integra evan's 1995 Acura Integra SE

I grew up in a Christian family, in a Christian household. I would always try to do the right thing and stay away from any kind of bad influence. I went to church and was always involved with the youth group and everything growing up. God had His hand of protection over me in my youth, and kept me from harm.
Going into college, I became the usual busy college kid, overloaded with schoolwork. I would still go to Sunday church services, but wasn't able to get involved with anything else. Praise God that He led me into a Christian group at college (Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship). I made new friends, and they invited me to their church's Bible study. I started attending regularly, eventually attending Sunday services, which then led to membership and being actively involved with my church.
However, even though I was going and really involved in church, I was only following a religion. I knew the Bible verses and the stories, but there was no life behind it. I saw people's lives being transformed all around me, seeing the power and work of God all around me, yet I was not being transformed myself. I was still the quiet, same old Evan that I was growing up. I was dead to the Spirit of God. Why was I dead? Because within me, there was selfishness, pride, lies, rebellion, and apathy that were rooted deep within my heart. That sin was separating me from Jesus and was not allowing me to be alive in Christ. I was full of myself, leaving no room for Jesus to come in and fill my heart. It was not until I laid down my pride and surrendered my will to the Lord, it was not until I humbled myself before Him, that He was able to free me from my selfishness and bring me into life with Him. I had to die to myself, so that Christ could raise me to life in Him.
It was not easy getting to that point. Many tears flowed and many hardships were endured. Many trials came about that I thought I would never make it out of. My selfishness blinded me to many things, and it took a lot of truth being spoken to me to break down all the lies that I had stored deep within my heart. I would feel defeated and hopeless. But when I finally stopped trying to overcome everything in my own strength and cried out to the Lord for Him to help me and save me from my wicked self, He heard me and lifted me up out of my wickedness, out of the pit, out of the mud and mire, and breathed life into me. He birthed within me His Spirit, that I may do His will. He called me by name to go out and do His work, that He may be glorified. He planted the seed of Jesus in me, that I may be a display of His splendor. I praise God for His undeserving love, for His faithfulness, for His mercies and grace, and for breathing His Spirit into my dry bones, bringing me to life in Him!