When did the drumbeat of love begin to sound for me? Was it before I was born, as I grew to know Jesus, or was it perhaps 2,000 years ago? I believe it was at the cross when Jesus shed His blood for me, even though I was not yet born.

Do I know Jesus in all the power of His death and resurrection? Yes and no. I have faith. I believe yet every day with Jesus brings a new revelation.

As a child, and as I grew into womanhood, He certainly was very much a part of my life. I came from a Christian home. I went to Sunday School and church, I was an active member in the Epworth League, and later taught Sunday School and served many offices within the church. I went on to raise a family, trusting God to lead and care for us. Yet as my last child left for college, and my life was no longer filled with the various things being a parent brings, I began to feel an overwhelming sense of loneliness; a restlessness.

Surely there was more to life than being good, trying to live up to the ten commandments, and sharing what I had with others; filling my life with business.

What was lacking in my life? There must be something more. Was it my church affiliation? Was there something lacking in me? What was I seeking? Where would I go to find it? I already had a beautiful home, three lovely daughters, and in my estimation, a perfect husband. So---what was the problem?

Then one day a man came to share his testimony with our church. Looking right at me he said "there is more to Christianity than being good". He went on to explain salvation to those who did not yet know Christ. Later he went on to say that many Christian?s lives were unfulfilled because, though the Holy Spirit resided in them, they had not learned to let that Spirit take over their lives and control them. He is not an influence that we try to get a hold of but one who wants to get a hold of us and use us.

Wanting all that God had for me, I went to the altar and asked God to fill me with His Holy Spirit. All I had to do was ask, and, the infilling Spirit that had come to reside in me at salvation, became a living Christ within me. No longer was I hungry. No longer was I empty. No longer was I lonely.

After my experience with the Holy Spirit I came to know Jesus, not only as the friend I always had, but as lord of my life; as my personal savior.

I have everything when I have Christ because through GOD I am filled with the Holy Spirit in union with Christ. I belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God. He gave me a new song to sing! Because He is My shepherd, I have everything I need. He lets Me rest in the meadow grass. He leads ME beside the quiet streams. He restores MY weaknesses. He helps ME to do what honors Him.

In calm. sweet communion with Him, I have everything and everything is good!

In trusting in, living in, and walking with Jesus wherever He leads me, I can continue to grow more and more like Him. My prayer is to grow in spiritual strength, and to become better acquainted with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As I allow the spirit of the Lord to work within me, I shall become more like Him.

I am not perfect yet; far from it. I haven't learned all that I should, but, like Paul, I keep working toward that day when I finally become all that Christ saved me to be, God isn't through with me yet. He 's still in the refining business. More often than not Fran gets in His way, but, praise God, He looks down the years and sees me in my finished state; refined to pure silver, or pure gold, if you like.

So here stand I, no different than you, yet set apart for God. I chose Him because He first chose me. As I grow spiritually more mature, the drumbeat picks up its cadence and marches me along with Him, sometimes more rapidly than I feel capable of going.

The starting point is that we give ourselves totally and completely to Jesus. There can be no dividing loyalties. Once we enthrone Jesus as Lord of our life His compassion for us is boundless. We may stumble and stumble, but as long as we keep our face towards Him, He will forgive and forgive until at last by His grace and power, everything in us that is displeasing  to Him shall be banished from our lives forever. Praise God!

Jesus said, "He who loses his life for my sake shall find it forever".  {Luke 9:24)

I, for one, have a rendezvous to keep. One with my Lord and Savior and eternal life with Him.

Fran Bassett

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