Scarlett's testimony||Finding love

We recently witnessed and celebrated Scarlett Quennell's baptism in our PM worship gathering. Check out her testimony below...

As a child I went to a small primary school where they taught about a number of different religions in religious education. I was exposed to religion, understanding that it was a way for someone to live their life and to give everyone a purpose as to why they were on earth. These religions were suited to each person, and Christianity was no exception.

To me Christianity was a religion,

with cool stories about this guy Jesus and his lessons for life. I attended Christian education and Christian camps, sung the songs and even sometimes prayed the prayers. At a young age there were moments when I felt God nudging me in His direction, but this all disappeared when I entered high school. The self obsessive and destructive behavior that came with it dragged me into a world of sin, with absolutely no interest in hearing from God.

It was after losing a two year relationship and a handful of friends that I began searching for a purpose in my life.

I foolishly concluded that life was about finding the right relationships with a person you love.

I was incredibly lonely and relationships seemed the only way to fill that void. No matter how much I tried to avoid this loneliness, I found I was always let down at some point, and left searching for the same fix repeatedly.

It was the Saturday night before Easter Sunday, after the end of yet another relationship, that I spoke to my sister Rachel. She read to me some of the bible, and at that point my ears and heart were open, and questions just poured out. Rachel explained to me how God was creator of all, that we are all sinners, and that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that He could bridge the void that stood between us and heaven, and eternal life with God.

I had heard this all before, but even at times when I was looking for a religion, I had never understood or felt a desire for God as strongly as I did in the early morning of Easter Sunday as my sister prayed aloud next to me.

At that point as I felt a rush through my body, I was knocked over breathless and risen up at the same time. I realised my sinfulness and decided to put my faith in Jesus as the savior from this sin.

 Since then I have started coming to church and have such a desperate hunger to know more about God because I have a strong desire to have others know Him. I have been encouraged with fellowship and friends who are encouraging me to grow in my faith.

I don't feel lonely anymore because I know God unconditionally loves me, will guide me through each day, carry me in low times and will be my source of joy and peace.

In a way I was right, life's purpose is to find love in a relationship,

And it isn't about a religion or to find goodness within yourself. I have a relationship with God, made possible by the grace given in Jesus' death on a cross. He is the friend that will love us for eternity.
I am baptised because I want to make my relationship with Jesus public. It is symbolic of my cleansing from my sin which Jesus freed me from.