This morning I was blessed with the opportunity to speak at Bonifay Middle School's FCA meeting. I was asked a couple of weeks ago, but, like usual, I procrastinated. Yes, I had been thinking about what message I could bring, but I didn't start PRAYING about it until last night. I prayed that God would show me something that I could share with the students. After reading my daily sections of the Bible, praying, flipping through the Bible, and more praying....I went to bed. That's right. It was the night before I was suppose to present a message and I had no idea what I was supposed to be talking about. So, I slept on it.
I woke up this morning with about an hour before I was to be at the school. Still clueless. I get dressed, looking pretty put together for this unprepared message. Then I got into my truck and rode out. My truck can be one of the places where I do most of my thinking/praying. I began to feel as though the students didn't need a typical lesson from me. What would I have needed to hear when I was their age? The things that kept coming to my mind was my testimony; how I lived when I was their age. Maybe that's what they needed to hear.
I arrive at the school freaking out and afraid I was going to let down the teacher and the students. Now, FCA at Bonifay Middle School usually isn't held on Mondays, but due to FCAT and me being the speaker, this is the day it was scheduled for this week. When I walked into the gym there were 3 students sitting there. "Ok, this won't be too bad," I thought to myself, "Maybe a lot of students will have forgotten it was moved to today." Nope. I was wrong. As the minutes ticked closer, more and more students walked in. I couldn't tell you how many, but it was enough to get my heart racing and hands shaking. The FCA teacher comes in and I'm handed a microphone. He says something encouraging to me, but I'm too distracted by the students who are still walking in. Then he gets in front of the students and introduces who I am.
I walk "boldly" to the front, facing the students. I introduce myself a little, tell them how nervous I am and then I prayed that they wouldn't see/hear me, but God speaking through me. The message went something like this:
"I've been praying about what I need to share with you guys and I felt like it didn't need to be a typical lesson. I thought about what I would have needed to hear when I was your age. So, I'm going to share my testimony. I'm going to start off with some scripture from 2 Corinthians 5:15-17: And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! I was saved when I was about 7 or 8 and got baptized. I lived the "good Christian" life, I went to church, prayed, read my Bible, wore the Christian T-Shirts. But, I wasn't living TRULY as a Christian should, a Christ follower. Anybody can do those things I just named. When I was in 10th grade, God got me out of my comfort zone. I went to Camp Wiregrass over the summer, the first time I ever went without any of my friends. During this one week at camp, He opened my eyes to how I had been living. I wasn't getting out of my group of friends. I wasn't reaching out to those around me, my other classmates. I regret not taking advantage of those opportunities."
I continued on just a little more about the following (I know I didn't say all of this to the students so now it's just to whoever is reading): When you accept Christ into your life there should be an evident change, just like the scripture says. Even if you're like me and have grown up in church your whole life and seemed to be that "good" person, there needs to be that change. Is there fruit being produced from your relationship with God? Can people listen and watch you and say to themselves, "They must be a Christian." I told the students that, growing up, I had several friends who professed to be Christians, but by their life I couldn't tell one way or the other. God is the only one who can tell where a person's heart truly is. I also challenged the students who do not have that relationship with God to make sure they had genuine Christians as their examples.
I fumbled over the last few words in my message and turned it back over to the teacher. He reassured me that this was something the students needed to hear because it had been on his heart just this morning and recently. It's funny how, this past week at marriage counseling, I realized how much I don't share my testimony. I was reminded that mine is just as important as any other, even if it is short and sweet.
Challenge!! Take time to write down your testimony. When did you see that change in your life? Has there ever been a change in your life? {Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!}
In Christ,
Katie Jo
