Julia & becoming a christian

People become christians in many different ways and for different reasons. Here is Julia's story.

I was brought up in a Christian family, and always went to Shoreham Baptist Church with them, attending Sunday school regularly. At home and Sunday school, I discovered more and more about Jesus, and God's love for us all. One Sunday morning Mave Whitchurch was teaching about what a Christian is and how to become one, I made a decision and became a Christian. (Saying the following prayer "Thank you Lord for loving me. Thank you Jesus for dying for me. Sorry for all the wrong things I've said and done, please forgive me. Please help me to become more like you. Amen)

From then on my relationship with Jesus grew and I was baptised a few years later, as the next step for me was to publicly admit my faith, and obey what the Bible says "Peter said, 'Change your life. Turn to God and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, so your sins are forgiven." Acts 2:38.

I have carried on learning and growing more and more through going to church, youth groups/camps/homegroup, ministering within the church, conferences (e.g. Soul Survivor/Momentum, New Wine, Children's Ministry), reading my Bible, and other Christian books.

As far as I can remember I have always had a heart for working with children. I decided to become a teacher when I was at secondary school. God lead me through teacher training, and various teaching jobs that have added to my experience.

I have taught Sunday school since I was 16, then took a break during the final year of teacher training. It was when I was in a quiet patch of supply teaching that God started to draw me closer into the children's work at church again, so I started to help in Zone. As time went on, I realised that God was calling me deeper into His work, and through various conferences and verses (Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Mark 10:14-16, Psalm 78:4, Proverbs 22:6) God lead me to help with School assemblies, and to start Zap! and Puppets.

As I've learnt and keep on learning more about Him, I have become more and more passionate about Him, and trust that He will lead me in all I do. He will guide me through life, "I know what I am planning for you' says the Lord 'I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future.' Jeremiah 29:11.

Here are the other passages that Julia mentioned:

Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone.[a] And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away on a journey, when you are lying down and when you are getting up again. Tie them to your hands as a reminder, and wear them on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Deuteronomy 6:4-94

But when Jesus saw what was happening, he was very displeased with his disciples. He said to them, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I assure you, anyone who doesn't have their kind of faith will never get into the Kingdom of God." Then he took the children into his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.

Mark 10:14-16 14

We will not hide these truths from our children but will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the LORD. We will tell of his power and the mighty miracles he did.

Psalm 78:4 4

Teach your children to choose the right path, and when they are older, they will remain upon it.

Proverbs 22:6 6