I've been a Christian for seven years.

I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior at age twenty, having just sat through a Sunday night chapel service my sorority sister invited me to at Pepperdine University. I remember the night perfectly; it was as if the scales fell off my eyes and I could see clearly for the first time – God was actually real.

Since, I've had my share of ups, downs, twists, and turns. I've had stumbles; I've kissed a few frogs, laughed at raunchy gossip, lifted my own name high, and chosen my desires over (what I knew to be) the Lord's. All in all, I've had bad-taste in my fair share of choices.

However, through it all, I know I am His and He is mine – not just now, but into eterntiy. My Jesus.

Having accepted Him, I have joined the family of Christ; a broken, sinful family that finds its wholeness, newness, and beauty in Jesus alone. A member of that family, now in Paradise, wrote a breathtaking commitment to Christ titled "The Fellowship of the Unashamed" that touched me deeply.

The author of this work is an unnamed Rwandan man who, in 1980, who was forced to either renounce Christ or face death, to which he refused to renounce Christ and was killed on the spot. The night before, he wrote "The Fellowship of the Unashamed," found in his room. I believe we all, ladies, can strive for a similar faith.

Enjoy and be well – the race, although treacherous at times, is worth it. The legendary Billy Graham coined the world's finest phrase: live with the end in mind. This Rwandan believer sure did, as can we.

"The Fellowship of the Unashamed"

I am part of the "Fellowship of the Unashamed."
The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line.
The decision has been made. I am a disciple of
Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down,
back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present
makes sense, and my future is secure.
I am finished and done with low living, sight walking,
small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams,
chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position,
promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I now live by
presence, lean by faith, love by patience,
lift by prayer, and labor by power. My pace
is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my
road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few,
my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought,
compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back,
diluted, or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the
presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy,
ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander
in the maze of mediocrity.

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until
Heaven returns, give until I drop, preach until all know,
and work until He comes. And when He comes to get
His own, He will have no problem recognizing me.
My colors will be clear.
Amen.