Matt’s Story

I asked Jesus into my heart when I was six years old. It was on July 4th, and I’ve always teased that I saw fireworks on the day of my salvation. My parents and older siblings were having a faith based discussion around the lunch table after morning church. It struck me that something was different between them and me and that conviction led to questions. Those questions led to the realization that I was a sinner separated from God and in need of a Savior. That realization ended with my mother leading me in prayer on our living room couch. It’s the best testimony I can give to growing up in a Godly home.

Being saved so young brought on doubts later in life. Mostly around my capacity to understand something so enormous at such a young age. However, it’s the simplicity of salvation that makes it so incredible. I knew the answer all along, but it’s been reinforced throughout my life. Only Jesus could save me through His divinity, sinless life, death, and resurrection.

Once I left for college and was separated from my Christian bubble, I rebelled. I was still a good kid by worldly standards, but my time was finally my own and things like school and church were not a top priority anymore. I was young and proud and could do anything I wanted. Naturally, I lost my full ride scholarship after one year. That was the final crack that shattered this fragile false reality I had created for myself.

I spent the next half decade in frustration as everything I wanted (school, jobs, relationships) to pursue constantly failed, completely unaware of how God was working the whole time. It’s so humbling to look back at how He used the love of my family, friends (even those that were just for a season), college student ministries, and those previous failures to not only lead me back, but to point me towards the freedom that comes from surrender.

The struggle continues, especially with new challenges that come from marriage, parenthood, and different stages of adulthood, but my perspective has changed. Challenges do not exist for my control, but for my benefit. I’m so grateful He’s still working on me, and I want to use that to become more useful to Him.