“Die to yourself today, and gain true life for eternity,” I heard the pastor say. “Die to myself?” I thought, “what does that even mean?” The only way I knew how to live was for myself: What did I need? What was best for me? How could I get ahead? All my life I had been living for myself because I thought it would get me where I needed to go: wherever that was. But it only left me in a state of depression, alcohol addiction and an overwhelming feeling that my life had no purpose. I felt worthless, and hopeless, and I didn’t want to be alive anymore. But all of that changed when I met the guys who invited me to small group: two Jesus-loving men who forever altered the course of my life. I didn’t know what it meant to live for Jesus, and I didn’t know what it meant to be a son in the Kingdom of God, but I knew that whatever it was that lived inside of these men, I wanted it to dwell within me too. I saw their passion, their humility, their desire to not only change lives, but to save them and reconcile them to God. They showed me there was another way from the hell I was living in on earth, and from the hell I would have lived in for eternity, and they did it all in the name of Jesus. What Jesus did for his disciples, and what faithful men did for these two friends, they have done for me. They’ve given me their time, effort and love, which I can only repay by finding, feeding, and fighting for the lambs of God. They’ve modeled Christ: showing me what it means to put the needs of others above my own, how to honor and glorify God, and how to walk in step with the Holy Spirit. With the leadership and guidance of these men along with many others, I gave my life to Jesus and He gave me the greatest gift of all: eternal life with Him in heaven. My life now has purpose: the greatest purpose of all, and it’s not my own: It’s His.
I was lost, but now I am found. I was dead, but now I am alive.
Thank you to all of the members of Chi Alpha for loving me, teaching me, and showing me what it means to live for Jesus. I love you all so much.
- Justin, sophomore