This Is My Story: The Trails of Grace Series
By Hannah
I’m so excited to begin this new series here on Prairie Grace, where we’ll be sharing testimonies of God’s grace at work in real lives. I thought it would be fitting to start with my own story.Growing Up in Faith
I was born into a Christian home, so from a young age I understood that I was a sinner who needed to be saved in order to go to heaven. I also knew that believing in Jesus—that He died on the cross for my sins and rose again three days later—was the only way to be saved.
Maybe you’re familiar with the children’s song that says:
“One way God said to get to heaven, Jesus is the only way.”
That simple truth stuck with me.
When I was about four or five years old, I put my faith in Christ. I prayed, asking Jesus to come into my heart. Looking back, I see it was a child’s faith, but it was real.
Struggling with Doubt
As I grew older, though, I often struggled with doubts. Sometimes I would wonder if I had prayed the prayer “right.” I worried that maybe God hadn’t heard me, and I would feel the need to pray again—just in case.
Over time, this became a real source of anxiety. I would lie awake at night, wondering if I was truly saved. Because I wrestled so much with the assurance of my salvation, I also began to feel anxious about death itself.
Still, I stayed active in my faith. I went to church and Bible studies, helped teach Sunday school, and played violin on the worship team. When I was 22, I decided to attend Bible school for a year—and it was there that I first learned about the assurance of salvation.
Sealed by the Spirit
The Bible teaches that once you are saved, you cannot lose your salvation.
“In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”
(Ephesians 1:13–14)
In the ancient world, a seal was much more than just a stamp—it carried meaning and authority. When Paul says believers are “sealed with the Holy Spirit,” he’s reminding us of several things:
A mark of ownership – We belong to God.
A guarantee of authenticity – Our faith is real and recognized by Him.
Security and protection – No one can break God’s seal (see John 10:27–29).
A pledge or down payment – The Spirit is God’s guarantee of the eternal life to come.
What a comforting truth—that our salvation rests not in our feelings or in saying the right words, but in God’s promise and His Spirit’s seal.
Going Back to the Basics
Even now, when doubts creep in, I go back to the question: “What does the Bible say about salvation?”
John 3:16 gives the answer so clearly:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
So I walk through it step by step:
Who am I believing in? Jesus.
Was Jesus real? Yes. The Bible tells us so, and even historical documents outside the Bible confirm His existence.
Do I believe He was who He said He was? Yes—I believe He is God’s Son, fully God and fully man.
What did Jesus do? He died on the cross.
Why did He die? Because He was the perfect sacrifice—the only one who lived a sinless life but took the punishment that sinners deserve.
Did He stay dead? No! He rose again on the third day, and the Bible says He will return one day for His own.
When I remind myself of these truths, I realize my salvation doesn’t depend on how perfectly I prayed a prayer as a child. It depends on the finished work of Jesus Christ and my faith in Him.
Standing on God’s Word
Other verses that give me comfort are:
Romans 8:38–39 – “For I am sure that neither death nor life… nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
1 John 5:11–13 – “…that you may know that you have eternal life.”
Even when I still wrestle with questions or anxieties, I can return to these promises. My feelings may waver, but God’s Word stands firm.
I wish I could say that I never struggle with questioning my salvation or fearing death anymore. While I believe God could take those fears away, for reasons I may not understand, I still wrestle with them at times.
But now I am far more equipped than I was before. When fear creeps in, I have truth to fall back on. When doubt rises, I have Scripture to steady me.
That’s the trail of grace I’m walking—and my prayer is that His grace steadies you on your journey, too.
✨ This post is part of the “Trails of Grace” series on Prairie Grace, where real people share real testimonies of God’s faithfulness. Stay tuned for more stories of grace!
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