Testimony.

I was introduced to God by my parents and I gave my life to Christ when I was 5. I have always been very passionate and determined to live my life for God. That drive inspired me to ’do’ a lot of things. I started a Bible study at my high school, I spoke boldly about my faith and I put a lot of time into loving some very unlovable people. I was driven by good intentions but I was doing things out of my own strength and by grad I was worn out. Lately I’ve spent a lot of quiet time with God. He’s been teaching me about confidence, grace and his undying love. I never realized how huge those three topics were until God began to speak to me about them. At first glance they appear to be really simple and to be completely honest that's because they are. But it's their simplicity that makes them so unique and wonderful. Growing up in a Christian household there is one phrase that you hear again and again and again; Jesus loves you. You hear it so often that the words become automatic. Unfortunately familiarity with a phrase is not the same as familiarity with the real divine love of God. When you encounter the love of God you are never the same. It changes every part of you. You can't be the same, it's just not possible. When you understand that God loves you everything must change. And until you truly know that God loves you, you can't live the abundant life that God desires for you to live. The Bible says that perfect love casts out fear. God loves us with a perfect love but we tend to go through our comfortable routines and live our lives tainted by fear and if only's. God has been speaking to me about this a lot. I tend to dream crazy dreams, I imagine that God can do big things in my life and I think about the idea of a life lived to the fullest with a large smile on my face and a heart that protests and accuses me of impracticality. God calls me on it every time. When I make a comment about how awesome it would be to do this or that and follow it up with negative remarks and doubt, God shrugs his shoulders and says, 'Why not? Am I not God? I can do that.' And I've struggled with that. I've struggled to trust God and believe in his love for me. I've struggled to know and constantly remember that God is good. His very essence is good and he gives only good gifts. I don't have to worry about being cheated or destroyed when I'm dealing with God. I can go before him fearlessly.That's a big deal and it's harder to learn and accept than it sounds.
So that's a little bit about me and what's going on in my life right now. More will come, in fact it's already on the way, but not tonight.

Cole.