Looking back on my journey, I can see clearly that God intervened in my life at a young age, forever changing its trajectory. Growing up, I was far from a quiet, easygoing kid. To put it honestly, I have a rebellious streak a mile wide. I’ve always had a stubborn independent streak, a tendency to question the rules, and a knack for wanting to do things entirely my own way. Left to my own devices, my stubbornness would have easily led me down some very destructive paths.
I firmly believe that without God’s salvation and His relentless pursuit of my heart, there is no telling where I would be right now. Who knows what kind of wreckage I would have caused or what dark places I might have wandered into if He hadn’t stepped in and grabbed hold of my life.
That realization fills my heart with a profound, humbling sense of gratitude. Salvation isn’t just a theological concept we talk about on Sunday mornings; it is a life-saving, rescue operation. It means that God looked at someone with a stubborn will, a wandering heart, and a rebellious streak a mile wide, and He still chose to love her, redeem her, and redirect her steps toward an eternal purpose.
His grace met me in my stubbornness, and His mercy continues to sustain me through every twist and turn of adulthood. When I look at where I am today—surrounded by blessings, serving in a ministry camp, sharing life with The Big Guy, and walking in faith—I know none of it is by my own making. It is entirely the result of a Savior who stepped into a young girl’s life and refused to let go.
Today, my heart overflows with thankfulness for His rescuing grace. If you have ever looked back at your own life and wondered where you’d be without Him, you know exactly the kind of deep, humbling awe I’m talking about. His mercy truly changes everything.
