My Story… Part 1 – Glorious Ruin

On a Good Friday, when I was 17 years old, I got ready to go clubbing with my boyfriend at the time. I had no idea that my life was about to change….

We were a bit early to hit the night life, and it might have been too early to go into the clubs, but we found ourselves at the local cinema. I remember wanting to see ‘Mona Lisa Smile’, as one of my favourite actresses, Julia Roberts, was starring in the film. As we walked through the front doors of the cinema, there was a huge poster hanging in the entrance, with a picture of what looked like a man wearing a crown of thorns. It brought to my mind the stories of Jesus I’d heard about at Sunday school as a child.

‘No, I’m not seeing that film’… I thought
I felt a feeling of being drawn to see the film, and yet a holding back in my heart…
But I think Jesus is real. I’ve always knew somewhere inside! Bur I don’t wanna see the crucifixion. I’m fine with life the way it is…
‘Shall we see the passion, it looks like a good film’ my boyfriend broke my trail of thought, like an answer to this inner battle I felt going on inside of me.
‘Yeah sure, ok, lets see the it’

Oh No, what am I saying? I wanna see Mona Lisa smile and enjoy the warm, fuzzy feelings it will bring. I just wanna sink into my chair, sip fizzy pop and eat chocolate.

But then, I guess it wont hurt to see this film….

As I watched the character of Jesus, being beaten and crucified, I felt a deep sadness. This movie brought me to tears as have other good quality films, but this was different. Something was happening in my heart, a feeling difficult to put into words. I now know it was a touch from God. In an instant it was like truth was being poured into my very being. In that moment, I now know I was experiencing the touch of God’s spirit. There was a feeling of deep Love all over me which I had never felt before in my life and it was such a strong presence it seemed to fill the whole room. It was as if I’d always known deep inside me that Jesus was the real hero of my life’s story. He had died on the cross for whoever would believe in Him and the shedding of His blood was available to cover all the things I’d ever done wrong. I felt convicted of all that I’d done wrong, but more than this, I felt a deep sadness because I had become aware of the fact that I had been living without God, the one who made me. And to think that Jesus did this for me was incredible.

I remember crying and asking God to forgive me there in that cinema. I took a glimpse at the state of my life. There had been a lot of brokeness in my life up to this point but I had managed to bury all my sorrow by having relationships and living wildly. For the first time in my life, I knew I had been found. I had been forgiven and brought into the love and grace of God. It began a strange and yet wonderful journey that would change my life forever.

That night, I found a local church on the internet and went to the Good Friday service the following day. Interestingly, there was a guy in the congregation who was a Christian. He was a work colleague at a local radio station I worked for at the time and I’d had no idea he would be there. Although when working for the radio I had noticed something different about his attitude towards work and people. He was very considerate of other people and if we’d been out for a drink he’d be the first one to help the girls into a taxi to make sure they went on their way home safely.
I heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ during that good Friday service and Jan, a wonderful woman I got to know prayed for me. Since that point, my life took on a whole new meaning and so the journey began….
God has and still is transforming my life! He has blessed me with fullness of life! The kind of life I never knew existed. There are still trials and challenges on the journey, but oh, to walk with Jesus…. I couldn’t want for more.

Part 2 of my story coming soon!

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