“From Religion to Relationship: Building a Relationship with Jesus”
5/5/2025
I would like to introduce myself and give you some history about my life. My name is Eric Garrett, and I have been married 31 years this month. My wife, Tonya, and I have two children, Brandon and Kelsey, and one granddaughter that we nicknamed Oakie Dokey!
I am 49 years old, and I was raised in church. At the age of eight, I went to the altar and announced my faith in Jesus Christ! So far this sounds great, right?
Well, I am here to tell you that up until December 28th of 2022, I did not have a relationship with Jesus Christ. I did not trust Him with my finances, my marriage, or anything else that involved drawing close to Him.
I have always been an emotional guy, and I am terrified of hell, which led to a lot of emotional trips to the altar. I absolutely wanted the fire insurance that came with knowing Jesus Christ, but I wanted no part of living Jesus Christ. When it came to riding both sides of the fence and living life in the gray areas, I did it to the best of my ability.
Why God would want to use me for anything is beyond my comprehension. I do not claim to be a writer or a well-educated individual. The idea for this blog—and ultimately my ministry—came through a lot of seeking and praying for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to show me His will for my life. I am simply trying to do His will to the best of my ability.
As far as education goes, I dropped out of school my senior year, earned my GED, and then married my best friend in the spring of 1994. I learned that no job gave me peace when it came to a career. I had plenty of jobs—and I do mean plenty—but I soon became bored with each one. There was always an empty spot in my soul, a sense that something was missing, and that what I was doing for work wasn’t what I was truly meant to do.
I had learned all about Jesus my whole life and could talk to you for hours about the Bible, but I had never learned to trust Him. I viewed Jesus as something like a pocketknife—handy to have when I was bored or in trouble. But my life and my problems always seemed bigger than Him. I rarely consulted Jesus for anything unless I figured it wouldn’t require me to change my ways.
Mostly, I prayed for everyone except myself. And if I did pray for myself, it was usually for monetary gain. Looking back, I honestly don’t know why He allowed me to keep on living. I did nothing but make Him look bad. At times, I made a mockery of Him. I denied Him in front of others. I was disobedient in every aspect of my life—and yet, He loved me through all of it.
My biggest mistake was that I never desired a relationship with Him. When I prayed, I never listened for Him to speak—I just said my peace and went on with my business. When I read my Bible, I never listened for Him to teach me. I just glanced through a couple of chapters so I could check it off my list. I did both of these things RELIGIOUSLY a couple times a day, so that if someone asked, I could say, “Yes.” That way, in the eyes of men, I would appear to be saved and on my way to heaven.
But no matter how good a show we put on for the world, God always knows the heart, the intentions, and the motives behind our actions.
God gave me grace and mercy—and He forgave me of my past. He will give you that same grace and mercy! That grace and mercy are why I’m sitting at my desk trying to do something I have no skill set for, no formal training, and no experience in.
That’s right—I have never written a book, a blog, or launched a business. My education is limited. But I have the ALPHA AND OMEGA, the LIVING GOD, the CREATOR OF ALL THINGS, the GREAT I AM, the LAMB OF GOD, the KING OF MY LIFE, YESHUA, JEHOVAH, YAHWEH—and all the other great names He goes by—guiding me!
It is my prayer that my ministry and this blog reach people who have been trying to live for Christ but keep failing—because they’ve never created a true relationship with Jesus.
Whether you are lost, a new convert, a theologian, a non-believer, or just not sure—this blog is for you.