Salvation Stories: Sojourn’s Katherine Blair

We will celebrate another Baptism Sunday on January 15. If you would like to take this important step in identifying with Christ and His bride, email baptism@sojournchurch.com by Monday, January 9.

I grew up in a Christian home and was fortunate to have parents who loved and disciplined me in a way that reflected God’s love about as accurately as I think two human beings ever could. I can’t point to an exact moment during my childhood when I accepted Christ, but rather have a vague recollection of asking Jesus into my heart on multiple occasions—fearing it hadn’t “taken” the first few times, or that I hadn’t meant it enough.

Although I don’t remember much about life before becoming a Christian, I can see many changes that have taken place as I’ve grown in my faith. I have often had a tendency to put my hope and trust in things other than Jesus. I’ve looked for fulfillment in my performance, friends, and employment. God has faithfully reminded me time after time that while these can be wonderful things, not one of them in and of itself leads to anything beyond fleeting happiness on this earth, and in fact all too often they lead to disappointment.

As I come to understand more and more about who God is, the sacrifice He made for me, and just how undeserving I am of His love and grace, I am also coming to understand why He is the only place I will ever find true hope or fulfillment.

There’s no way I could ever be good enough to earn my own salvation. I am sinful and don’t deserve anything from God other than wrath and death, but I’m so thankful that the story doesn’t end there. Jesus—God’s perfect son, the only one who could ever be good enough—died in my place. Because of his love for me, He sacrificed himself and took my punishment.

When I repented of my sin and put my trust in the work Jesus did for me on the cross, I was forgiven and given a new life. Paul tells us in Romans 3:23 and 24:

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

I am free to live my life for God, knowing I would forever fall short were it not for the work of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.