I grew up in a Christian home and professed to be a Christian because of my religious deeds.  I'd heard the what Jesus has done but never knew how it applied to my life.  I grew up as a people pleaser and based my identity on how people perceived me.  The more I was liked and accepted by people the more satisfied I was in myself. I had to work on my reputation to keep this up through relationships, partying, drinking, and sports.  The effort I put into my reputation would backfire on me leaving me empty.  Relationships wouldn't last, friends leave, didn't meet people's exceptions etc.  There was a point when I realized that I was trying to please man but not God so I began reading the Bible but not applying anything that I was reading. So I tried that while at the same time I was living for myself in pleasing people creating a double life.  It carried through college and I met Patrick and heard the Gospel.  He took us through the Law and told us to put a check by everything we'd ever done in our life.  James 2:10 "whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it".  I saw my sin for the first time and knew I was guilty before God, I deserved death.  There is nothing I can do that can please Him because I'm sinful.  It registered to me why Jesus came, who lived a perfect life and died for me that I may have life.  I surrendered my life to Jesus asked Him to change me and trusted Him in Oct 2004.  I got a new identity found in Christ, fully justified, forgiven and accepted. I live for the God who made me.