Sunday: Focus on the Savior (with Courtney Noffsinger)

Today's Sunday: Focus on the Savior is from my wonderful blogging buddy, Courtney from Perfect Imperfections. Courtney's love for the Lord is so evident if you spend any time at all on her blog. It is bloggers who boldly proclaim the name of Christ like Courtney that I love to have featured on my blog for my Sunday series.

Courtney has also been a great person to learn from in the photography world. She has so much talent and is so willing to share her skills with us!

Take some time and go check out her blog! I promise you will not be disappointed.

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My journey of faith is an interesting one. Just like most people, I've had my ups and downs along the way. But when I stop to really consider when I knew Jesus was my Lord and Savior, it wasn't until much later in my life and I don't think most people know that about me.

I grew up in an Episcopal church in my small hometown back in Kentucky. At the age of six, I was baptized. If you've ever been baptized in an Episcopal or Catholic church then you know you basically have water sprinkled upon your forehead.  However, I don't remember having an epiphany of any kind prior to this event taking place. So the only explanation I can dream up is that my friends were all getting baptized so I said what I was supposed to say to get baptized as well. But I don't think I really knew what meaning my words held. Therefore, my salvation would wait until I was a sophomore in high school. My family and I went to church every Sunday until we just suddenly stopped going and I have no real explanation for that either. So while I knew of God, believed He did exist and sometimes prayed out to him (usually for something purely selfish), I pretty much fell away from the church for quite a while.

During my leave of absence(s), I still had a strong influence of faith within my family and many close friends. My great-grandmother is probably the strongest influence in my life to date. As I was growing and learning she always pointed out one simple fact when I would notice differences between myself and others: while people may appear different than me, they were stitched together by God the same as I was. That has stayed with me my entire life and it is now a point that I pass on to my own children. This wise woman is now almost 98 years young. She's amazing. One of my favorite verses in the bible is Psalm 139:14 and anytime I read or hear that verse, I always think of her and the important lesson she taught me.

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are they works; and that my soul knoweth right well. ~Psalm 139:14

Tataw, as I lovingly refer to her, was raised during a time of segregation, even lynching in some parts of the world still. Yet, she could see past all that and find the truth - God formed us all. God loves us all.

It wasn't until I was a sophomore in high school that I truly accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Up to that point, I truly thought I had been saved when I was 6 years old. But then you have that moment. And if you've been saved you know exactly what moment I'm speaking of. You're wrought with gratitude, grace, love, sorrow, mercy, shame.... almost every emotion you could possibly feel is brought to the surface and you are overwhelmed - brought literally to your knees. And you know. There is no question. SALVATION. And everything changes.

Having two children of my own now, I am doing my best along with my husband to raise our children as it would please God. I want them to know their lives can be blissfully happy, fulfilling, satisfying, and rich by growing closer to God each day and relying on on Him for anything and everything. All things in life are gifts from our heavenly father. I want them to let Jesus in much sooner than I did. As much as I want to protect them, I know they'll make mistakes. I know there will be trials and tribulations in their lives as well. But my hope is that they'll know that God loves them no matter what and they can always, always turn to Him. And Mommy. I hope and pray that I can be a positive influence in their lives just as my Tataw is to me. I hope to teach them to keep their focus always on the Savior.

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. ~ Proverbs 22:6

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Thank you, Courtney so much for your testimony. I know of many people who were baptized at a young age thinking that it could get them into Heaven. But of course it is only by being saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ that we can have eternity in Heaven. It's amazing the people God sends into our lives to show us we need Him!