I am so glad I accepted Jesus Christ into my heart!  I cannot imagine my life without Him!

I think my life is better because OF my having Christ in it.  I know He will take care of me and guide all my steps.  If I put all my trust and confidence in Him, he WILL get me through anything.  (And He HAS.)

I accepted Jesus Christ into my heart three years ago when I was ten.  (I'm now thirteen years old.)  I went to church camp, and this was where I made the decision, the most important decision of my life.  Because of that decision, I know without a shadow of a doubt that I will go to Heaven when I die (or when Jesus comes back --- whichever happens first).

My name is Ericka Graves.  I live with my family in Des Moines, Iowa.  I have three brothers named David Maurice (15), Matthew Charles (10), and Trevor Daniel (6).  I had a sister, Cara Lee, but she passed away two years ago in a car wreck.  She would have been seventeen this year.  Drunk driver hit her as she was walking home from school.  I still miss her so much!!

Jesus helped me through this dark, depressing time.  While I still grieved (and oftentimes still do, especially on her birthday or days like Christmas or Thanksgiving or the Fourth of July), the pain has gotten a little easier.  And it will continue to do so as time goes on, because I know Jesus will give me comfort and peace when I seem to need it the most.

Every Sunday (and Wednesday), you will find me at church.  My family goes with me.  We go to a non-denominational church, where people of all faiths or beliefs are welcome to attend.  They have a great pastoral staff at Whispering Hope Christian Church, and I'm involved with the teen ministry ("New Directions", it's called).  I also help out with the children once a month during the normal Sunday services; I love being around the kids!  They're always so much fun!!

I am saddened to see many of my peers getting involved in things like gangs, drugs, or Heaven knows what else, or seeing kids/teens who are getting abused by the people who say they love them (or whom they know).  Or kids who continually deny Christ, even when all they have to do is look around and see the majestic beauty that God, the Heavenly Father, has created with His own two hands.

I know how my life was before Christ.  It's a whole lot different now, and I have hope.  I have a purpose in life, and that is sharing the gospel with kids like myself (or the future generations, like with the kids at the daycare at my church).  I would like to go into missions work and go to Africa; that would be so cool!  (I'd like to go to Kenya.  My aunt Margaret went there last year on vacation, and she said it was a very unforgettable experience.  I saw the pictures; they were absolutely AMAZING!!)

I don't know when Jesus is coming back, but truth be told: He IS coming back, and He's coming back soon!  I hope so because this world has gotten to be pretty scary!!  I do know this much:  I am more than ready for Him to come!!  I always tell people, "Come, Lord Jesus:  You can't come soon enough!!"