Meet “Theresa Serate”
I am a wife, a mother and homeschool teacher and facilitator, but my greatest accomplishment is learning that I have been saved by God’s grace. The greatest joys I have in life are seeing others come to a realization in their faith where they truly see God working all things out for their good and for His glory. I struggle at times and am not perfect, but serve a perfect God. I write out thoughts or meditations I have with the Lord as He brings them. Imperfect, like myself, but spirit-led sharings that I pray will bring others either to a saving knowledge that Jesus is their Savior, or growth in their own faith journey. May God continue to grow me, as I step out in faith in sharing what He brings to me. Thank you. God bless.
Theresa’s Faith Story
Growing up in the Catholic church, I learned how to be obedient to God. We read stories from the bible and I prayed to Jesus almost every night and other times throughout my day. However, something changed for me in high school and I began to question the truth of the gospel message. I began pulling away from my mother’s and grandparents’ faith and started seeking my own.
From that time on, I believed in God, but I was definitely wayward. Both feet were in the world, although I always had a sense that God was watching over me. Perhaps I was angry, or I was confused. Either way, I felt it was better if church and I took a break.
Fast-forward to marrying my husband and our first few years together as a family. Life was hard and we found that living without Christ as the head of our household was not successful. We had Christian couples who would pray for us and walk alongside us and eventually we were back in church.
One day, while driving, Greg Laurie was delivering a message with a prayer of repentance after his message on the radio. I remember even closing one eye to pray at a red light while I surrendered my life over to Christ, fully. Six months later, I was baptized and my parents flew out to California to witness it.
My husband was baptized several months later at his family reunion. His auntie, who had been praying for him, got to witness that event right before she graduated to heaven. Her doctor had advised her not to make the long trip, but she said she wouldn’t have missed it for the world. My husband has also now had the privilege of baptizing all three of our children as they, too, have professed their faith in Christ Jesus.
Since that time, God has brought strong, Christian women to disciple myself and men to disciple and walk alongside my husband. Our hearts are for the lost and for the seeking. We enjoy organic ministry opportunities and try to incorporate a lunch-at-the-park fellowship after church whenever possible, along with other things the Lord provides. We really enjoy opening up our home to His ministry.
There is no way I could go through life without living for Jesus. I believe it would be so empty and in vain. People who knew me previously see a complete change in my life. While I have wished sometimes that God hadn’t allowed me to go so wayward, I see now, that there is even purpose in that. It has continued to keep me humble when serving others and walking alongside them. God has reminded me on several occasions, just what I was capable of doing in the flesh, without Him. It has kept me from becoming puffed up and I have been able to share mistakes I made with our children as they make their own. I have been able to lead them to prayer and confession and explain to them about the incredible gift of God’s grace.
I am grateful to have the opportunity to walk not only on earth with our Savior’s presence each and every day here on earth, but for eternity as well.
Jesus, Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith
12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.