Mary’s Story

The Gift of Salvation: A Child’s Wonder, A Lifetime of Faithfulness

I was born in 1933 into a family with a Godly heritage. From the very beginning, my dad faithfully brought my siblings and me to church. (Thank you, Dad!) Those early years were filled with wonder as I listened to my Sunday School teacher share incredible stories of the Bible. I often dreamed of witnessing Jesus in action—healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind, even raising the dead—all while proclaiming His Father’s love. I longed to be like Him. But in truth, I wasn’t like Him at all. My heart was selfish, filled with anger and unhappiness, and my actions reflected that brokenness.

It wasn’t long before I realized I was a sinner in need of salvation. I Timothy 1:15 speaks directly to me: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” That’s me, a sinner. And John 3:16 reassured me of His immense love: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” I understood that I was the “whosoever” He loved. Then I read 1 Corinthians 15:3-4: “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures: and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” I believed every word of it.

Through the faithful witness of a kind woman in our church, I was led to the Savior, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He forgave my sins and welcomed me as one of His children. I can never fully express my gratitude for this precious gift of salvation, offered freely to all who accept Him.

As a child, I treasured the moments in church with my family, especially the beautiful songs we sang about Jesus. Those gospel hymns, rich with messages of God’s love, remain some of the most moving music in all the world to me. They’ve stayed with me, filling my heart with hope and joy through every season of life.

Throughout my long life, I have relied on the Lord for everything—and He has been abundantly faithful. He has blessed me in more ways than I can count, and my relationship with Him has grown sweeter with each passing year. The hymn “The Longer I Serve Him the Sweeter He Grows” perfectly captures my life’s journey in Christ.

Have you received this life-changing gift? If not, I invite you to open your heart to Him today. Click the link below to learn how you can begin this incredible journey.