Falling in Love with Jesus

For me, love for God means being able to completely accept him into my life. Before really understanding this type of love, I have had to surrender all that I am to him in every aspect of my life from my finances, academics, relationships, and personal battles. This hasn't been an easy process, and I still struggle with it today. But falling in love with Jesus has been the best decision I've ever taken.

Here is a brief account of my testimony:

 It was 8pm in a hot church sanctuary in London and that night I felt the spirit of the lord fill the room. From the beautiful breakout of praises from the choir and congregation to the cold breeze I would feel pass through me every time the prophet raised his hand, I knew that night that God was going to visit me.

Leading up to that August night, I had spent the entire month of July ferociously praying and asking God to take over my life. I'd had enough of the life I was living before that. I had alway felt like I was going through the motions of being present in my relationship with Christ: praying here and there, occasionally giving offerings at church, acknowledging my sins and still continuing with them.  I was trying to play both sides of the fence, trying to live a worldly life full of material desires, lust, and putting all of my hope and dedication in things that were all pointing in the opposite direction from God.

My arrival to London in July of 2018 was something that I had been looking forward to for a while. I anticipated not only listing family but also exploring the city I've heard so many things about. As soon as I arrived, something in my mind spoke to me and said "Lula, the rest of your summer is dedicated to family and restoring your relationship with Jesus Christ." To be honest, I took the idea seriously, but I also wanted to party in London and explore the city. So I decided I was going to do both.

See, still trying to play both sides of the fence.

Now it didn't turn out too badly. I was able to attend my older sister's church, The London Prayer Center, a pentecostal based church. I grew up Catholic, and as I've grown older, I have grown away from the Catholic Church for a number of reasons: recent accounts of priests molesting children in the church and surface level experiences with worship and homilies. Going to the London Prayer Center was exactly what I needed. As soon as I heard the songs, the preaching, and prophecies, I knew God was steering my life in a new direction.

I attended the Prayer Center for the rest of my stay in London, and my faith continued to grow as I reconnected with God.

Back to that August night.

I was sitting next to my older sister. And just like me, she was anxious to hear the word of God, and to receive prophecy. The conference was centered around the Blood of Jesus and our identities in Christ.  We discussed the topic of garments in the Bible and how that translates in our daily lives.  We talked about covenants and how the blood of Jesus washed away all of our sins and made us new again.

Forwarding through that night and up to the moment I decided to fully love Jesus, I was standing in my row clapping, stomping, prophesying, and praising the lord for his grace and mercy in my life. I felt like I had been delivered from all the battles, spirits, and people who had brought so much negativity into my life.

As I was praying, the prophet leading the conference said, " If you want God to visit you tonight, then you must open up your heart up to him. Begin to pray and manifest so that you may encounter him and receive the gifts he has in store for you."

So I began to pray and pray over and over again. Until I began to speak in tongues. Next thing you know I felt a cold shock in my feet, and I fell backwards unto to the ground.

While lying on the ground, I saw images of my step mothers and dark figures trying to surround me. I rebuked them and began to scream "leave me alone." This went on for a minute.

I then saw myself dressed in a white gown and seated next to God. I looked absolutely beautiful. My curls were popping and my face beat was too much. Like I had long lashes and all lol.

After that, I got up and I declared "Jesus I love, and I only want to be the woman you want me to be."

Since that day, I've felt a complete change in my life. I have chosen to anchor myself in the love of Jesus Christ. I look to him as a source of love and as a model for how I should live my life.

And when I begin to feel myself lose my way,  I remember Christ's sacrificial love for us and how he gave himself up to save us all.

I know as young people living in today's world there are temptations and lies that we fall into.  But those thing offer us no healing and hope. Let us be anchored in Christ's love. He loves us regardless of how we look, speak, or even how successful we are.

Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians speaks about Love, the Greatest Gift, explaining that,
  "Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or       envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. It is not rude; it is not self-seeking...
  Love never fails [it never fades nor ends]." 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 [AMP]