It dawns on me as I am in the first few days of this blog that many of you might be thinking, why would Laura write on this subject? Who does she think she is? If I was going to start a blog on cooking, I would need to have a culinary degree or at least be an “expert” in the field. If I was going to blog about photography, I would hope to have some courses under my belt and have some major knowledge on the subject. Do I consider myself an “expert” on God, Jesus, the Bible, spiritual matters and the like? Definitely not!! I don’t have a seminary degree; I don’t claim to have extraordinary knowledge regarding the Bible. Then, what qualifies me to write this blog for the Lord? The same thing that QUALIFIES each of us to live this Christian life, to open our mouths and share a word of testimony about the Lord and His saving power…Jesus living within me!!
In addition, I KNOW it’s something God has called me to do. I keep hearing that “still, small voice” saying, “Write for me” so this blog is just one way I’m attempting to follow through.
I’m Laura Watson Neeley, a woman who wants to be obedient and totally surrendered in ALL areas of my life to Jehovah God and Jesus, my Savior.
As a child growing up, I was happy and secure. My happiness and security came from being loved by my parents and grandmother who lived with us, as well as extended family. I was close to all of them. We attended church on a fairly regular basis and through my home life and church involvement, good moral values were instilled in me.
Even though I was fairly happy and secure and was a “good” kid, during a Vacation Bible School service, I realized something was missing in my life. I think I had known that for a while, but this service brought it to a head. God convicted me of my sin. I realized WHY God sent Jesus to earth and that He died for me. That next Sunday, I made the most important decision I’ve ever made in my life. I prayed for forgiveness of my sins and asked Jesus to come into my heart and life. I wanted him to be my Savior; I wanted the gift of eternal life (to live with him forever in heaven); and I wanted Him to take control of my life.
My parents were thrilled with this step, as I was, but because I was only 10 years old my dad was doubtful as to whether or not I was mature enough to fully understand and comprehend this life-changing decision. I overheard him discuss his doubts with my mom and soon doubts began to grow in my heart and head about my decision.
During this time, I prayed (as a 10-year old girl with childlike faith and trust) and asked God to assure me of my decision. I wanted to know that if I died tonight, I’d go to heaven because Jesus had really come to live in my heart. I wanted to know He was real and living inside of me at that very moment I had prayed! Two weeks after I first prayed and asked God for confirmation, I was baptized. It was one of THE most unforgettable experiences of my life! As I “arose” out of the water after the preacher dunked me, I felt like a pure and new creature. I truly felt as every sin I had every committed was taken away in that split second!! I was whole and free!! Mom was standing in the baptistry waiting for me, and she was crying because she said I was as white as the robe I was wearing. There was a new glow radiating from me. What she saw on the outside, I felt on the inside!! Jesus had washed all my sins away and made me feel clean. At that moment all my questioning was removed, and I was CERTAIN that Jesus had truly come into my heart and life. No more doubts. I thanked God for him answering my prayer.
Since that unforgettable night, that peace I felt in that moment of coming up from the water has continued to be with me. Looking back, I know Jesus came in the minute I first prayed. He just allowed me to have that special experience when I was baptized to satisfy me and confirm my salvation.
I followed the Lord in high school, looking up to my Youth Minister, Larry Lawrence, as my spiritual mentor and someone I wanted to emulate. He had a love and enthusiasm for the Lord that was contagious!! My faith grew by leaps and bounds under his teaching and guidance. His wife, Anna, made an impact on me as well.
But when I went off to college, my faith took a major turn. I went to a college about 90 miles away from my home of Jonesboro. It was then called Georgia College and was located in Milledgeville, a small town in the middle of the state. I WANTED to go to a college/university where I didn’t know anyone. I wanted a fresh start; I knew God led me to GC and made that choice very clear. That’s another story for another time.
But in those first three months, I was super lonely. I loved my roommate, Tomi, and we connected instantly. That was a HUGE prayer God answered. I had prayed about my roommate for many months, and He was so faithful in blessing me with Tomi. But she had two friends from her hometown of Monroe that lived across the hall from us. The three of them had grown up together and attended the same high school. They befriended me and let me hang with them. But I always felt like I was the “fourth wheel”.
I wasn’t that far from home, but it didn’t matter that the distance was only an hour and a half away. It could’ve been 300 miles. I still missed my parents, my grandmother (Gan), my dogs and everything and everyone that was familiar. During the week, I received letters from home. I longed to check my mailbox and get a letter from Mom or Gan, even if it wasn’t especially “newsy”. It was just like talking to one of them. Mom was especially faithful to write at least 2-3 notes a week; Dad’s letters were more rare, but I loved getting cards from the two of them or Gan as it was a connection to home and to what I knew.
Back then, we didn’t have cell phones. On our 3rd floor hall in the all-girls-dormitory, we had one phone booth. Yes, a booth!! It had folding glass doors that you could pull to you once inside the booth so you had some privacy. Each girl on the hall was allowed one 15-minute call during the week. That sounds like a lot of time, but it wasn’t. I remember wanting to always talk longer, but there was always another girl waiting in line outside the booth so you couldn’t. Those minutes on the phone were priceless moments and precious conversations with my parents. It was in that booth that Dad said, “I love you, Laura” for the first time. He had told me since I was little that he loved me – and I knew it. He demonstrated it. But it wasn’t until I was in college that freshman year that he INITIATED it and said it without me saying anything first. I remember it like it occurred yesterday. I cried as soon as we hung up!!
Even though I went home almost every weekend that first year, it was still an adjustment. I still missed everything and everyone familiar. I missed dinnertime. I missed telling Mom every detail about my day at school. I missed Dad coming home from work, smelling like grease and airplane fumes. I missed being with my Gan in the kitchen or holding my poodle, Kricket. I missed friends; I missed home.
But at the same time, I knew I needed to be away. I needed to grow up. I wanted to be successful. I wanted to find my way and follow what God had for me. I didn’t exactly know the next step, but I knew I was going to find it at Georgia College. God had made that abundantly clear.
It was during this initial period that God became so real to me. During those first three months when I didn’t have a true friend, He became that “friend that sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24).
I would meet Him in the morning through reading the Bible and praying to Him constantly as I walked to class, to the dining hall or wherever on campus. I cried out to him about my loneliness; I worried about doing well in college academically and asked Him to help me know how to study; I remember even praying about getting up on time and getting to class on time (it’s one reason He put me with Tomi as she was a morning person, and I was a night owl. Without her, I wouldn’t have made it to many 8 am classes without her patience in waking me up after my alarm went off a zillion times); I cried out to Him to show me if I was supposed to be a teacher; I prayed for godly friends that I could do life with and on and on.
So before making friends and really getting “plugged in” to college life or getting close to my roommate or others, God became the friend I relied on.
During those college years, I eventually became close to Tomi and made some dear and special lifelong friendships. My freshmen year, I got involved in Baptist Student Union (BSU). This organization proved to be a major blessing in my life and where most of my friends came from. God used BSU to draw me closer to Him and to grow my faith. I had a family of Christian friends for the first time in my life (church youth group was NOT a fun experience for me). It was a HUGE blessing!
I will pick up here next time. Please tune in tomorrow. Same bat time. Same bat channel…
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