From Acceptance to Surrender

I title my testimony ‘From Acceptance to Surrender’ because I ‘accepted’ Jesus as my savior early in life, but didn’t surrender to his Lordship in my life until many years later.

I was born in Pasadena, California and raised in the Armenian Orthodox church. I accepted Jesus as my savior when I was 19 years old on a street corner in downtown Los Angeles. For 30 years I lived what I thought was a Christian life, but, as I know now, it wasn’t. I justified myself using 1 John 1:8-11 - If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. I admitted I was a sinner and, as a sinner, I kept sinning. I didn’t deny it. What I didn’t understand was that, as a true, born again follower of Jesus, we have new desires and a new heart, desires to stop sinning and pursue a life of righteousness, a life resembling Jesus.

In 2003 I was at a life low - my life was way off track. The road I was taking finally came to an end - a dead end. So, I turned around - repented - and headed back to my life. The Holy Spirit convicted me and I recommitted my life to Jesus, only this time I made him Lord of my life - as well as Savior. I went from just accepting what Jesus did for me (sacrificing his life to pay for my sins), to surrendering my life to him fully and completely, dedicated to continue his work for the glory of our Father.

I set out to rebuild the relationships I had hurt, only this time Jesus was first, the center and foundation. Through that process I felt God calling me to evangelism. I trained through the School of Biblical Evangelism offered by Living Waters Ministries and, today, I follow the constant call to help people come to a relationship with Jesus and equip them to live the Christian life.