Before I surrendered my life to Jesus, I was living for others’ acceptance and for my own gain. I put my self-worth in anything and everything, from academic performance to athletics to my future professional success and wealth. You name it, I tried to put my identity into it. I was desperately and constantly seeking for something or someone that could bring joy, peace, and meaning to my life.

I grew up going to church and hearing about Jesus, but I had many questions and doubts about who God is, including about His existence, His purposes, and His character. During high school, I thought God was distant and not at all closely involved in my life. I definitely had no idea what it meant to actually have a relationship with Him: this concept was totally foreign to me. I thought I just had to do the right things, be the right kind of person, pursue the right dreams, and maybe – just maybe – God would be pleased enough with me.

At the start of my freshman year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, I joined a Bible study with a Christian organization called Cru. Every year, Cru hosts a spring break trip called Big Break that’s in Florida and involves growing in community with other students, learning about Jesus from speakers, worshiping God by singing, and getting trained in evangelism and outreach.

I went into Big Break my freshman year still somewhat uncertain of who God is, why I should trust Him, and why He’s perfect and holy. Nevertheless, it was there that I surrendered my life fully to Jesus as my Savior from the weight of all my mistakes, my Treasure who I can never lose, my Hope for eternal life, and my Joy in all situations.

The following year, the people in charge of Big Break asked me to film my testimony about my experience freshman year. This is a short clip of how God used this trip to change my life, with an introduction by the emcee at the beginning.

Since surrendering fully to God, I’ve learned so much about His character and His plan for my life. I’ve learned that God actually wants me to be joyful! He’s doesn’t want control of my life because he’s a control freak or a slave master. He wants me to put my hope in Him and in His promises because He is the only source of never-ending joy. He wants us all to be in His family so badly that He died a torturous, awful death so that you and I can trust in what He did for us and be reconciled to Him.

Jesus truly saved me from my many sins, and He saved me to joy. That doesn’t mean that I never mess up, though. I still sin many times every day, but when I do I just ask God for forgiveness, ask Him to help me turn away from my sin and turn back to Him, and remember the Good News that Jesus died so that I could be intimately close to Him.

Since the experience that I talked about in the video, I have continued the process of letting God have control of every area of my life, and it’s only ever meant more joy as I glorify God more and more. I’m so excited to live a life of lasting joy in Jesus instead of fleeting pleasure in worldly things, and I invite you to join me in doing the same by accepting God’s free gift to you of eternal hope and joy.

[Jesus said,] “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”            –Matthew 13:44-46