{"id":1109,"date":"2018-09-04T21:37:23","date_gmt":"2018-09-05T01:37:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kellystigliano.com\/blog\/?page_id=1109"},"modified":"2018-09-18T23:23:45","modified_gmt":"2018-09-19T03:23:45","slug":"make-a-positive-change","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.kellystigliano.com\/blog\/make-a-positive-change\/","title":{"rendered":"Make a Positive Change"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Kelly J. Stigliano<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up. - Proverbs 12:25<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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MAKE A POSITIVE CHANGE<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>

I want to keep it real and keep it simple. After making bad choices for years, I reached the point of exhaustion and total disgust with the paths I\u2019d taken. Then I made the best choice ever. I asked Jesus, God\u2019s one and only Son, to live in my heart. I asked Him to take control and be Lord over every part of my life. I\u2019m not pretending when I tell you that He has NEVER let me down. I may not always like His answers, and sometimes I totally don\u2019t understand or like His plan, but ultimately, it works. He\u2019s never let me face a challenge alone.<\/p>

Stepping down and giving Jesus total control was tough. Clearly my way wasn\u2019t working for me, so I surrendered. Wow! It\u2019s wonderful to be God\u2019s child and obey what He says through the Holy Bible\u2014as tough as that may be sometimes.<\/p>

This Christian life is breathtaking; I recommend it to everyone!<\/p>

If you\u2019d like to stop feeling alone; if you\u2019d like someone to share your burden; if you\u2019re done trying to do everything on your own or you just want a power boost in your life, ask Jesus into your heart. (It\u2019s called \u201cgetting saved\u201d.)<\/p>

The Bible says we\u2019ve all made bad choices\u2014have sinned and fall short of God\u2019s glory. Every person who has ever lived has fallen short.<\/strong><\/p>

On that day in the hotel bathroom when I surrendered to God (see my bio), I realized that He loves us so unconditionally that He sent Jesus, His only Son, to come to earth to be born as a human baby so we can relate to Him. (That\u2019s what we celebrate at Christmas.) That baby grew to be a man, was crucified on a cross, put in a tomb, and rose three days later. (That\u2019s what we celebrate at Easter.) He lives now in heaven and in the hearts of people who invite Him to come into their hearts to live.<\/strong><\/p>

You know, when Jesus died on the cross, it was His choice; no one forced Him. The Bible says that that\u2019s how God showed His love for us\u2014that although we\u2019re sinners, Christ did choose<\/em> to die for us.\u00a0The Bible also says if we\u2019ll confess with our mouths and believe in our hearts, we will be saved\u2014you know, be made whole or complete.<\/strong><\/p>

Skeptical? If I\u2019m right, you\u2019ll be glad you gave your life to God here on earth and you\u2019ll be with Him for eternity after you die. If it turns out I\u2019m actually wrong, well then you\u2019ve lived a better life while you were here. Either way you win!<\/p>

How to receive the gift of eternal life i.e. get saved (made whole or complete):<\/strong><\/p>

* Admit that your sin separates you from Holy God.
\u201cAll have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0Romans 3:23<\/p>

* Believe that Jesus Christ died and rose again to pay for your sins.
\u201c<\/em>God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>Romans 5:8<\/p>

* Confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, repenting (turning away) from your sin.
\u201c<\/em>If you declare\u00a0with your mouth, \u2018Jesus is Lord,\u2019\u00a0and believe\u00a0in your heart that God raised him from the dead,\u00a0you will be saved.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Romans 10:9<\/p>

“For it is by grace\u00a0you have been saved,\u00a0through faith\u2014and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God\u2014<\/em>\u00a0not by works,\u00a0so that no one can boast.”<\/em>\u00a0 Ephesians 2:8-9<\/p>

That means you receive eternal life (salvation) through faith, NOT by doing good deeds or \u201cpaying it forward\u201d. While it is important to help others, you don\u2019t get to heaven that way.<\/p>

To make a positive change<\/strong> in your life today, trust Him and pray the prayer of salvation.<\/p>

Prayer:<\/strong><\/p>

God, I\u2019m sorry that so often I fall short. Please forgive me for my sins. Thank you for sending Jesus to die for me. Jesus please come into my heart right now. I give my life to you completely. Please be the Lord over every part of my life, so I don\u2019t have to go it alone anymore. Thank you for hearing me and for saving me today. In Jesus\u2019 Name, A-Men<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

If you just prayed this prayer, I\u2019m super excited for you! Now please get plugged into a Bible-believing church or study group so you can grow spiritually.<\/p>

To repent means you turn away from your old ways and strive to live a life pleasing to God. Studying with other Believers can help you grow. Believe me when I say, nothing feels as good as obeying God. He\u2019s loving and gracious. You can do it!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Kelly J. Stigliano Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up. – Proverbs 12:25 MAKE A POSITIVE CHANGE I want to keep it real and keep it simple. After making bad choices for years, I reached the point of exhaustion and total disgust with the paths I\u2019d taken. Then I made […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"page-builder","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1109","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kellystigliano.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1109","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kellystigliano.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kellystigliano.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kellystigliano.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kellystigliano.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1109"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.kellystigliano.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1109\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1218,"href":"https:\/\/www.kellystigliano.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1109\/revisions\/1218"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kellystigliano.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1109"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}