How I Found Jesus Before I Could Fully Explain Grace

Welcome to Christianity.com. My name is Sylvia Schrader. I’m a wife, a mom, a grandma, an author—and I am a Christian.

You might think I became a Christian because of my family, upbringing, or church. And while all those things shaped my choices, they didn’t make me a Christian. Becoming a Christian doesn’t happen through osmosis or being raised in a particular environment. It results from a personal decision to enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ. That decision came for me when I was just a little girl. It might seem surprising, but even at a young age, I recognized that I was a sinner. Looking back, I see that God was already working in my heart, showing me that I needed His grace. Romans 3:23 says, 

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” 

I realized that all meant me, too—no age limits. I felt it when I stole money from my mother’s purse. I felt it when I lied to my dad about something I had done. I felt it in the angry moments with my older brothers. I knew those things were wrong. I knew they were sin. And I also knew that Jesus died for my sins, not just everyone else’s. So I talked to my mom. We knelt and prayed together. I confessed my sins, asked Jesus to forgive me, and invited Him to be Lord of my life. That day, He saved me—and that truth has never changed.

That’s my story. But it hasn’t always been easy. There have been mountain-top moments and valleys, joys and sorrows. The Christian life isn’t always smooth, and I haven’t always been the child of God I should be. But through every season, Jesus has remained faithful. He has loved me, led me, and never let me go.

I’ve grown through time spent in God’s Word, prayer, and fellowship with other believers. That’s how my faith continues to deepen—step by step, day by day. So my prayer for you is this: that you, too, would be blessed, that you’d keep seeking God, and that you’d visit Christianity.com regularly because none of our stories are finished yet.

Amen.

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