What Do You Do When Mercy, Grace, and Hope are not Enough?

Testimony

My name is Kerri Camp and I am going public for Jesus Christ!

I grew up in a minister’s home.  I went to church.  I knew everything about church but I was only going through the motions, until I went to youth camp where I felt the Holy Spirit tugging at my heart.  I realized that Jesus had died for my sins and   I accepted Jesus into my heart while attending camp at Table Rock. However, over the years that followed I never gave him complete control.

When I went to college, I got my first taste of freedom.  The next 14 years were marked with bad choices that I tried to justify the best I could.  Even after my marriage ended in divorce, I continued to live my life my way. 

Then two years ago, I acknowledged that there was a big difference between where I was verses some of my Christian friends.  I remember reading one of my friend's religious views, on FACEBOOK, where she stated that it was not about just being a Christian it was about a personal RELATIONSHIP with our Heavenly Father.  So, I did some personal reflection, I found myself totally lost.    From the time I accepted Jesus into my heart up until two years ago, was more of a going through the motions kind of Christian experience than having a relationship.   

Which brings me to the face book experience, where was my relationship with God?  The sad truth was by my choice I was to blame for the lack of a relationship.   I could look back and see how he had never left me despite the fact that through the years I certainly had not put him first in my life.  I could see that when I was at my worst he never left me.  I was denying him the relationship that he desired with me. 

But that is different now.  Once I said Jesus just take it all, I can’t do this on my own anymore and completely surrendered everything to him, everything started changing. 

Now, I enjoy telling others about God and what he has done in my life.  I am not ashamed to ask others to pray for me (where in the past I would hate it if someone said that they were praying for me), I love it when I go to the bible and turn to a scripture (because that is what I feel led to do) and it relates to something that I am going through and I find comfort in his words.   I know that it is the Holy Spirit leading me.   I love it when I am driving down the road and I can see a rainbow or a butterfly or something that just reminds me of how awesome he is.  I love going to the mountains where it is quiet.  I feel like I am surrounded by him there.  I love to get in my car and have my own personal concert where I praise him through music.   I love to hear my step-children sing along with me.   I love to go to church and I am not scared to lift my hands in worship...I don't care what others think or might say.

It is he and I now……in a relationship.      

He is my God and I am his child.  The trials still come (which I understand is part of it).  I don't tell him how big the mountains (trails) in my life are.  I just say to myself that my God is bigger and just like the song says If he is for me then who can stand against me and in the end it is his will that will prevail and regardless of what might happen...I will praise him.  In those words I do find strength and peace. 

My name is Kerri camp and I am going public for Jesus Christ