From the heart of TWO older women! Today, I will interview my friend and fellow Christian. She has a story that you need to hear! Let this short article serve as a warning and an encouragement to our younger sisters in Christ.

Let me introduce you to my dear friend Lily (not her real name). Lily and her husband were raised in Christian homes, attended the same sound congregation, and they were a part of a very active youth group together. Sounds great, right?

Then they grew up… and, as sometimes happens, they replaced their devotion to God with other things. Things like work, and their family, and the busy-ness of life. The faith they once had was gone. GONE!

Our heavenly Father is a forgiving Father! The wonderful news is that Lily and her husband have been back for many years now – faithfully serving our Lord. Their dedication to God, and their love for souls is obvious. However, they know that their unfaithful years had some devastating consequences.

They were away from the Lord for nearly 40 years. During that time, they raised three children. Oh, the regret that they have now! Lily wants to tell her story to those young ladies who may be just starting off on their own. The college students; the young married ladies; those just leaving the “safety” of their youth group and heading out into adulthood. Let her encourage you. Let her warn you. Listen up!

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JJ: Share with us how you fell away. Did it happen suddenly, or little by little?

L: It was a gradual falling away, however, there were a couple of reasons. I was raised in a VERY strict Christian home and I rebelled to the restrictions that I felt were placed on me. Unfortunately, the lure of the world was very strong. The second reason (and probably the most important) is that I “did not get it.” I certainly believed in God and that Christ died for my sins, but I did not understand how very important those facts are. Somehow it was easy to walk away.

JJ: Were there people who tried to convince you to come back to the Lord while you were away?

L: My family made very few attempts to urge me back into the fold. At times, it seemed that they were afraid of what my reaction would be. However, my husband’s mother did not give up on him. There was a gentle reminder to him all of the time – thanks, Mom!! Also, I am very grateful that God allowed us to live long enough to find our way back to Him (2 Corinthians 6:1-2).

JJ: How did you find your way back to God? L: It started in small ways, but the big comeback was after my husband convinced me to read the Bible all the way through. I gathered my Bible along with other reference materials and I started the journey. When I hit Romans, it brought me to my knees. I realized that I was not saved! But the Scripture that was my turning point was Hebrews 6:6. “What have I done?! I crucified Christ again!” I was back on my knees begging forgiveness. One very important factor in our return to God is our parents. If not for them, it would have been harder to find our way back to the Truth. We sought out a Scripturally sound congregation and were restored back into Christ’s church.

JJ: What are your biggest regrets for the time you were away?

L: One of my biggest regrets is the time wasted while away from the Lord. I missed all of those opportunities to serve Him. But my biggest regret is our children were not taught the truth and have never experienced the love of Christ and His church. They do not know what they are missing.

JJ: Please share some advice for our sisters just starting out into adulthood.

L: To my sisters in Christ, always make your faith and service to God the very first and most important priority in your life. Once we have God on our side, we can accomplish so many things in our life – a great marriage, faithful children, and heaven!!

JJ: Finally, what would you like to tell your now grown children?

L: To my children, please forgive me for not raising you in the church and showing you the love of the Lord. My prayer is that God will soften your hearts and that you will allow us to show you the way to heaven.

JJ: Thank you, Lily, for sharing your story with us! I’m sure you will help many ladies to stay with the Lord.

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Are you also filled with regret? Or are you on your way to having a regret-filled future? Please, PLEASE, come back to Christ. He loves you so very much! If you need help coming back, please contact me – I would love to help you.

By Jennifer Jensen

Jennifer Jensen lives in beautiful Colorado where she makes a happy home for her husband and two lovely daughters. She loves to encourage the church with kind words, hugs, and loving notes. One of her favorite verses is I Thessalonians 5:14 – “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.”