I’ll never forget the first time I saw Him.
The sun was shining brightly through the windows of St. Robert’s Catholic Church, illuminating all the dust particles dancing in the air. I followed the white rays of sunshine to the front altar.
There He was, arms stretched out with His feet crossed at the bottom.
My knees rested gently on a padded kneeler alongside my father, three half-sisters, and stepmother. As I slowly turned my head to get my stepmother’s attention, I saw she had already seen Him.
With her chin gently leaning on her folded hands, eyes closed, she silently moved her lips as I had seen her do so many mornings beside her bed. Now, as I saw her absorbed in prayer, I had an urgent need to know what she was saying to Him.
Does He Answer You?
Later, over lunch, I talked first before anyone else could empty their mouths.
“Mom,” I said, “when you’re in church and you see Jesus on the cross, you always talk to Him for a long time. Sometimes I see you in your bedroom, and your eyes are closed and your lips are moving the same way. What do you say to Him? Does He hear you? Does He answer you?”
Pausing for a moment, she looked at my dad and smiled. Then, putting down her fork, she leaned forward and said the most amazing thing.
“Honey, the Jesus you see on the cross is only a reminder of our Sweet Savior who lives in our heart. He is with us all the time, day in and day out, in sunshine and in rain. When we talk to Him in prayer, He listens and hears. God is love, Joanne, and He loves us and cares for us. We can talk to Him anytime, anywhere, because He lives in our heart. You can ask Him to come into your heart, too, and He will come in and live with you forever.”
My Pivotal Faith Moment
That night, as I lay in my bed, snuggled between my warm flannel sheets under mounds of blankets, I carefully went over everything my stepmother had told me that morning.
I think I stopped breathing as I imagined what it would be like to have Jesus live in my heart.
He would really listen to me? To all of my hopes, fears, and requests? With the unconditional love of a father? Gathering all the trust of my heart, I quietly slipped out of bed onto the cold, bare floor.
There on my knees, I closed my eyes, gently leaning my chin on my folded hands just as I had seen Mom do, and said, “Oh, dear sweet Jesus, please come into my heart and live with me forever and ever. I can only think of one thing I want…would you please, please, please teach me to pray?”
I quickly jumped back into my bed, shivering and smiling as though I had just discovered a big, wonderful secret. I wondered if He had, indeed, heard me! As I glanced out my window, my heart was warm.
I knew I wasn’t alone.
On that wintry, white, Wisconsin night, the cornerstone of my spiritual legacy was laid in my heart.
What You Were Created For
Our foundations of faith are laid early in life. Whether you come to make that faith your own in those same young years or come to realize it later on, each of us is created to know God (John 3:17).
Every moment of our time on earth is designed to build and strengthen our character until we arrive home with Him in Heaven.
On this lifelong journey, the more we know God, the more our faith grows. The more our faith grows, the more we come to believe in His love and trust in His care for us.
We are created to know and love Him, to have fellowship and intimacy with Him, and to serve His Kingdom and His people here on earth. Only He can fill the gaping hole in our hearts, and our souls are not at rest until we rest in Him (Psalm 62:1).
“Faith is like a house; it must be built on a strong foundation if it’s going to stand tests and storms. Faith’s foundation is the Word of God. You cannot build a great faith without it.” —Kenneth Hagen
Looking back now, in what ways can you see God placing the cornerstones of faith in your own life’s foundation? Leave a comment below to share more of your story, dear friend.
This post is inspired by an excerpt from my book Stones in the River: Discovering Your Spiritual Markers of God’s Love, Grace, and Faithfulness. Click here to discover more.
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