always ready to cast me into I was terrified of death and had almost no hope ever being sa I went through a difficult perod in my early and this only confirmed in my mind how unloving and uncaring God was I used my situation asuse toid in my but God let me continue down this long before I realized it he began to draw me to himself he brought faithful Christian friends into my life go they truly live the gospel I began to have an interest in knowing Christ as my savior in September 2018 God providentially led me to visit a pre Presbyterian Church in in the prior he show me how empty and meaningless my life was Christ and I wasn't sure where it's I met with the pastor of his church after the service and open up about my struggles sh the gospel turning from page to page of scripture BRS such as Romans 103 says for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall the Simplicity of the Gospel became so clear to me I pray you asking God to for my and save me and he did in that moment everything changed he took away my and mey he resed me from serving to ad me as his own child every I ever Comm was I was finally in the years since I was saved God has to be such a good father my many Andes with his love and as Gans 2 I crucified with it is no longer live chist and the life I now live in the I live by in the Son of God me [Music] father [Music]
Baptism and Testimony: Janelle Neels
Summary
OtherGod sovereignly drew a self-described hopeless sinner to saving faith in Christ through the preaching of the gospel, and the life that follows belongs entirely to Christ.
A brief baptismal testimony in which the speaker recounts her conversion in September 2018, tracing God's providential drawing of her through faithful Christian friends, the preaching of the gospel, and a decisive moment of repentance and faith. She describes the assurance that followed — sin forgiven, fear of death removed, adoption into God's family — and anchors her ongoing Christian life in Galatians 2:20.
Key quotes
God let me continue down this long before I realized it he began to draw me to himself.
The simplicity of the Gospel became so clear to me — I prayed, asking God to forgive my sin and save me, and he did. In that moment everything changed.
It is no longer I who live but Christ — and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me.
Applications
- Trust that God's sovereign drawing works even through long and painful seasons of unbelief and moral failure.
- Live the ongoing Christian life by faith in the Son of God who loved you and gave himself for you, as expressed in Galatians 2:20.
- Let the simplicity of the gospel — call upon the name of the Lord and be saved — be the foundation of your assurance.
Questions this sermon answers
What does it mean to call upon the name of the Lord?
The speaker understood it through Romans 10:13 — that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved — and acted on it by praying and asking God to forgive her sin and save her.
How does God draw people to himself?
In this testimony, God worked providentially over time through faithful Christian friends who lived the gospel before her, and through a pastor who opened the Scriptures to explain the way of salvation.
What changes at conversion?
The speaker describes fear of death removed, sin forgiven, and adoption as God's child — an entire reorientation of identity summed up in Galatians 2:20.
Study notes
Theological terms
- Adoption
- Effectual Calling
- Repentance and Faith