It is hard to determine the first time I personally truly experienced the reality of Christ. I was raised in an environment of Christian ministry. My parents' love for God was expressed by systematic ministry at church building repair, church and choir activities, home prayer meetings and their organization, taking care of the elderly, not to mention attendance of church meetings. My father always took me with him.

I remember meeting so many different families, circumstances, and human characters when we were bringing the Lord's supper to church members! Even though I was just a boy, I never considered it to be a waste of time. I felt like I was participating in my father's ministry and that made Christ more real to me even though I had never met Him personally.

At the age of eleven, when I was attending a home prayers meeting at "aunt Julie" (it was an older lady who could not come to church due to health problems but was happy to welcome church people at her house), I received salvation. I physically felt His presence and in His light I suddenly saw myself as an incorrigible sinner. Christ's presence did not scare me even though it was perfect holiness emanating from Him. Indescribable peace, love, and sympathy were flowing from my Savior. Even though nobody told me anything, in His presence I clearly realized that this was the moment to ask for salvation. My prayer was probably similar to million other prayers that have been said in such a moment but nobody had taught me how to do this. It was a prayer from my heart, a prayer of hope, despair, revelation, and trust that did not accept any doubt if God would hear me.

I remember the feeling as I was going home late that night. I was a young guy standing together with my parents in a bus and I felt like I had another heart in my chest - clean, peaceful, and pure. I was praying God to help me never make it unclean. Later I received baptism in the Holy Spirit and started speaking in tongues. Even though in our Baptist church you could hear a sermon on Holy Spirit only on the day of Pentacost, Christians in church were passing the information from mouth to mouth that this experience is necessary for every Christian.

Then the teenage years came with all the good and not so good works.

 



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