This week I have a special guest blogger. Yesterday, my eighteen-year-old son came to me and asked if he could write my blog post for this week. Then, last night, he brought me his notebook with the post he had written. I had no idea what he had intended for this post or why he had asked to write it, but when I read his words, I was overcome with emotion. Tears gathered in my eyes and my heart filled with joy because my son’s words expressed his relationship with Jesus…his own personal experience with Jesus. I hope you are as touched as I was when I read his testimony because I know in my heart that there is a reason my son felt led to share his story. F. D. Adkins
To Be Reborn
Written by Landon Adkins
To be a teenager in 2022 is like an R-rated movie. Temptation. Sin. Satan is everywhere. As for me, I have been no saint. From looking at my dad, grandparents, aunts, uncles, but especially my mom, one would expect me to be the same or even better. Unfortunately, that is not the case for me. My teenage years have been filled with sin, from smoking and drinking to being disrespectful to everyone around me.
Have you ever been in a situation where you have to make a choice? Have you ever been tempted? Have you ever felt regret and asked for forgiveness over and over again? The thing is, Jesus knows your heart. He knows if your forgiveness prayer is just to make yourself feel better or if you’re actually accepting Jesus to come back into your heart.
Making changes is hard. It takes time. There will be times when you slip up. But there is good news: if you find yourself wandering down a dark path and can’t seem to make changes, God still has plans for you. He had always known your plans.
- “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5 KJV
With Jesus, no hope is lost. One of my personal favorite Bible verses has taught me that Jesus has your back. And as long as you let Him in… He will never fail you.
- “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11 KJV
Bible Verse To Memorize This Week:
Oh Landon…. My heart is overwhelmed. I couldn’t sleep tonight just wandering about this blog. Your Mom told me that you were writing this. It is 2 in the morning and I just got up to see if it had been posted yet. Well it was so I didn’t have to wait until later in the morning. All grandchildren are very special to their grandparents. You certainly are to me. Honey all people make mistakes. It is just what you do about it that matters. It sounds like you are looking at the choices in life. I agree that it is certainly a very hard time to be a teenager in 2022. I can’t believe the things I hear that are going on in this world. I certainly don’t envy you & Layna in what you have to deal with everyday. Just know that I could not love you or be more proud of you than I am right this minute. Everyday has new choices to be made. I trust that you will ask God for guidance in making yours. You know we all mess up from time to time. We’re human. However when we do, just ask Jesus for forgiveness. Then try very hard not to just go out and repeat doing the same things again only to turn around and ask His forgiveness again. Like you said, are you just trying to make yourself feel better or are you sincere about asking Jesus back into your heart? I love you with all my heart…
Excellant! What a blessing. We all sin. I believe thru his upbringing, he knows, GOD has your back just let him in.
Landon,
You just shared your amazing testimony! I think of the new song by the Christian group CAIN called The Commission …. “Go & Tell the world about me”. You have successfully done just that.
And the Bible verses that came to my mind after I read your blog:
Matthew 25:21 – “well done, my good and faithful servant”
Matthew 10:32 – “whoever will confess ME before men, I shall confess him before My Father who is in Heaven”
Landon…. you know, I think there is no one exempt from what you described. All of us have fallen short of what GOD would choose us do. It’s the result of the first original sin & we are destined to repeat that …. each & every one of us. It’s a constant battle …. no matter if you are young or older.
Having a relationship with Jesus makes all the difference. And even at that, we will continue to sin & battle the temptation to sin EXCEPT continually & repeatedly going to JESUS & seeking his strength & wisdom & courage to accept HIS forgiveness. The real difference is that we don’t pursue sin. And continue to know HIM & want to be like HIM. And to be JESUS in our world.
I heard on Christian radio WMIT a quote: “live your life in such a way, that those who know you…. But do not know GOD, will come to know GOD … because they know you”
We will continue this battle all of our lives (for those of us who are Christians) until GOD calls us home to be with HIM in Heaven & then the redeemed Earth.
You know, I always felt the same way you do – just as you described in your first paragraph. Looking to my relatives especially my Mom and thinking I should know better, or be stronger, of make wiser choices. And when I didn’t . …… I would be so ashamed. And living in that shame and regret. Not wanting to embarrass my parents or feeling like I couldn’t tell them & have them be ashamed of me.
You have a gift…. we each have a gift & assignment as GOD’s children. And how we choose to use that gift I think GOD gives us the freewill to choose. But we all have the one simple assignment: to know HIM and GO & Tell the world about HIM and what HE has done in our lives.
That’s living with a purpose. What we choose as a career or path in life I think HE gives us the freedom to choose just like HE gives us the freedom to choose HIM or not as our Savior.
You learning this at such a young age is a priceless gift. And it shows how well you personally know your Savior.
Thank you for sharing,
Denise – a friend in Tennessee who prays for you & your family every day
Son you are what a man should be. God bless you . I love you more today. You are a good man.