Brandon "Brando"
Hi! My name is Brandon. I am thirteen years old. I am a Christian, and I try to read my Bible each day of the week. I attend First Family Church in Overland Park, Kansas, on Sundays and Wednesdays. I go to Westridge Middle School, and I lead a Bible study there every Thursday after school. I want to live for God all the days of my life.
I became a Christian a long time ago. I was probably six or seven years old, but I can't remember for sure. However, I haven't always wanted to live my life for God. That moment in my faith began when I started attending First Family Church. I was ultimately inspired by the youth group and their passion for Jesus Christ.
Pastor Luke Cunningham, middle school youth pastor of First Family, spoke to us about interesting things that had to do with Christianity. As he opened up the Word of God, I opened up my heart to listen, and God spoke to me. At that moment in time, I realized that I wasn't just a Christian for the purpose of going to heaven someday: I then realized that my entire life, even on earth, should be dedicated wholeheartedly to the Lord.
I was in the sixth grade when God started speaking to me about these things. I had been attending a Christian school ever since kindergarten. I had never heard kids cuss and swear like they do at public schools. It had seemed that God was preparing my heart for the things that I would soon experience at Westridge.
Summer Break rolled around, and I had to say goodbye to my friends, teachers, and even the school. My family started getting more involved in First Family, and we heard of their summer middle school camp, Windermere, in Roach, Missouri. And let me tell you...IT LOOKED FUN!! I invited my friend, Paul, and my brother came, too...
Camp was where I was truly changed as a Christian. Every morning, and every night, we would all gather in the auditorium and have radical worship services. Then, Pastor Luke would approach the stage and give an amazing message, followed by a large number of students coming forward to make spiritual commitments or to accept Jesus as their personal Savior.
In addition to the life-changing experiences in that auditorium, we also had loads of fun swimming, jumping on water trampolines, and just hanging out in our cabin, telling jokes and laughing like idiots! You would have to be there to understand how wonderful it was. When the week came to its end, we all filled the school buses and headed home, spiritually charged like never before.
From this moment on, I was a living Christian! ... Summer Break ended, and I started attending Westridge Middle School, where I heard so many negative things. I still do. This is what God was doing in my life all along... "Brandon," He seemed to say, "I want you to be my witness in a world that needs salvation. Use the gifts I have given to you!"
Choosing Jesus Christ to be first in your life is definitely the best thing you can ever do by far! All you have to do is ask Him to be your Savior, and He will not only let you go to heaven someday, instead of hell, but He will bless your life on earth with His comforting Spirit. Things still won't be perfect, but God has given you something to live for. Then, when your time is up, God will take you to heaven with Him when you die. The Bible talks all about God's promises to those who choose Him as their Savior. I encourage you to read the Bible only because it will change your life and bring you to a peace that most are still searching for today.
Finally, I come to this conclusion: Jesus Christ can and will save you if you just ask Him for the forgiveness of your sins. It's the reason He came to this earth and died, rising from the dead three days later. And if you're the one that needs Him in you today, pray this prayer straight from your heart to God: "Dear God, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to die for me. Lord, I admit that I am a sinner, and I confess that You alone are the God above all gods. Forgive me of my sins and become my personal Savior, Jesus, so that I can go to heaven someday. Help me to live my life for You, Lord, in Jesus' name, amen."
What next? What did I do? I didn't do anything but attend church for too long a time after I was saved. Start your new life's ministry now by reading the Bible daily. Pray daily, too, and find a good Bible-preaching church to attend. You can only do it with God's help, so ask God for His guidance in your life as a new Christian, because He is your heavenly Father. Don't ever forget that Jesus has always loved you. He still loves you today, and no matter what you do, He will always love you!
God bless you!