I Was Sinking, But God Rescued Me!
My name is Maria Zarrillo, and this is my story.
I grew up attending Lehigh Valley Baptist Church in Emmaus, Pennsylvania. I always heard the gospel being preached, but never really thought of it for my own. But at my first summer camp in 2013, Pastor Eric Ramos was preaching. He used the illustration of two Coke cans in two pitchers of water. One was a Diet Coke, and one was a regular Coke. He put both of them in the pitchers of water: the Diet Coke sank, and the regular Coke floated. The last thing he said was, “Which one are you?” That was the beginning of my spiritual thinking.
However, all through high school, I kind of just blew off the idea of me needing salvation. I always made false professions of faith, but never thought it was wrong. So I lived thinking I was all right with God.
However, all through high school, I kind of just blew off the idea of me needing salvation. I always made false professions of faith, but never thought it was wrong. So I lived thinking I was all right with God.
Then around Christmas of 2017, I started having doubts, and I asked God to show me if I was really saved or not. So with the right attitude, I asked God to give me peace about my salvation, but there was no peace whatsoever. God wouldn’t let me sleep for three nights straight; that caused me to really think about my spiritual life. Even when I would sleep, I would constantly have nightmares about me going to hell.
"So I lived thinking I was all right with God.”
But then the thought of “how can I believe in someone I can’t even see?” came into my head and wouldn’t leave. Just that little thought put the whole salvation thing on hold. I just lived with that thought for months.
However, on March 4th of 2018, on Sunday night during a message about repentance, it finally hit home for me. I was convicted about my sins like I had never been before. After church, I went home, crying, and I asked my dad if we could talk. We sat down, and I said, “I need to be saved, but I don’t know what I’m missing.” My dad replied, “It’s not what your missing: it’s WHO you’re missing.” But I still couldn’t believe in Someone I couldn’t see, let alone trust Him with my eternal life.
However, on March 4th of 2018, on Sunday night during a message about repentance, it finally hit home for me. I was convicted about my sins like I had never been before. After church, I went home, crying, and I asked my dad if we could talk. We sat down, and I said, “I need to be saved, but I don’t know what I’m missing.” My dad replied, “It’s not what your missing: it’s WHO you’re missing.” But I still couldn’t believe in Someone I couldn’t see, let alone trust Him with my eternal life.
"However, on March 4th of 2018, on Sunday night during a message about repentance, it finally hit home for me.”
Then my dad said, “If I went behind a closed door, and you couldn’t see me, but you heard my voice, would you doubt I was there?”
I said, “Of course not, because I could hear you.”
He said, “Exactly. God has already been talking to you; it’s called conviction.”
I said, “Of course not, because I could hear you.”
He said, “Exactly. God has already been talking to you; it’s called conviction.”
Once again, it finally clicked for me. After three years of struggling with my salvation, I finally realized that God is indeed real and that He died on the cross. MY sins put Him there. I went up to my room, crying, and I grabbed my Bible and read John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
After I read that, everything made sense for me. I finally gave up the fight and let God take over of my life. I fell on my face before God and repented of my sins and put my faith and trust in Him that night.
After I prayed, I got up, and I experienced the peace over my soul like I had never experienced before. God didn’t have to save me, but praise God, He did. I wouldn’t know where I would be today if He didn’t. God has been working in my life ever since then. I have seen fruit and victory in my life over sin. I am so excited to see where God takes me in the future.
With that being said, can I ask: Are you the sinking soda can, or are you on your way to heaven?
After I read that, everything made sense for me. I finally gave up the fight and let God take over of my life. I fell on my face before God and repented of my sins and put my faith and trust in Him that night.
After I prayed, I got up, and I experienced the peace over my soul like I had never experienced before. God didn’t have to save me, but praise God, He did. I wouldn’t know where I would be today if He didn’t. God has been working in my life ever since then. I have seen fruit and victory in my life over sin. I am so excited to see where God takes me in the future.
With that being said, can I ask: Are you the sinking soda can, or are you on your way to heaven?