Karen Stamps #mysalvationstory

My name is Karen Stamps and this is #mysalvationstory. I grew up in a Christian home and my parents took me to church several times each week. One Sunday I came home from children’s church knowing that I needed and wanted Jesus to live in my heart. Even at the very young age of five, I understood that my disobedience was sin. Sin separated me from God, and Jesus came to fix my sin problem. So in our living room that day I asked God to forgive me from my sin and to come into my life. As I grew older, I developed a legalistic view of the Christian life. Yes, I was saved, but I lived and thought as though the more “right” and “good” I did, the more I would find favor with the Lord. While this view kept me out of trouble and led to a life of “clean living,” it lacked the element of grace – for both myself and others – that is key to the Christian life. It wasn’t until my early 30s that my eyes were opened to the freedom that was mine as a child of God. God used a pastor at Houston Northwest Church, Dr. Tom King, to remind me that Christ’s death covered my past, present and future sin. I was not under condemnation. Nothing I did would make Him love me any less or any more. I still struggle at times with wanting to follow a list of rules, but God reminds me that He just wants me to love Him and that my journey is covered in grace. So is yours.

If you have questions about following Jesus or want to experience the freedom of life in Christ, I would love to talk with you. Reach out to me at karens@HNW.org.

I encourage you to share YOUR salvation story. Find out how at HNW.org/mysalvationstory.