I've Been Adopted: Not Once, But Twice!
My name is Anthony Wilt, and this is my story.
My story began the day my sister invited me to attend a worship service at her church in North Carolina. This was my first time at a service since I was a kid. I enjoyed the service so much! I remember sitting next to her and following along as we read the Bible and just consuming every word of it! Throughout the service, I kept thinking to myself, “Wow! Why have I been missing this all this time?”
You see, growing up, I had gone to church with my family for several years, but decided to stop attending when I moved and reached high school and even a few years into college. I had stayed away from church and, in doing so, sinned against God during those many important years of my life.
You see, growing up, I had gone to church with my family for several years, but decided to stop attending when I moved and reached high school and even a few years into college. I had stayed away from church and, in doing so, sinned against God during those many important years of my life.
When I returned to Pennsylvania after visiting my sister, I decided to look for a church where I could learn more about salvation and what Jesus did for me. In November 2015, I Google-searched “local Baptist Churches.” “Lehigh Valley Baptist Church” appeared from the search engine. I visited the website and emailed the church, asking to find out more about the Bible. At the time, I was going through a difficult time in my life and searching for answers. The next day, Pastor Chris Gable quickly responded to me, and we completed the 4-week Bible study. I was just amazed to learn about the Ten Commandments – the laws of God – that I had broken, and I realized that I was not right with God. I knew something had to be fixed!
"I had stayed away from church and, in doing so, sinned against God during those many important years of my life."
Later he invited me to attend a church service on a Wednesday night. I was so nervous, but I knew that with God’s comfort, and with Chris’ support, I could do it.
After that first service, I just kept attending and attending. I began to meet so many amazing people that helped mentor me in my spiritual life. We were able to fellowship about spiritual things and just the everyday things of life, like work and college. A few months went by, and I continued to attend, but I knew something was missing.
I had continued to grow in the knowledge of the Bible, but I felt like there had to be something more to life. I wanted to have eternal life in Christ, and by now I learned that it would only come if I personally accepted God’s free gift of salvation for myself.
It was on June 22, 2016, at 6:45 pm that I finally came to salvation and faith in Christ. I sat on the floor of my living room and cried out to the Lord for forgiveness. I repented of my sins, and placed my faith in Jesus as my only hope of heaven. I know the Lord saved me based on His promise from the Bible in Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” The next day, I woke up with joyfulness, knowing that I had the Holy Spirit living inside me.
After that first service, I just kept attending and attending. I began to meet so many amazing people that helped mentor me in my spiritual life. We were able to fellowship about spiritual things and just the everyday things of life, like work and college. A few months went by, and I continued to attend, but I knew something was missing.
I had continued to grow in the knowledge of the Bible, but I felt like there had to be something more to life. I wanted to have eternal life in Christ, and by now I learned that it would only come if I personally accepted God’s free gift of salvation for myself.
It was on June 22, 2016, at 6:45 pm that I finally came to salvation and faith in Christ. I sat on the floor of my living room and cried out to the Lord for forgiveness. I repented of my sins, and placed my faith in Jesus as my only hope of heaven. I know the Lord saved me based on His promise from the Bible in Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” The next day, I woke up with joyfulness, knowing that I had the Holy Spirit living inside me.
"The next day, I woke up with joyfulness, knowing that I had the Holy Spirit living inside me."
Another verse that is close to my heart is Romans 8:14-16, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.”
This passage speaks personally to me because I was adopted as an infant from India by my family, and those verses in Romans 8 talk about how, when a person is saved, God adopts them as His own children into his spiritual family!
I feel very blessed by everything that my family has done for me through my adoption, but now that I am saved, I feel even more blessed that I have been adopted by God, too!
I thought being adopted once was cool, but being adopted twice – by my family AND by my Lord and Savior – that is a very special thing!
I feel very blessed by everything that my family has done for me through my adoption, but now that I am saved, I feel even more blessed that I have been adopted by God, too!
I thought being adopted once was cool, but being adopted twice – by my family AND by my Lord and Savior – that is a very special thing!