of Emmanuel (God with us).
In 2004, around September, I decided to leave the kind of life I was living and serve the Lord. I got Baptized at that time (Sept. 2004).
I had a drinking problem (every weekend) and partied a lot. I would wear really skimpy clothes, that people around were talking about me and passing rumors also. I had gotten divorced and I knew then that was a mistake. I had gotten divorced in 2002. We were still close and really good friends. But I had so many bad nights drinking and partying that I just lifted my hands to the Lord and said, "God, I don't won't to live like this anymore. I'm tired of it and it's getting boring too". So, since then I had gone to church. After about a month I decided to get Baptized. I did and about a few months later, my ex and I got back together. Now we are planning on getting remarried very soon. I attend church every Sunday and go to Bible Study on Wednesday nights. I love my new life.
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It was truly a very pure, very spiritual experience. No wierd fakery involved. 
I was 6 .. then 19
Age 20 I met my wife-to-be (also born-again). Age 21 we were married in church. Age 21 had my son; age 22 along came my daughter (each of those experiences is a testimony in and of themselves). I'm now 34 and we have been married 13 years. My life has been turned completely around. I have been blessed. We have had struggles for sure (mainly health & financial) but we are blessed and all is going according to His plan for us. PRAISE GOD!!
