From Religion to Relationship: My Testimony

How I Found Peace and Purpose in My Life

My Before:

I grew up in a home where going to church was a part of our routine but it was just a Sunday thing. I didn’t really see faith in God lived out the rest of the week.  But my grandma had a vibrant faith in Jesus and was a big fan of Billy Graham. One day, she took me to a Billy Graham movie. At the end, they invited people to come forward if they wanted to receive Christ. So I did.

I remember hearing the verse from John 3:16:

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

It sounded so simple. And I believed.

My Challenge:

I was a strong willed child and by the time I was in high school and had more independence (basically when I started driving),  I literally went my own way… off “faith street” and onto a one way street to destruction.  I screwed up my life and became miserable and hopeless.  I dreaded every new day and had no hope for the future.  

God’s Word spoke into that part of my story too:

“All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” —Isaiah 53:6

But even in my mess, God had not given up on me.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope.” —Jeremiah 29:11

But then came the turning point.

My Encounter:

At the beginning of my senior year of high school, I made a new friend who invited me to his church. What stood out most wasn’t the sermons or the music—it was the people. They were welcoming, kind, and full of genuine love. I kept going back, and it was there I began to truly understand what it meant to follow Jesus.

By November of that year, I was ready to be baptized. I wanted to leave my old life behind and rise up into the new life Jesus had made possible for me—through His death on the cross and His resurrection. That day, I didn’t just believe in Him. I declared Him as Lord of my life.

I connected deeply with these words:

“He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.” —Psalm 40:2

My Now:

My life changed. Completely.

From that point on, it has been the greatest adventure to walk with Jesus. Several years after college, I met and married a man who also loved the Lord. He was the real deal. In other words he didn’t just say he followed Jesus, he meant it. The first best decision of my life was to give my life to Christ, the second best decision was to choose a “tried and true” Christian man to link arms with. For the past 37 years, we’ve walked through the highs and lows of life together—and we’ve learned one powerful truth:

Jesus is our everything!

He gives us a hope that does not disappoint. He gives us strength when life is hard. He gives us peace through every season.

One of the verses I cling to in hard times is:

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” —Lamentations 3:22–23

And this one, too:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 4:6–7

My Question For You:

So let me ask you…

Are you looking for peace? Do you feel like you’ve gone your own way and wonder if you can ever get back on track?

You can.

Jesus is still in the business of rescuing people from hopelessness and giving them a brand-new start. Just like He did for me.

Would you like to learn more about how to find peace with God?
Feel free to reach out—I’d love to talk with you. You can contact me at laura@beholdhisglory.net.