Why receive Jesus into your Life?!

Tuesday, July 9th, 2013

I could have entitled this blog, why "I" received Jesus into my life? But I want this blog to be more about others than about me. I guess in doing that, I should explain why I changed my entire life around for this "one" guy who lived on the earth more than 2000 years ago and gave up his life to die for me. 

I was born in Lagos, Nigeria.  My parents received Jesus as their Lord and savior before they got married, according to my mom. I was then born  in March 1991. I was a happy little child. By God's grace and the hard work of my dad I moved to New Jersey in 1997. My childhood consisted of morning devotion and prayers EVERY MORNING, school, reading, going to church, any activities I was signed up for like dance, and ending EVERY night with devotions and prayers again. As you see I was very grounded and taught who Jesus was and that he was very important, at a young age. My parents seemed to think he was very important so I decided to give my life to him at 10 years old...so "I thought".

High School

(My Co-Captain Anna and I on my High School's cheerleading Squad)

I don't know where exactly I fell in high school. Well yes I do. Although I had given my life to Jesus at a young age, 10 years old; not growing in the word, like reading your bible, and praying, made me an enemy of God and a prey to the devil. Because I was an honor roll student, a leader in so many school clubs, and a role model I thought the things of the world were things I just had to HAVE. I, like many other girls at the age of 14, 15 start to really desire affection, boyfriends, and relationships. It seems everyone has a boyfriend so why not me? Remember I was a "Christian" so to speak at this time, and I vowed to keep my virginity till marriage. Never the less, I was so infatuated with dating, I decided to accept the ask from my first boyfriend at 15. Because this relationship had no solid foundation, was not approved by my parents because no guy would meet them unless I was to marry them, it didn't last. Long story short I had a couple more through-out my high school career. I would get a boyfriend and soon after my mom would force a breakup. None the less this left me with a BIG wedge between me and God from the actions I committed in my relationship(ie. kissing, the 1st,2nd,3rd,and 4th bases God never invented to be done pre-marriage). 

College

(Center Stage at Madison Square Garden  in NYC. Picture taken by my a bf I was 20 here.)

So despite the fact I didn't end up going to a college I loved the first year of college, I was able to transfer to St. Johns University. I was so ecstatic because they had an awesome basketball team, and cheerleading team. I tried out for the squad and made it. At this time in my life I was 19, my relationship with God was so distant. I had started in high school, but now in college I continued to place my value and trust in everything but God. Why? Because the void I was trying to fill, could no longer be filled with just a boyfriend. At this point I really no longer really feared God. From a girl who vowed she would never drink, I started experimenting with "socially" accepted drugs like drinking; Which by the way dishonors God(Proverbs 23:29-35). I ended up dating this one guy... People who should have known only knew via Facebook, sadly, people who I knew would be ok with it were told. So according to the world he was accomplished, two years older, in college, athlete, and had good parents. But his heart and lustful desires, intertwined with mine were so far from God. Remember, a relationship is just as good as the two people in it, we were both broken. He was a "Christian", but he actually did not like God very much, but I thought he was nice, like many of us girls say today. He asked me to marry him and like many of us girls we think ok, its the next step after dating X amount of years, so we must "love" each other and get married, I said yes. Well.. another sign from God came like many in the past, asking what I was really doing, how can I marry a guy that's scared of going to church, when I really wanted a God fearing man deep down, and a relationship that honored God. We broke up.  This was in 2010. I started having some other family trials and total lost focus of my academics. I left St. Johns 2011. That ride was over. In 2012,I still had this void of loneliness. Yes I had a great family but I desired more. This is why I felt I constantly needed a boyfriend, I was getting the attention from quote on quote worldly smart men so why not. 

TRANSFORMATION

Then something miraculous happened, my mom invited to me to my first Singles Seminar at a Deeper Life Bible Church location in Queens, NY. Ironically 15 minutes from St. Johns where my life became extremely far from God. At this seminar they talked about relationships God's way and how the end of a relationship should be the best, not only the beginning like I and many girls are lead to think. Of course I was in a relationship then, but I was still SINGLE(ladies no matter how long you are in a relationship, if you aren't MARRIED you are single in Gods eyes!). So the program talked about not having sex before marriage. What really hit home was they reiterated the person you marry is the next important decision you will make after giving your life to Jesus.THEN it hit me! "How can I want a man of God to ever want to get to know me, and pursue me, when my heart, actions, and lifestyle was SO far from God?" This was November 24th, I cried really hard that day. It's funny because one of my best friends now, and Sister in Christ Charity, told me I had come into the program so dis-interested. That night I was really unsettled about my relationship with this guy who was so close to whisking me away and putting a ring on it. He had met my mom, my sisters, everyone. I had met his family, and we were gonna have babies. Picture Perfect right? WRONG. The next day, November 25th, 2012 I went to my now current church Deeper Life Bible Church of New Jersey. I hadn't been in months. My now Pastor before the service asks me how was school? Little did he know I had to leave St. Johns. After service I go to him and tell him all the problems I had at St. Johns, stealing, emptiness, and academic failure. He looked at me with the sympathy of Jesus and said "I invite you to give your life to Christ", I said yes, kneeled down and confessed my sins.  Honestly the day before, I had made up my mind to serve Christ. During the church service on the 25th though, I broke up with my then boyfriend. The transformation to me becoming born again and living my life fully to the Glory of Christ was already happening. Of course girls who have been in a relationship know it takes more that a couple days to break up with someone you may have a physical soul tie with. So that week, God started working in me and pulling idols away from my life. Idols of clothing's that were immodest and DIS-APPEALING to God I threw away; idols of jewelry that I would fuss over every morning, when I could be using that time in glorifying God I threw away; idols of music that BREATHED SEX, and LUST I stopped listening to, idols of Social Media and envy, and of course that boyfriend and boys I desired to date that were never going to get to marry me I pulled far away from!
Wow. That first week was a whirlwind, and the amazing grace I keep on receiving from my Lord and Savior Jesus has never stopped to this day. My Peaceful and sinless life I now live is so comforting. The goal I now have is to attain Heaven, a place that is eternal, is amazing. My joy in the Lord renews every morning!

Today I invite you to receive Jesus into your life. Whatever is making you feel that you need that boyfriend you sleep with every night, or that drink or blunt you smoke every night, or that club or party you have to go to every weekend, or that crowd you just have to stay with to look cool, will NEVER be filled with worldly vices; only JESUS CHRIST, the man who died just for YOU to be set free can you find REAL rest, joy,and peace.

John 3:3

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

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From your Sister in Christ with a Servants Heart,

Janet Adeola Songonuga

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