I began my podcast four years ago. Since then, with each episode, I feel God has called me to be I bolder and bolder about my faith. So, today I’m going to give you my back story. How I became a Christian and what that means.
I was thinking where to take my podcast/blog posts after I finished my series on marriage. I prayed about it and decided to do a series on Sports, Business principles, personal relationships, and Christianity. Four areas that have had a significant impact on my life. They all share the common thread.
As I take the time to share my personal story, I hope you will reflect on your own story.
My Back Story
I grew up in a small town. My mom and dad built a house right down the road from my grandparents. I’ll never forget the day my grandparents picked my sisters Yvette, Colette and me up from an afterschool program. This was strange as they never picked us up. We knew something was up because they weren’t talking to each other. It was eerie. We pulled up to my grandparents’ house. My grandmother gets out of the car to go inside and my grandpa Paco turns around to my sisters and me in the back seat and says: “Your daddy killed himself.” This, of course, had a significant impact on my life. The days and months ahead were horrific. Back then, people didn’t talk about suicide. I was 10 years old at the time. There is a lot of guilt and shame associated with suicide. Truth is that my dad had dealt with many years of severe depression. My memories of that time were small towns gossip, kids on the playground being brutal, the darkness I felt, and how alone I was.
Later that summer I was introduced to Jesus Christ at a Baptist church camp. This was the beginning of my Christian journey. On the bunk bed in the dorm, a woman I had never met, shared the gospel with me and talked about God’s love. She told me about God sending his son to die on a cross for me. She shared John 3:16 “For God so Loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him shall have eternal life.” That God loves the fatherless. That if I accept him as my Lord and Savior that he will never leave me. I would never have to be alone. I made the decision that day to accept Christ.
I did not have the picture-perfect Christian upbringing. My mom, who as I look back now, was dealing with her own demons. She would drop us off a block away from church each Sunday morning and pick us up at the same spot. She didn’t go to church herself. But, for the most part, we went to church every Sunday.
A Funny Story on my Christian Journey
When I was in high school, I was dating someone who attended the Church of Christ. I have always been an inquisitive person. I had my questions for him about why our different churches had such different traditions—like not believing in instruments while the church sang, and things like that. I wrote out my questions and he would take them to the elders of his church. I would take the answers from him and take those questions to the elders of my church. The differences were never fully resolved but I almost caused a religious war in my own hometown. You see, I’ve always wanted to understand why I believe what I believe.
College
I had your typical college experience, like so many young people I fell away from my faith. But I am so thankful God is faithful and never gave up on me.
Young Adult
Fast forward, in my early 20’s, living in Dallas, I found myself sitting with a Christian counselor, finally dealing with my childhood trauma. This was a God moment for me. I’ll never forget the scripture she shared with me Romans 8:34 (New International Version):
“Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”
She talked to me about God’s Love, Grace, and forgiveness!
This brought me to another level in my Christian Faith. The God I had been introduced to as a child or at least what I believed, is that he was a judgmental God that was looking for what I did wrong. She shared with me that it’s not uncommon for someone who loses their earthly father at a young age to translate that distrust to God, their Heavenly Father. She reintroduced me to my loving Father!
Not About Religion, It’s About Relationship
This took me on my quest of reading and understanding the Bible—which I continue to this day. I started attending a nondenominational Bible church. I read thru the One Year Bible. I read so many books like Evidence that Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell. I read books by C.S Lewis, R.C. Scroll, Chuck Swindol, and so many more. My faith began to deepen. I learned it’s not about religion, it’s about relationship.
Fast forward and I’m in my late 20’s. I ran in two crowds. My bible believing Christian friends and my secular friends. I made some unwise choices and there I was 29 pregnant and unmarried. My secular friends for the most part abandoned me at this time because they couldn’t believe I chose to have the baby. But God is so good, my daughter is the best thing that has ever happened to me. God did not abandon me through this time. In fact, my faith and relationship in Christ deepened. I made a decision with God to not date anyone else that did not have a strong faith and a relationship with Christ. God honored that decision and, a year and half later, gave me my husband. We met through a friend who gave him my resume. I wanted to move back to New Mexico. He was in commercial real estate there. He found me a job, six months after that we were engaged, and six months after that we were married. We’ve been married 32 years. God answers prayers!
The reason I share my back story is my Christian journey has not been perfect. I believe I am a sinner saved by grace. I am a Bible believing Christian! I have been studying the Bible for 40-plus years.
My Core Christian Beliefs
I invite you to challenge me. I am not talking about religion here. I’m talking about a personal relationship with and faith in Jesus Christ as our only way to salvation; making him Lord of our lives. He call us to be his children through faith. I believe there is only one way to heaven.
I’m going to share a belief and share a corresponding scripture. All scriptures are from the New International Version (NIV).
I believe the Bible in its entirety. I believe the scripture 2 Timothy 3:16:
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”
I believe in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ! I previously shared John 3:16, here’s another scripture that reinforces the belief in Jesus Christ as our source of eternal life. It is found in the New Testament, in the book of Romans. Romans 10:9 states:
“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.”
I believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and that he is our hope for eternal life. Here is a verse in the New Testament, in the book of 1 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 states:
“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.”
I believe we are saved by grace, not works! Ephesians 2:8-9:
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”
I believe there is one God who created the universe. Isaiah 44:24 states:
“This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the Lord, the Maker of all things, who stretches out the heavens, who spreads out the earth by myself.”
I believe in the Trinity. Here is only one scripture, of many, that reflects this biblical truth of the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit and it is found in the New Testament, in the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew 28:19 (NIV) records Jesus’ words:
“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
I believe that when we accept Christ, we are given the Holy Spirit that not only gives us understanding of the word of God, the Bible, but prays with us. 1 Corinthians 2:10-12:
“These are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.”
I believe God has given us the Bible to teach us and to train us to live out our lives reliant on God’s wisdom and guidance in every aspect of life, trusting and submitting to his will. A verse I hold to strongly is, Proverbs 3:5-6:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
This is a short summary of truths I personally believe in. The Bible has our answers. The most important decision I have made in my life is my belief in the saving grace of Jesus Christ, accepting him as my Lord and savior and walking with him. I am not perfect. I’ve shared some of my Christian journey. I am a sinner saved by grace. But I have a loving father that never gives up on me. If there has ever been distance from God it’s been me and my hardened heart. But thankfully, he forgives our sins, and when we repent he is always there to forgive us and bring us back to him. I hope by sharing my story, I have stirred up questions for you. If you have never made this decision, I encourage you to look up the scriptures I have shared. Again, this is not about religion. It’s taking that step of faith.
I feel knowing what you believe and why you believe what you believe, is our personal responsibility. I believe God calls us at some point to understand and articulate our beliefs. Here, I’ve candidly shared my Christian journey. The next discussion, on the next post, we’ll delve into relationships.
After covering sports, business, personal relationships, and Christianity, my plan is to explore these areas through the lens of biblical principles. By aligning our discussions with biblical truths, I aim to build a Christian-based blueprint for living out God’s purpose in our lives. I know you’ll find some invaluable insights! I believe this will be an incredible exercise.
Monette hosts a weekly podcast: Mornings with Monette. She has been a lifelong learner and and appreciates the opportunity to share what she has learned–both through her podcast and here at The Best-Life Project (based on the content of her weekly podcast). Her messages are raw, honest and straight from the heart. She lives in Albuquerque, NM with her husband Leland. They have three adult children and are enjoying living their best lives filled with travel and adventure.
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