My name is Ilze Luneau. I am a Newborn Christian. By God’s grace, I got saved at the end of summer 2005. I have been a basketball motivational and entertainment performer since I graduated from college in 1997. Since I got saved, my main focus has changed dramatically. God has guided me to look for any opportunities to Spread the Gospel, and to encourage kids and adults to serve God through Jesus Christ, be it in basketball or anything else.
I was born and raised in an eastern European country Latvia. When I was growing up, Latvia was a part of Soviet Union, and religion in Soviet Union was not practiced very freely. And certainly people who practiced religion were looked upon as being silly at best. Religion was kept away form schools, government and even social life. Even though we were not a religious family, my parents taught me the right moral lessons– they taught me to work hard, give my best at everything that I am doing, not give up, believe in myself, and respect other people. I did that and I became a good student and a good basketball player. I became so good that I got a scholarship to come all the way from Latvia to United States at age of 18 to study and play basketball. While studying and playing basketball at the college, I met my future husband, Matt, and I thank God for Matt every day because he was a "seed" that led me to Jesus. Matt is a basketball coach, right now he coaches at Syracuse University. When I met Matt in college, he was not a very devoted believer, but then one day he started reading the Bible and started memorizing the verses. I did not understand it at first, I just did not see a “need” for it. I though it was good enough to just be a “good “person, do good things, and not think too much about it. I could never find time to sit down and read a Bible, I always thought everything else was much more important. But I did like listening to my husband tell me the verses from the Bible, though. It seemed to really “make sense to me”, the verses seemed to really touch me, make me feel like that it is the truth. So, finally I started to want to find out more about the Bible. I already had gotten into the habit of watching Christian TV with my husband on Sunday mornings, and I really loved listening to a preacher by a name Charles Stanley. Again, it seemed so easy to listen to him, everything he said made sense to me. I mentioned to you that my parents did teach me good values even without being Christian. But now, when I started reading the Bible and listen to different preachers, I started to see where these moral values actually came from –they came from the Bible, God’s Word, and especially from God’s Law – 10 commandments. And that was not all. I found out I was only a good person in my own eyes, but in God’s eyes I was not so perfect at all. Commandments #9 says “You shall not lie”. I definately have told a lie, even if at the time I thought it was "harmless"... In God’s eyes I am a liar. I know I have taken something that does not belong to me, and it does not matter that it was a tiny thing. In God’s eyes I am a thief. I have thought sometimes I would like to have something that someone else has, like clothes or a house. I have broken commandment #10. The Law leaves us all sinners in God’s sight. I know I have broken every single one of the 10 commandments... “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”. Romans 3:23.
Then I came upon Mark Cahill's book "One Heartbeat Away" and I read it in one night... What I was reading put it all together for me:
“For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.” James 2:10
God says that He is the only God out there. There is not other. So how can we be right with Him? What is the pathway? God says there is one savior: "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." 1 Timothy 2:5 Since Jesus is this "one mediator", what makes Him so special? Why is He the only right answer? God demands blood sacrifice for sin. We cannot, and will never be able to, change God's standard. Jesus is also called the perfect sacrifice who paid the penalty for all sin once and for all. We have to remember that God demands a perfect sacrifice. If Jesus was a sinner just like us, man and man alone, then that won't cut it. Difference was that Jesus never sinned. Because He always chose to do what He knew in His heart was the right thing, He and He alone can be that perfect once-for-all sacrifice for all sin of all sinners (Mark Cahill "One Heartbeat Away"). Jesus says "I am the way, the truth and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me." John 14:6
“God so love the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
The purpose of the Law (10 commandments) is to show us we need a Savior. No one can keep the Law, so if that is what we are trying to do, we are without hope. When we realize our hopeless condition, we should be very happy to hear about what Jesus has done for us. We don't get to Heaven by being good, but by loving and respecting Jesus. And we love and respect Him by repenting (turning away) of our sins, and by placing our faith and trust in what Jesus had done FOR us, and obeying what He has told us to do in His Word.
That's the real purpose of life in this world: We're here for an attitude adjustment. God has created us with free will, and we are here to exercise it. The big question we must decide is will I run my own life? Or will I ask God to run it? Once we repent and receive Jesus, the Spirit of God comes into us, and our gratitude for what He has done and will do for us gives us a desire to do great deeds for Him. God has created His people to live a life filled with good works. He wants us to live our life to glorify Him. And we don't have to do the doing. We only have to be willing for Him to do the doing through us. Since Jesus is living IN us, we don't have to wander what His will is at any time. We JUST ASK Him. Read your Bible every day and ask Him to teach you His truth. If He is telling you to behave a certain way, ask Him to help you behave that way. And talk to Him all the time about everything.
After reading the book, all of a sudden I understood my broken and lost condition, and I gave my heart and life to Jesus. I have been living for Him ever since. Coming to Jesus is just the first step in our spiritual life, every day after that is a growing process where by God's Grace through Faith we grow and become more like the person God designed us to be. It is the most wonderful journey, the peace that I have in my heart "surpasses all understanding".
Since I accepted Jesus as my Savior, I have noticed how my priorities have changed, how much patient and compassionate I have become, and how the most important thing in my life now is to be obedient to His Word. I know it is not ME who is responsible for this change, everything GOOD in my life comes from God in Jesus name. It is not me but JESUS living through me. I talk to Him about everything, asking for His help in every little and big decision in my life. Whenever I get frustrated, I know I am trying to "do it myself", I stop, and I ask for God's Grace, for Holy Spirit's help. "His Grace is still amazing to me" every day! I read the Bible every day, attend a local Baptist Church, have a Christian radio station on in our home and car 24 hours a day (Mars Hill Network), watch Christian TV (Daystar), listen to Christian music (favorite right now - Paul Baloche) and pray constantly. I believe God has a plan for my life, and He will guide me every step of the way. I am learning not to worry about anything, but lean on God completely, and I cannot wait to see my Savior at the end of this earthly journey and be with Him forever and ever.
I had a guy email me a while ago, and asked if it was fun to perform for Detroit Pistons. I told him that it sure was exciting, but it was NOTHING compared to the feeling of peace and joy of knowing I will have eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
God desires every person to trust Him and to be saved, and what He did for me, He will do for anyone who will ask Him.
Ilze
