Jessica Tuel

Before Jesus Changed My Life

When I was in tough situations, I would turn to blasting music or trying to just run away from my issues rather than trying to fix them. Any drama or someone trying to argue with me I would just turn the other way. I would also do this to get rid of my feelings and not try to talk to God or Jesus about it besides complaining. I also tried to almost turn to sinful things in middle school because of all the family drama and wanting to feel something other than sadness, being broken, feeling like a burden, and more. I always felt like something was missing, but I would never try to fix it if I did, it was only temporary. I also thought maybe if I just disappeared from my life everyone else would be happier and better.

How Jesus Changed My Life

I started reading His Word more, trying to pray, just talking out loud to him even though I couldn't hear a reply back. I also tried to find things that involved Him when I turned 18 years old. My dad gave me a Bible to keep on my journey, and I was reading like 4-5 chapters day and night and it just gave me such an amazing feeling to do so. Jesus also showed me many ways that I still was needed on this Earth even when I didn't think I was important and needed enough... For example in March this year when I was in a car accident, I was fully ready to embrace death when I got hit head-on with my driver’s door, but then I felt like out of my body and didn't notice the car got moved to get out of the way after I got finished getting hit and I only come out of it with a bruised hip. I truly think it should be worse, but just in that moment God showed me again He can do anything and that I was still needed on this Earth with His plan. Another time was taking a Bible verse quiz, and I got called out with Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding". I do try to lean into my own logic and try to make sense of things when sometimes I don't have to or I forget to go and lean into Him for my issues. When a Baptism service came about, my first one to ever watch He brought a lady into my life with her needing help to record the baptism that was happening due to it being friends and family members. There were over 400 people she could have chosen, and that day it was me. I felt very special and that day lit me up and opened my eyes and pulled me into wanting to get baptized in that moment, but I was just solely a newbie who knew nothing yet so I waited and waited. Salt Co also has helped me open my eyes about my spirituality and religion and no one has been able to really or fully break that away from me since either. I believe that God sent his son Jesus down in human flesh to pay the debts of our sins since God loves us that much and we can now accept him as Lord and Savior.

My Life After Jesus Saved Me

I see the world in a truly different light. My world doesn't seem just black and gray constantly with negativity, a lot more positivity comes into my life and I can see that a lot more with the negativity. I now have secure hope ever since I learned you can get permanent hope in Jesus rather than something temporary. I turn to Him for help in time of need and others of Christ for help. Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” Galatians 1:6-12 and 3:15-25 remind me of God’s gift of grace in Jesus. I know I have eternal life through Jesus Christ since He died on the Cross for our sins and paid them off even though we never deserved it in the first place. He just loved us that much to do that for our debts and for loving us.


Topics
Baptism Salvation Stories
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