Brooke McGivern

Before Jesus Changed My Life

Prior to truly placing my faith in Jesus, I was a “lukewarm” Christian. I said I was a Christian and believed in Jesus, but my life looked exactly like what modern culture calls “normal,” with the pursuit of money, accolades, security, and relationships that did not follow God’s design. Though I claimed faith, I was living for myself and shaped more by the world than by Christ. My life looked “rich” from the outside, but inwardly I struggled with routine panic attacks, anxiety, and the constant question of whether this was all there is.

In 2022 I met my husband, and in 2023 I moved to Iowa from Kansas City. The move also included a job change for a slower pace of life. Both were difficult, and I often found myself praying that God would soften my heart, reveal my need for Him, and help me surrender control. The Lord heard those prayers and has brought immense change in my life over the past few years. He has shown me the power of prayer, the reality of transformed hearts, and a peace that no worldly thing can provide.

How Jesus Changed My Life

Although I had read Scripture since I was a child, I did not truly comprehend what I was reading, nor did I feel convicted to obey it. I was so influenced by the world that I allowed my values and identity to be shaped by culture rather than by God’s Word. Over the past year, Jesus has lifted the veil as I read the Bible, helping me see both my sin and my deep need for grace. I’ve come to understand that salvation is not earned, but given through Jesus, who lived perfectly and died in my place. He has cultivated in me a desire to know Him more, and I now look forward to time in His Word, gathering with the church, and deepening my walk with Jesus alongside my husband.

My Life After Jesus Saved Me

Over the past year, Jesus’s work in my life has led to meaningful changes in my career, daily choices, community involvement, and dedication to my faith. He has shown me how freeing it is to trust Him fully. Where I once relied on myself, I now find comfort in surrender, knowing that I am held by God’s grace and that He is in control.