When I first came to the realization that I needed to really know God it was an eye opening experience. I did not have a problem with really believing in Him. I needed to learn what it really is to follow Him. I do not know the exact moment I accepted Jesus, but I do know the year that I had changes in my life.
I was twenty three years old and expecting our third child when I became aware of needing a personal walk with Jesus. I could have begun this memorable time just before I was pregnant. But I remember Paul coming home from work with a renewed 'enthusiasm' for the Lord. He had a good friend that was on fire for the Lord and it seemed to have rubbed off on Paul. Paul was already a Christian so this was mainly a time of growth for him. I would have thought I was already a Christian as I had always gone to church and Sunday school.
The reason I remember I was pregnant is because I got the mumps during the early stages of my pregnancy and this was around that time. Paul got the mumps from his friend at work. Paul had them bad and knew to stay home in bed, not like his friend did. I was already expecting our baby at that time. When I got the mumps I only had them on one side but I spent time in bed despite having two little girls to care for. I remember being in bed and beginning to read the large family Bible that we had. Baby steps in being a new Christian.
Kathy and Laura got the mumps around that same time also. With children there always seemed to be times of illness to remember. But reading to them from a favorite set of books as well as Bible stories is what I remember most. Bedtime prayers were always part of the evening ritual. It was also fun to sing the songs we knew from Sunday school as well as other favorites.
Another event that happened when I was pregnant was when Paul and I were baptized in the ocean at Rosarito Beach south of the border. Paul's friend had been baptized there as he had connections with a little church in Tijuana where his wife was from. He made arrangements for us to be baptized down there too. It was a memorable day spent with our friend and his family and friends from the little church south of the border. I do not have photos but it is imprinted in my mind. This was 1960 and Rosarito Beach was completely different than it is today. We had the beach to ourselves near the old hotel that has been there for generations.
We were still in the Methodist church at that time. We were there until our baby boy was a few months old, early in 1961. Over the years we had visited First Baptist in Coronado on occasion when there were visiting evangelists. After we went to hear the evangelist in 1961 we were drawn to our little Baptist church in Coronado. Pastor Lyon was there at that time and we liked him a lot. The people of First Baptist were very welcoming and we decided to join the church that spring. This was a time of growth for us. I enjoyed becoming active there.
Another thing I remember when Paul and I were going through so many changes is wanting to share the message with family and friends. I was awkward at it and all I really accomplished was letting people know that there was something different about me. It took me a long time to be comfortable with this new me. I still struggle on how to share this good news. But it is a part of me and not something to be uncomfortable about. I remember one neighbor and friend who called me a "Holy Roller". That is one thing I never considered myself to be. We did visit Paul's friend's church, which was a Church of God, on several occasions. The church we were baptized through was a Church of God. They are often much more enthusiastic than we are used to although I never witnessed anything different.
People seem to have their own opinions on what it is to be a Christian. Many people think you have to work to be saved, but it is a gift freely given. Some people think that the building will collapse if they enter the door. Of course they are joking. It would be difficult to enter for the first time if you weren't used to going to church. That is one reason churches have special activities that are separate from worship services. People can see that we are friendly and they would be welcome. Other people think that just going to church makes you a Christian. I may have been part of that category at one time. What makes the difference between a believer and a nonbeliever is whether or not you have accepted Christ as your Savior. We need to have Him as the most important part of our lives.
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Romans 10:9
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