Thankful for my Sweet Tooth

I've had a sweet tooth as far back as I can recall. When I was little, I regularly asked my mama for the candy and gum at the checkout counter, but she rarely gave in. One time, I tucked a pack of Big Red under my shirt while she wasn't looking.

When we got in the car, I slipped a piece in my mouth. When the spicy aroma made it's way to my mama's nose, I knew I was in trouble! I felt so guilty and ashamed and promised to never steal again.  

Later, I noticed displays of Easter candy in the drug store. On a subsequent trip, I carried in an old purse my grandma had given me. It went in flat and came out FAT - full of easter candy. I felt so guilty! Again, I got caught, and I remember wondering why I had done the very thing I had promised not to do! It scared me to think that I couldn't control myself.

One Sunday, a few months later, I sat in a sanctuary attentively listening to the pastor talking about sin. He said something to the effect of: "If you have a sin problem, meaning that you sin, feel regret, sin again, feel regret...then you need a Savior! Jesus will wipe away your sins and help you resist the temptation to sin in the future."

At 8 years old, I thought, "I WANT THAT!" I sensed Jesus drawing me to Himself, and I practically ran to the altar! The song is so true: "Burdens are lifted at Calvary...Jesus will meet you there!" The weight of the guilt and the shame left me, and I have never been the same. Not perfect, but FORGIVEN and seeking Him :)

From that point on, I had, as the song says, "no guilt in life, no fear in death." I also received the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, who lives in me. Imagine that...God is with me everywhere, all the time!

So, while my sweet tooth may have brought unwelcome pounds and cavities, I am forever thankful for it, because it was what led me to see my need for my Savior!

If you sense your need for a Savior, read more about Him at Jesus 2020.