For three months of 2019, I had the privilege of hosting an amazing couple – Andrew & Mikayla Wilson. Mikayla was finishing clinical rotations for her DPT at a nearby clinic, and Andrew was a remote IT worker. Over those three months (and I waos gne for about 4 weeks of it), I fell in love with this couple and everything they represent. Faith-filled and humble, gracious and loving – they are a balm for the dispirited or those needing encouragement.
I really enjoy hearing their thoughts on different topics, so I was thrilled when Mikayla agreed to do January’s Guest post for me.
If I could write anything to you I’d give you something laced with power. And there is nothing more powerful than our testimonies and the gospel. If you have not seriously contemplated the possibility of God or looked into the ramifications of Jesus being His son, let me urge you that this is worth your time right now. You were created to be an eternal being. You never disappear but transition from this life- either into a kingdom of celebration or a pit of suffering. Spoiler alert, you were never made for hell. Hell was made for Satan. You have an invitation to heaven but it’s your choice to accept it.
Let me tell you the gospel which is also known as the good news about Jesus Christ. God created everything, you and me and this beautiful earth. He loves us and wants us to love Him. But to love someone you must have free will. With the free will that God gave us we chose to sin and turn away from Him.
I was on track to be pregnant at 16 and ostracized from my family. I developed an addiction to pornography and had a suffocating feeling of being stuck in life. I felt chained to my sin, dirty and gross inside. It felt like I was missing that something more inside. Due to my sin, I was destined to go to hell.
God is perfect and cannot be with sinners, so I was separated from my eternal destiny in His kingdom. The good news is that God loves us too much to be separated from us. For this reason He sent His son Jesus. Jesus came and lived a perfect life on earth so that He could die in my place. He gave me His perfection and in return He took away all my sin. That’s the greatest news ever told.
Jesus died to take away the sin of every single person in all of history. Although he died for us, death could not hold Him because He is the son of God. Jesus rose from the dead to show us that death has no power over us. Jesus tells us that He came to take away our sin and that He is the only path to God (1 John 3:5 and John 14:6). We can accept Jesus sacrifice on our own behalf and enjoy eternity with God.
From what I’ve been through I know firsthand the goodness and grace of God. You cannot out sin the forgiveness that God has for you. You cannot ever be too far gone for God to redeem you and restore you no matter where you are in life. I now carry the lesson I’ve learned with me and not the pain. God is outside of time and can step back into your past and heal all of your pain. God has given you gifts for the benefit of others.
My gift is to offer mercy, to serve, and to bring healing to others. I pray that you will know your gifts and use them to build others up. That you would know that the struggles you face are because Satan would love to stop you from fulfilling the calling on your life. You have enormous power and authority given to you by Jesus and that terrifies the devil. If you don’t know Jesus as your own savior, please let me pray for you.
I pray that God would speak directly to your soul, that you would feel His love for you. That you would be convicted of the truth of the Bible and not let any more time pass without asking God to forgive you of your sins. I ask that you would have the strength to tell God your sins and confess out loud that you believe Jesus died for your sins. On your behalf I plead that God would give you the urge to submit your life to His will. Amen
Romans 10:9
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Ephesians 6:12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4, and Romans 12 (for gifts of the Holy Spirit)
