From Religious to Saved

By Greg Hartmann – Chicago

Before putting my faith in Jesus Christ, I really thought I was doing God’s work—feeding the poor weekly, going to church, helping addicts. But really, I realized it was for me to feel good about myself, and God humbled me and pointed that out to me, that I was doing it for myself.

During Covid, I was assigned to a location in our basement at the plant. Nobody was around, and it was boring. All of a sudden, I started to pray the way that I was raised, Catholic. I prayed all day—the Hail Mary and the Our Father—over and over again, as people were really going crazy with all the nonsense of Covid, anxiety, and fear.

Then I came home one day and asked my wife to order me a Bible, which she did—the King James Version. I started to read the different topics in the back of the Bible. I would read multiple verses of the topic and where it directed me. Then I was told (which I know now is the Holy Spirit talking to me) to read the whole chapter of whatever verses it directed me to.

Then I read Job, then Proverbs. Then again, I heard Him tell me to read the Bible word for word from the beginning. So I kept up with the topics, but I started in Genesis on 4-20-20. I brought my Bible to work and would read every chance I had. I finished reading the Bible on 4-20-22, with no planning at all—just reading when I could. Very cool that happened that way.

Then I called my cousin, who is a pastor, and I got baptized at his church in June 2022.

Since then, everything has changed. I found a church in Gurnee—Village Church of Gurnee—that I liked because they read Scripture and then explained it. I heard my pastor on Moody Radio, David Giese, which is the same last name as my best friend, and I liked how he spoke, so I went there.

So many things have changed. Now I know it’s all God and not me at all—whatever I do is now directly from the Holy Spirit, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and the Father. I just try to do the best I can with whatever God puts in front of me.

I’ve been introduced to Bible study that is separate from my church, with different people and elders from different areas. I am bold with Jesus when the Holy Spirit directs me. I’m in AA, and I know there are a lot of sinners there—which I am one—and I look for the one who is eager in the search for God.

My whole attitude has changed. I’m not perfect and still need to repent and have faith that it’s God’s world, not mine. But I’m always praying for others and giving thanks for everything—from paying my bills, to answered prayers for a friend, to just blessing people and situations when my humanness tries to come out. Which breaks down to more peace, even when things are rough.

Well, there is salvation, and it’s real. If someone would like to talk about it, I’d be happy to tell them what God has directed me to—His Son, Jesus. I hand out little “Jesus” figures to strangers—people at work, friends—and my opening line is, “Everyone needs a little Jesus!” Pretty much, most people say thank you when I give it to them.

I haven’t had the opportunity to follow through with some of them because it’s people at a drive-thru, a store clerk, or people begging in the street. I feel like having that little Jesus, that God will direct them if they keep that little rubber Jesus.

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