My Story: Meeting Jesus!

  I don't remember a time when my family did not go to church every week, every time the door was open.  I figured I was born there.  My paternal grandfather was a bi-vocational pastor, my paternal great grandmother was a seeker of God.  My maternal grandmother reminded me often how lucky I was to learn about Jesus early.  My maternal grandfather was a deacon.  My dad has been an adult Sunday school teacher and my mom taught children's Sunday School.  I have a rich legacy of family that was/are serious about seeking and serving God.
  As a 2 year old, I pulled the hair off my baby doll - to make her a boy.  Sex surgeries are simple at 2!  The doll became baby Jesus and I would play endless games of rescue baby Jesus from the bad King Herod.
  I was familiar with the gospel and the plan of salvation from very young.  During elementary school, the guilt and the need to respond was seriously on me.  I was taught that I did not need to "walk the aisle", but that I could ask "Jesus into my heart" any where.  So one day, when I was about 8, when my mom went in to get fried chicken for dinner, I bowed my head and prayed.  It was a childish decision with sincere intent to follow thru.  I didn't really talk about my prayer and I didn't really let any one know.
  When I was about 16, the pressures of life were becoming more real.  I was keenly aware that I was transitioning from childhood to adulthood and I wasn't sure I had what it took to make that transition.  
  At that point, I had taken to walking my neighborhood in the evening.  I had a long dark navy wool coat with a hood.  I would wear it and walk.  It was January and cold!  My mom always said if I had a sickle, I would look like death!
  I probably was seriously praying while walking at this time, but I wouldn't have called it that.  I would have said I was thinking.  
  I had asked a boy to a turn about dance and he had turned me down.  While that is always traumatic to adolescents, I took this as the ultimate sign that I was not in control and that would not be able to get the things I wanted in life:  Love, Success, Family, Purpose.  I was scared.  
  One January night, while I walked and considered my possible failure at life, I looked at the stars.  The thought popped in my head: The creator of the moon and stars is reaching out to help you.  He wants to be your friend.  
  It was my unique encounter with the Living Christ.  He sought me out and reached out to me in LOVE.  I have never been the same.  It has been 40 years since that time, but I fell madly in love with Him and my whole life has been an attempt to know Him and Love Him more and follow Him as closely as possible.  (At this point, the song Day by Day from Godspell should be playing in the background: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWQEUzOACm4)
  Because I responded to Jesus at 16, I was gratefully - spared much in the areas of sin and disobedience and the heart break that leaves people.  
  Because of His great love for me, I responded like a hungry baby, reading my bible continuously.  I wanted to please Him in all my ways.  
  While I have lived through many traumas and Life is much harder than I could have ever imagine at 16.  I am not the raging success I had hoped to be, God is much more loving and kind than I could have ever known him to be at 16.  
  I still weep when I recount the grand moment when He reached out to me in love.