 I was born in Durand, WI and grew up going to church hearing my Dad preach God’s Word every Sunday. When I was about eight years old, one evening, my family gathered around Dad playing the piano to sing hymns. I don’t remember what song it was, but I was so convicted of my sin knowing I was a sinner and that I needed Christ. Reaching up I touched Dad’s arm and asked him, “How can I be saved?” Dad had me wait until my brothers and sisters went to bed, and then he explained Salvation is only by repenting of my sins and believing on Jesus Christ’s work in dying on the cross, being buried, and rising again for me. After Dad explained it to me, I went upstairs, knelt by my bed, and realized it wasn’t Dad or Mom who could believe or trust in God for me, but it had to be me, Julia. I had to make the decision to personally trust in Christ’s work on the cross, His burial, and His resurrection. I remember crying, repenting of my sins, and asking God’s forgiveness for my sins. Then I went to bed.
After that day, in my early to mid teens, I had many struggles with assurance of salvation. I wanted to make sure my salvation was real, but I couldn’t decide where Dad’s teaching left off and where my own faith started in regards to how I was acting/obeying my parents and serving Christ in the local church . Also, I needed to separate my personal walk with Christ from my parents’ walk. By fifteen, I finally recognized that I was absolutely sure of my salvation and that I was, in fact, a child of God.
However, in the next four years, I went through a depressed spiral even to the point of suicidal thoughts since I wanted to be gone from this world with all of its cares - all the things I could not change. Through the Lord using wise counsel from my father and other pastors, I was brought from the depths of despair to freely being able to fellowship with the Lord, my family, and my church. As the Lord convicted and moved me, He brought growth into my life and taught me so much from His Word personally and from the pulpit. Everyday, I see how His hand is on my life and the lives of those around me.
In the midst of all the blessings God has given me in the past few years, He brought a godly, young man into my life as well. Watching Matt, I saw steadiness, peace, level headedness, quietness, sincerity, gentleness, goodness, longsuffering, but most of all his kindness. All the things I was yearning to have in my own life, I saw in Matt’s. Since a year ago (Monday, January 7, 2007) when Matt said, “It’s true!” which confirmed his interest in me, I have found all these things and so much more embedded deeply in Matthew’s character . . . the fruit of the spirit. (Gal 5:22-23)
Through God’s grace, I will continue to grow in Christ by submitting each day to the authority He has placed in my life.
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