Fame and Forgiveness

I'm the only girl in our family; I have four older brothers. When I was six, my father left our family because of marriage problems. That was the last time I saw him. He died three years later and I resented my mother – I felt it was her fault I had never seen my father. I blamed her for all my sadness.

When my father died, I believed God was bad because He had taken away what I needed. Because my mother had to work, my brothers and I lived largely on our own. Feeling profoundly lonely, misunderstood and burdened, I longed for love and acceptance.

In 1971, I started to make money as a singer. From there, I had many opportunities to perform on TV, and in movies with famous actors. I started to make a lot of money and felt self-sufficient. I didn't need anybody.

At the same time, my loneliness, sadness, fear and anxiety grew. I began to drink, wanting to find refuge in alcohol. By 1980, the alcohol had me totally defeated. I lost my dignity, my career, and my money. I also lost my family because my brothers didn't want to have anything to do with me anymore. My mother had to support me and care for my daughters for many years.

In 1984, I sought help. At a meeting, I understood that Jesus Christ died on the cross for me, to pay the penalty for all my wrongs. I asked Him into my life, and then experienced His forgiveness, love and mercy.

Ever since that day, my life has been totally different. A single mother, I committed myself more to my daughters and gave up alcohol completely.

Today, I record Mexican songs for my Lord Jesus. Today, I can proclaim all that God has done for me. I am a wife, a mother and a woman of worth. Above all, I am no longer alone or afraid. I am filled with Him and my security is in Him.

What about you? Are you looking for love and acceptance? Do you struggle with problems that seem bigger than you are? If so, you can find fulfilment and peace through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

In the Bible, Jesus says: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him" (Revelation 3:20).

Receiving Christ involves turning to God from self (repentance) and trusting Christ to come into our lives to forgive us of our sins and to make us what He wants us to be. Just to agree intellectually that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for our sins is not enough. Nor is it enough to have an emotional experience. We receive Jesus Christ by faith, as an act of our will.

You can receive Christ right now, by faith, through prayer. Praying is simply talking to God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. Here's a suggested prayer:

Lord Jesus, I want to know You personally. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to You and ask You to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of woman You want me to be.

Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? You can pray it right now, and Jesus Christ will come into your life, just as He promised.

If you invited Christ into your life, thank God often that He is in your life, that He will never leave you and that you have eternal life. As you learn more about your relationship with God, and how much He loves you, you'll experience life to the fullest.