I had another realization this Sunday in Bible Class.

I was saved and baptized when I was 9 years old. That’s pretty young, but I fully understood what I was doing and felt called by God. I have always been someone who follows rules, so before my salvation experience, I was a good little 9-year-old kid. Afterwards, I was still a good little 9-year-old kid.  I don’t have a big conversion story where there was a drastic change in my life.

I have always struggled with how to share my testimony when I don’t have much to say about my conversion experience. Of course I sinned before I was saved, but I’ve sinned plenty after I was saved too.

But lately, in our Becoming a Contagious Christian series, we’ve talked a lot in our class and LIFE Group about the “becoming” part. We tend to put a lot of emphasis on the initial conversion experience, but the reality is we will continue “becoming” for the rest of the time that we are on this Earth.

I’ve realized that my story includes my conversion experience, but then it also includes every other experience from that point on. How I’ve screwed up and been redeemed…over and over! Lessons that I have learned along the way. Ways that I have grown.  Ways that God has obviously shown up and in my life and touched me.  How I’ve lost faith over and over again along the way and God continues to bring me back to him.  How God has truly been changing my life.  How God has loved me through it all!

And I’ve realized that because of the experiences I have had, I find it much easier to connect with people.  That doors to spiritual conversations will be flung open wide if I choose to listen to others’ stories and help any way I can from the experiences that I have had.  And people need to see how we are allowing God to change our lives on a daily basis!

Everyone’s conversion experience is incredibly important!  Just don’t forget that the rest of your story is equally important!  And people need to hear about it!