“Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God ³⁰ will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”  Luke 18:29-30

As I mentioned in my blog last week, I am a 1-year-old new believer and my life has changed completely.  The day I walked up to the front of Eastridge Community Church and gave up the battle, lost the war and surrendered it all to God is a day that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Those first few days after that amazing Sunday, I was on such a spiritual high. My mind was reeling with questions and craved the answers. My heart was so full I thought it would burst wide open. Everything I heard or read was telling me to share this with anyone and everyone. But at that time, it was such a hard long 30 year fight that I truly felt I needed to keep it personal for a bit. Just between myself and God.  I was so afraid that family, friends and acquaintances would point at me and say, “Ya, Right! Her?” I shared my new life with very few people in those first few days.

I decided to share this major life changing event with a very close friend.  On one hand her reaction took me completely by surprise.  On the other hand it did not.    Her reaction wasn’t one that I felt a true friend would do or say but she did. I was devastated by her reaction. Crushed. I came crashing down from that amazing loved filled spiritual high like a lead balloon.  Only a few short days had passed since I surrendered my life to God and already I faced a dilemma.  Is this life with Christ worth it? I never had many friends. In fact, this was one of the first “true” friends I had since moving here to Georgia.  So is the loss of a friend worth the sacrifice? Will the benefits of being a true believer out weigh the loss of friendship? As a new believer these were very real life changing, earth shattering questions.

For me the answer is yes. Yes it is, was, and will always be worth it. It may sound callous to some, even sound as if it has been an easy thing for me to accept and deal with.   It wasn’t.  It still isn’t.   I love my friend.  Still do. I pray for her daily. She was in my life at a time when I needed her most. I will always be thankful she was there for me during that difficult season of my life.  Is my door closed to her forever? No, not at all. The reality is, she is in a different place in her life and so am I. There is no place I would rather be than right here learning to walk as a toddler in this great journey.

Why am I telling you this? It’s simple. Just as your new-found love of God and His Son has changed your life, it will also change the lives of those around you.  It will change your families lives, your friends lives, your co-workers lives.   Some of these people will rejoice and worship with you. Others will turn away from you and others could care less.  For this reason alone it is important as a new believer that you surround yourself with believers by getting involved in small groups, bible studies, church functions. I have made some great friends who support me, love me and hold me accountable. I have gained a massive family in Christ.

I could sit here and sugarcoat it and tell you the journey of a new believer is easy–no problems–no controversy, however, the truth is..it is one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life. This certainly does not mean it will be this way for you. Each of our journeys, although the outcome maybe similar, will be different. Yet we will all be able to relate to each in some way.   The sacrifices I have made are nothing as compared to so many people who have sacrificed everything they had including their lives for God.  The Bible is full of stories that depict the sacrifices so many had to make for God and His Son.  The greatest sacrifice is of course that of God who gave His son, Jesus. Who shed His blood for each and every one of us.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16