What’s Your Salvation Story?

Hi guys, My name is Frances Okoro,I am a Lawyer by profession, author, writer and Christian blogger by passion/calling.

And you may or may not know me but that doesn’t really matter.

Today I wanna tell you my salvation story.

Firstly, if you prefer to watch, you can do so below or on my Youtube Channel HERE

 

And if you will prefer to read, read on…

So I grew up in a Christian home. It wasn’t one such as the one I desire for my kids now but I can still remember my dad taking us to Church and us kneeling at the parlour with him as he prayed with us.
We were not really really taught the fundamentals of the Jesus deal but what this foundation did for me was that, it set the tone for the rest of my life. At least, I knew that there was someone called Jesus.

In secondary School, my parents got divorced for a bit (they are back together now) and I remember crying my heart out and family situation just going down a bit. It was in this period that I encountered my brother’s pornographic magazines and then started masturbating (I wrote about the sexual addictions and my freedom HERE).
In secondary school also, I started calling guys who placed ads in the newspaper for girlfriends and it was here that I met the guy who I naively spent the night with, thinking that he would honour his agreement to no sex, but that night was traumatizing, with me taking a slap and some threats of belt accompanied with the words “open your legs”.
I still took it all in stride and was even ready to go on with a guy who had abused me if he had not thankfully unceremoniously dumped me – stopped picking my calls after the stint with the “open your legs deal”.
At this point, I had my first running to God moment.
I was so remorseful as I had told God I wouldn’t lose my virginity before marriage (I didn’t understand what purity was then and was okay with allowing smooching as long as I didn’t lose my virginity).
I gave God my life and actually started reading the Bible and going to Church, till I met another boyfriend.
This one told me that he was born again and was okay with no sex… thats until we started spending unhealthy amount of time together and consequently had sex.
But then I found out that he wasn’t really born again, he had said he was formerly a cultist but he was still one and was also addicted to marijuana.
I wouldn’t say that I had no blame in that relationship as I had a very caustic tongue then and could nag for Africa but the relationship was also emotionally abusive and physically abusive once with a hot slap being doled on me.
I lost sense of who I was.
He used to say only him could have me/love me because I was from a divorced home and I cannot hold a marriage.
My mom couldn’t hold one then how could I?
I had also committed two abortions in the relationship as I got pregnant and was so ashamed of telling anyone and so I was plagued by thoughts of “who would ever have me if I leave this relationship?”

I would beg and plead if we ever had a quarrel and we had them a lot.

One day I woke up and looked at my life.
I wasn’t even quite 20 yet but I was totally living like I was 60.
I had no joy, the ever smiling girl had turned into a recluse.
I stayed away from my Bible and from church, dropped out of my drama unit then as I believed I was stained and was just drifting along as best as I could.
I believe God began calling my heart to Himself at this time because now I was indeed broken and empty.
The boyfriend I thought could give me wholeness couldn’t do so… I had only one place to turn to and I had to find God.

Indeed when He says that we will find Him when we seek Him with all our heart, He means it.
So one night, I sat in front of my boyfriend after a quarrel. I had seen a text from a girl who said she was pregnant for him which he denied but then I sent a message to the girl afterwards, playing detective.
He found out and went raving mad.
As he continued raving behind me, I sat on the floor and cried my heart out to God. Asking Him if this was the kind of life He had ordained for me to have and if He wanted me to leave the relationship, He should speak tonight, not later, tonight.
And God spoke.
I cannot explain it, but I felt God’s arms wrapping me securely that night, along with the knowledge that this isn’t the kind of life that I should live.
That He has more for me and this is isn’t it.

I stood up, cleaned myself and went to my hostel.
Then told my boyfriend that I don’t want the relationship anymore. He was amazed.
I remember us standing in front of my then hostel as he asked me if I was serious and I said yes.
He walked away, I resisted the urge to go back, instead went to a bush path by the side of the hostel and told God I have left it all for you.
I smile as I write that now because I realize that I made a covenant with God.
I told Him all that is gone, I am coming in fully now.
And thus began my journey into Christ.

My walk in a straight line wasn’t automatic as I still struggled with porn and masturbation and even still slept with someone I met online, but looking back now, I realize that day in 2011, God began a work and walk with and in me… a walk that I am still treading today.
And it has been amazing.

I was so ashamed of my salvation story till God broke me out of it and asked me to share… and so I have seen lives changed and transformed with this messy past I tried to hide.

Today again, I share my story for one reason and one reason only; to inspire you to share yours too.
Do you have a salvation story already?
Thank God!
You don’t have one?
Would you love to come back to God the creator of your soul?

There is no life without Him dears.
I can without doubt tell you that a life in Christ is the only life that there is and you are never too far gone for Him to take you up, wash you, cleanse you and make you His own.
And the steps to this is very simple:

“But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Romans 10:8-10 KJV
“But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”
Romans 10:8-10 ESV

You simply have to believe in your heart that Jesus died for your sins to make you holy and righteous unto the Father, and confess out loud with your mouth that Jesus is Lord – Lord over your life.

Would you love your salvation story to begin from today?
Then pray this prayer below:

Father I thank you for all you have done for me, thank you for sending your son Jesus to die for my sins.
I am sorry that I haven’t been walking in accordance with your ways, forgive me Lord.
Come and be Lord over my life,
Take control of my life and today, I begin a new walk with you.
Thank you Jesus, in Jesus name I have prayed, amen!

 

If you just said the prayer above, congratulations!

And remember that salvation is only a door into all the amazing things God has for you. It is time to grow in Christ and this involves having a word life, prayer life and being rooted in a Bible believing Church that feeds your soul.

I shared some steps for a new believer in the video below and I hope you dig and burrow deeper in Jesus from here on out.

 

Watch “Dear New Believer: What To Do Now That You Are Saved” below…

 

Remember, today is a good day to become progressively like Jesus Christ.

 

Love,

Frances.

 

 

PS: Please hit the share buttons below and share this post?

Let’s raise more people with salvation stories for Jesus.

 

And I will love to hear from you, wanna share your salvation story to encourage others to have their we salvation stories?

Or you need encouragement  in your walk in Christ? You can comment  below or reach me at okorofrances@gmai.com