Faith Put To Action

True faith, the kind that really makes a difference in this world , the kind that seriously changes and transforms people, is the kind that is demonstrated by not only our thoughts and our beliefs, but by our actions.
"What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but you don't show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, "Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well"- but then you don't give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless...I will show you my faith by my good deeds."
James 2:14-18
It's so much more complex than this, but here is the way it worked out for me...
I was going along with my life, everything was just fine. I didn't know God. I had a family of my own. I felt vulnerable, and defenseless and afraid that there was something bigger than me out there. I got sick. I felt I was facing death. I was desperate. I cried out to God to save me. He did. I wanted to get to know Him. I started to read and pray and learn. My heart and soul and life began to change. I began to crave the Word of the Bible like nothing else I'd ever desired before. I fell in love with Jesus Christ. I was reborn into a new, joyful, exciting, full, real life. I felt free. I felt grateful and thankful and blessed and humbled and awed and amazed. Out of my gratitude and true love and admiration and devotion, I want to spend my life learning about God, being in His presence, serving Him, becoming more like Him, pleasing Him, obeying Him, loving myself and others the way He does, working alongside Him to bring more peace and love into this hurting world. I finally feel like I have a purpose, a plan, and real reason for being on this earth. I believe that I am called, as we all are, to accept the Lord's love and grace, to respond to it by giving our lives to Him and demonstrating our faith in Christ by our deeds of loving service.