I was raised in a Christian house hold all of my life.  Some people believe this is how you become a Christian.  My parents were Christians therefore I must be a Christian too. When I was six years old, my mother and brother were talking about his baptism.  One Sunday morning, during the alter call I followed my brother down the long stairway from the balcony of the church to the front row.  We found ourselves sitting with a pastor answering questions about the bible.  I didn't know all of the right answers so I said yes when my brother did and no when he said no.  Our baptisms were setup for the next Sunday.  I made a decision to follow my brother in baptism rather than becoming a follower of Jesus. 

At the age of 21, my life seemed to be unraveled and I experienced a period of aimless wandering.  I literally felt lost in a life without direction, purpose, or connection of any kind.  My state of mind deteriorated from bad to worse, as life seemed to pass me in a quandary of unfulfilled circumstances. 

One night after work, I found myself all alone in the home where I grew up.  In the front living room, I heard a familiar voice on the television.  It was the last five minutes of a Billy Graham television crusade.  Billy made a statement, which pierced through my heart and soul.  He said, "When you came into this place tonight, you thought you were saved, but you realized something is missing in your life.  That something is Jesus and you need a personal relationship with the Son of God."  I suddenly realized the decision I had made was just a mimic of my brother's actions. 

I knew then that growing up in a Christian home did not make me a Christian.  I grasped the picture of baptism as dying and rising up with Christ.  Baptism without understanding and believing for myself was not an act of faith but and the act of a copycat. 

That night I fell on my knees, made that decision my own, and gave my life to Jesus.  I finally understood that Jesus was my only hope of knowing God and being in His family forever.  Would you tell me how and when you made your decision to love Jesus?