"Religion to Relationship" (Day 10)

Verse of the Day
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” – 2 Corinthians 5:17
 
I was born in 1938. From the beginning, I was not the boy my father had hoped for. But he loved me well. On my fourteenth birthday, he gave me a concert harp. That gift shaped my life. The harp became my companion and my calling.
 
My childhood held both hardship and grace. When I was three, an icicle fell and struck my head. Our dog barked until my mother came. I needed stitches, but I was safe. That pattern followed me—difficulty, then rescue.
 
We moved often before settling in Maine. Caring for our horses taught me responsibility and steady love. Later, my parents sent me to a better high school in Portland. That decision, along with years of practice, led me to the Cleveland Institute of Music. But long hours damaged my fingers, and I had to stop performing. Still, God opened another door. I discovered Dalcroze Eurhythmics and began teaching music through movement. Eventually, I taught many children and even ran my own school.
 
Outwardly, life looked full. Inside, I carried a deep ache. I went to church every week, but no one had clearly told me I needed to be born again. At age thirty-nine, an old boyfriend shared the gospel with me. His words shook me. I realized I had religion, but not a relationship with Jesus.
 
On April 30, 1981, I surrendered my heart to Christ. It felt like heart surgery. God removed the junk and filled me with His peace and love. From that day, everything changed. Faith became real and personal.
 
Life since then has included loss, opposition, and grief. But God has remained faithful. Now, at eighty-six, I still play the harp in nursing homes. I roll from room to room and worship. This is who I am—a worshiper. The harp is my instrument, but Jesus is my salvation. – Vernell Strecker
 
Thought for the Day
What does it mean for you to be “born again”—moving from religion to a real relationship with Jesus—and what simple step can you take today to open your heart and invite Him to make you new?

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