In this interview, Janaye recounts her personal conversion experience at age seven during a church youth camp in Trinidad and Tobago. Her parents were camp directors, and the sermon was delivered by a speaker named Nathaniel while she sat on Auntie Mel's lap. Moved by the message, Janaye expressed a desire to give her life to Christ, raised her hand, and joined other youths who were saved, many of whom were in tears. Though initially confused by the tears, she later understood them as the Holy Spirit’s emotional response. She affirms that at that moment she truly gave her life to Christ.
Chapters
That's so good. It makes me want, it makes me want to ask you to tell us, because you kind of located us where we're at, where Trinidad and Tobago are, where you're at, and kind of the style of your raising. You did talk about the Lord didn't give up on you, was there the whole time. Tell us about your coming to the Lord, because we talk about that when I came to Jesus, or when I, you know what I mean? Tell us about the time when you knew, however that happened, that you belong to Christ, right, and that he belonged to you. Tell us about that story. Well, when I got saved, I was 7 years old, right?
It was a church youth camp. My parents was the directors, and there was someone who's speaking. His name was Nathaniel, and I remembered like it was yesterday because I was sitting on the lap of Auntie Mel, and he was preaching, and I remember like I was really understanding his message, you know, and he was like, you know, anybody would like to give their life to Christ, you know, you Slippy Hat, you all know. And I was just like, "Wow, I feel like I really want to." And I remember telling her, I was like, "I feel like I really want to." And she's like, "Janaye, if you do, yes." And I remember raising my hand and we went to the back of everybody who was saved. And all those young people were in tears. And I was looking up, looking at all of them in tears and crying. I was confused, like, "Why are they crying?" Because to me, it's a happy moment. But you know, when you get older, you understand the emotions of the Holy Spirit. But at that moment, I knew I gave my life to Christ.
Amen.
That was the salvation. And then from there, God transformed me. I was baptized. I remember when all my friends were being baptized, like all my friends in church was being baptized in a specific year. You know, everybody was like, okay, Shanell would be baptized this year, Shanell would be baptized this year. And I remember when my parents, like, they spoke to me, they spoke, they was like, no, she's not ready yet. And I remember a lot of people disagreed with them in that. And, you know, maybe parents listening to this will have their own opinions too. Yeah, sure. Me looking back, I'm like, you probably wanted to get baptized on that year because all your friends was getting baptized. And I remember I got baptized the following year, and it was a time when, you know, it just probably— they knew best, you know.
