Stories are powerful, and when you share the story of how God transformed your life, it can help transform other people’s lives and impact where they spend eternity. That’s why at Candlewood Church in Omaha, NE we encourage people to write out their personal faith story as a way to share their faith with others.
Jesus transformed the life of Paul in a powerful way. Read his personal faith story below:
IT’S NOT ABOUT ME
I grew up in a Christian home, but I didn’t want God to be in control of my life – I wanted it to be about me.
My parents both worked for a church, and my elementary years consisted of parochial school, Sunday school, and regular church attendance. In those years I learned a lot about Jesus and the Bible, and understood what John 3:16 meant (“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”). My upbringing was rooted in Christianity.
Then came high school. I left behind my 8th grade graduating class of 3 and embraced my freshman class of nearly 400 students. I had entered a new world. Athletics came naturally for me, and immediately sports helped me make inroads with my peers – guys were stoked to have me on their team, and girls took notice of me. Academics were also a strong suit of mine and helped me garner more recognition through awards. The attention I was getting was intoxicating. In my mind I had taken center stage. It was all about me.
Now, my Christian upbringing still hung over me and kept me from diving head first into the parties and promiscuous engagements with girls in which my teammates were active. My parents were also well-connected in my city and I was sure they would find out if I did something they didn’t approve of. As a first child I couldn’t bring myself to do anything that might let them down, but I wanted to. I remember wishing I had different parents and a different upbringing so that I could engage in some of the endeavors I heard about in the locker room from the guys on my team. I wanted to engage and throw caution to the wind. I was wrestling internally, trying to figure out how I could be a good person and yet indulge in the pleasures my peers were.
This wrestling continued into college, and was intensified by being on my own in a new town with academics starting to open doors that I was seeing could lead to wealth and status. I thought if I played my cards right I could easily enjoy a materialistic and comfortable lifestyle a couple years after graduation.
But then God got my attention.
The summer after my freshman year of college I came back home for work, and at the same time I also got connected with a group of men who were serious about their faith. I remember staying up past midnight some Sunday nights with these men, talking about how to live out what the Bible says. And God challenged me and what I was living for with the Bible verse Mark 8:36 – “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world an forfeit his soul?” It was as if he was asking me, “Is this really what you want, Paul? To obtain all the things the world offers, but at the expense of your eternity?”
At the same time God was reminding me of his love for me and all people through Bible verses like Romans 5:8 – “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Even though I was living as his enemy, opposed to his control in my life, he still had sent his son Jesus to earth to die and pay the penalty for my sins so that I could be forgiven, so that I didn’t forfeit my soul.
Finally, I came to a fork in the road.
I needed to make a decision. I could either continue living for myself and what I wanted, or, in response to and out of thanksgiving for what God had already done for me through Jesus’ death on the cross, I could yield control of my life and submit to his way.
I decided to yield, to submit. The world had offered me many alternatives to satisfaction and fulfillment, but they all ultimately left me feeling empty and wanting more. But John 6:68 says, “Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” I believed that was true. I believed the Bible had God’s words that led to life, and I wanted to follow wholeheartedly. I finally conceded that it is not about me.
Since then I have strived to live more and more in a way honoring to God as laid out in the Bible. I have tried to embody Galatians 2:20 – “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
This is a tall order. It is not easy, and I haven’t been perfect at it, but I continue striving. Candlewood Church has been a great blessing to me as I have found a community of believers who are also striving to live out what the Bible says and honor God with their lives. Together we mutually encourage one another onward, keeping in mind the C.T. Studd poem that says –
“Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.”
Additional Information
Today, Paul is a Candlewood Church pastor. If you have any questions about his story or about starting a relationship with God, we’d love to hear from you. Connect with us today at info@candlewoodchurch.org.
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