On August 26, 2021, as I was putting our daughter to bed and finishing a children’s Bible story, she looked at me and asked me to please read the complete Bible with her. I gently kissed her goodnight and told her that I had never read the complete Bible before, but I would do my best for her.

I went to my office and cried to the Lord—how could I do this for her if I had never read the Bible myself? I texted my sister (a strong Christian, married to a pastor) and she assured me I could do it. Knowing my sister, she prayed earnestly for me that night. With strength—definitely not my own—I searched for over two hours, reading reviews on Amazon for Bibles for teens. That night before going to bed I ordered eight books. Thanks to Prime, the books arrived the next day, and I began to scan them for the best ones. I also downloaded the audio Bible app and began listening to and reading the first chapters of Genesis.

A few nights passed, and I was ready to sit with Ariela at bedtime and read and listen to Scripture with her. She would ask questions and often my answers were, “Let me look into that for you,” or “Let me ask my sister for clarification.” Then I would go to my office and read some more, so I could get ahead of her questions.

A hunger for Scripture began to grow, and I listened as I cooked, walked on the treadmill, showered, and cleaned the house. My questions about life were being answered: Why was I chosen to be born? What was my purpose in this world? and most importantly, Why did Christ die for all my sins? I realized that the big sins and little ones, my bad choices and faults, and all my mistakes were sins before God. I knew that because of my sins I deserved God’s judgment.

The Bible showed me that since the beginning of time, God’s love, guidance, compassion, and patience have always been evident. He has always instructed His people how to live and trust Him. Through Christ’s perfect life and death on the cross, He shows us that He loves us more than we could ever love Him. Through faith in Christ, our sins are forgiven, and we receive eternal life.

I was learning how to handle every situation life might throw at me in my marriage, my parenting, my family, and my career. Within two months of reading the Bible, the Lord had worked on my heart, chipping away the old me and revealing the new Monica, with Christ leading the way. One morning I called my sister to tell her that the world seemed so bright, and Scripture was no longer a foreign language to me but had become my own.

During this time, my husband was in the dark about what Ariela and I were doing. I had kept it from him for two months, afraid he wouldn’t understand since he was not a religious person. I started to write down my feelings so I could sit with him and confess. I held on to that paper for what seemed like forever, praying that the Lord would help my words come out—not saying too much and not saying too little. I prayed that Christ would open my husband’s ears and heart to the same love that I had for Christ. Finally, one night the Lord pushed me to have a pillow talk with Ari. I sat on our bed and read my index cards to him. I asked him to let me finish and not interrupt me. I was so scared to look up, but when I did, he had the most beautiful smile on his face! His grin went from ear to ear, and it may sound silly, but his face was shining. He then assured me that he was happy for me, and that he had seen a positive change in me but didn’t know the reason. I told him that Ariela had said the same thing—that I had become a better mommy in her eyes. “It is Christ in me,” I tried to explain. “I now want to honor God before myself.”

Then I told him how it all began, how Ariela had asked me to read the Bible with her two months earlier, and how I had felt so lost to help her. Ari said, “But Honey, we are not that bad; we don’t murder or steal.” Trying to explain further, I told him that all sins, both big and small, are equal—that my lukewarm faith had been just as bad as ice cold, and that I needed a Savior who through His Spirit would teach me how to truly respect him as my husband, be a better mother, honor my parents, and love my neighbors as I loved myself. I told him that every good gift was from God, not earned by our works, and that my salvation was not earned according to how good or bad I was—it was given to me as a gift of faith that leads to good fruit in my life. I told him that one day I would stand before God and give an account of my life, whether I had used my gifts for His glory.

That night Ari asked me to read Scripture to him, and we started reading it together every night. One chapter a night became five, and soon afterwards I started catching him reading on his own. I could see the fruit of true faith and salvation. As Christ began to reside in my husband’s heart, leading his thoughts and words, our conversations grew, and Christ was at the center of them.

Before long, Ariela asked if we could find a church that matched the Scripture we were reading. As before, I told her I would do some research. And once again, I asked my sister to guide me. I loved the way my brother-in-law preached in Minnesota, but that was too cold and far away. I wanted a preacher who would always show the true way of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. After listening to a few online sermons from area churches, I knew that Community Bible Church was where my family needed to be. I told Ari that I would never force him to go to church, but that I needed to continue our spiritual growth. So, for a while, Ariela and I attended alone. What caught my heart about the church was the verse-by-verse teaching of God’s Word. What I was discovering in my personal Bible study at home was identical to what Pastor John taught in his sermons. The fellowship of brothers and sisters in Christ was exactly what my heart needed. Soon Ari started to join us for the Sunday morning service, and not long after came Equipping Hour, Wednesday night Bible study, lunch dates with our church family, retreats, and plans for a trip to Israel—Lord willing.

The Lord knows me: He knows my past fears, my thoughts, and most of all my heart. He knew that I had always yearned to know Him but didn’t know how to start. He knew I wanted to understand His Word, the Bible. He knew me so much that He used Ariela as His vessel. He knew that as a mom I would move mountains for her. He saved me using my weakness!

I am forever grateful for the gift of salvation that God brought to our family. My faith is grounded in Christ alone. Now, I strive to be anxious about nothing but trust in Him fully. I pray that the good works produced through faith will bring honor to Him. I pray that I will praise and glorify Him not only at my church but with every step I take outside of those walls. I am especially thankful for Diane and Dave Stinson who were the first smiling faces to welcome me to CBC, and for my dear sister, Michelle, who always prays for me, trusts the Lord for me, and shows me how to be a godly woman. And I’m so very grateful for our young daughter who asked me to read the complete Bible with her.

In 2023, my husband and I were baptized, and in 2024, our daughter followed. Our baptism was an act of obedience, symbolizing our repentance and faith in Jesus Christ who died on the cross that we might have new life in Him.

Luke 18:16—

“But Jesus called the children to him and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.’”

Monica Gomez and her family are members of Community Bible Church in St. Augustine, Florida, where they enjoy verse-by-verse teaching of God’s Word.