Well, tonight at church, Pastor Bright was talking about that the only way one could get to Heaven was through Jesus Christ.  You couldn't enter Heaven based on what you did upon this earth while you were still alive; even if you did all you could to help others, you still couldn't go to Heaven if you didn't accept Jesus into your heart.

 That really got me thinking.  I would still be doomed to hell if I didn't accept Christ.  Suddenly I felt like the world's dirtiest sinner.  I felt horrible; I felt as if I had a huge weight upon my shoulders and I started crying.  I knew I had to "make things right with God", so I willingly got up from my place at the pew and walked to the altar, where I then asked Christ to forgive me of my sins and asked Him to come into my heart.

Immediately, the weighty feeling fell from my shoulders.  I suddenly felt light, almost airy.  I started crying harder, but this time, these were tears of joy.  I knew within my heart of hearts that Christ had come into my life.  I was now a new creature and He would now direct my path.  

Pastor Bright came up to me and talked to me briefly about what had happened.  He looked as pleased as pleased could be.  He then gave me a huge bear hug and said, "You have made the most important decision in your life.  You are now a child of God.  Welcome!  Welcome to God's Family; you are now a Daughter of the King of Kings, The Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ!"

We then prayed together, the pastor and myself, and then I went back to my seat.  By now, I was grinning like Chester Cheetah: I could not help it.  I suddenly felt like smiling; I could feel the joy of the Lord bubbling from within.  Mom and Dad both hugged me; both were Christians and had been praying for me, their daughter, to accept Christ as Saviour.  Well, I did; I could tell that they were both genuinely and truly proud of me, and it made me feel really good inside.

That's when my little brother, Tobias, thirteen, piped up: "Now we're a real Christian family, huh?" and gave me one of his rib-crushing bear hugs, as only he could do.  Tobias has Down syndrome and has always talked about Jesus; he had accepted Christ when he was ten, just three short years ago.  He was one of the strongest Christians I had ever met, praying for others before his own needs, even when it meant yet another hospital stay or heart surgery.  He was that kind of person: loving, caring, copassionate, and giving.

I ruffled Tobia's sparse blonde curls and said, "Yep.  We're a Christian family now.  Mom.  Dad.  You.  And now me.  We will all be together in Heaven!"  At that, Tobias laughed loudly and he said to the congregration, "My big sissie, she's gonna go to Heaben!  My big sissie, she's gonna go to Heaben!  She 'cepted Christ!!"  It was rather embarrassing, but I was too happy at the time to care.  

I had reason enough to be happy.  I would no longer be condemned to Hell and misery: I now had a future full of hope, joy, and above all, the love of a Saviour who saw past my sins to give me a second chance at life.  And best of all, when Christ came back, my whole family would be together with Him in Glory, forever and ever!