When I first believed.

 1964, I was 6 years old going to Foothill Baptist that met in a Seventh-day Adventist Church in Altaville, Ca that

It was during communion when I was under conviction to realize that Jesus' body was broken and His blood shed for sinners. I believed intellectually the facts, but it was not saving faith.

Then in 1969 when I was eleven years old, I went to VBS and memorized Romans 5:8. That was when I was aware that I was a sinner for whom Jesus died for.

Foothill Baptist moved to downtown Angels Camp and met in the Odd Fellows Hall.

Then in 1970 from January to March for the Spring Quarter our attendance chart featured a crown of thorns. Every Sunday we would paste a square on the poster for eleven weeks until a new picture emerged...a jeweled crown.

On March 22, 1970, one week before Easter, our Pastor, Dan Lambert, who was blind and preached in braille, preached on the Crown of Thorns and the Jeweled Crown.

I understood from the sermon that I was the sinner for who Jesus was beaten and crucified. My sins were like me placing the crown of thorns on Jesus' head every time I do not receive by faith Jesus as my Savior.

But if I believed in Jesus and became a Christian, then according to Revelation 4:

9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne

I can lay my crowns at Jesus' feet because Jesus is worthy of being crowned King of kings and Lord of Lords.

I was under great conviction when the invitation was given. The hymn "Just as I Am" was played.

I remember the voice of the Holy Spirit encouraging me to believe and receive Jesus as my Savior...but another voice was saying I was too young, the adults of the Church would not believe I was saved, and that I could wait until I was older.

I believed in Jesus and went to Pastor Lambert, taking his hand to let him know I accepted Jesus as my Savior.

After the service my parents were brought up. Pastor Lambert asked if I knew what it means to believe in Jesus, I quoted Romans 5:8 and said it taking God at His word that He sent Jesus to save me from my sins and to live for Him after I am saved. Pastor Lambert entrusted my parent to disciple me in the faith.

I was baptized at First Baptist Church (SBC), Sonora, Ca on March 28th, 1970 on Saturday, a day before Easter.

It has been 54 years of growing and learning how to live for the Lord. A lot more downs than up...but through it all God's grace has sustained me.