By Angela Ryo

One of the first songs I learned at church after coming to America was: “My Savior loves me, he died to save me; he lives in glory, my Lord and King!” By then, I was already a freshman in high school, and I had joined the praise band at church. 

Not even in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be on the praise team. That’s why when my Sunday school teacher asked me to join the praise band, I laughed out loud. I remember telling her, “But I don’t sing, and I don’t play any instruments!” She wasn’t fazed by my reply and said, “That’s okay! You’ll learn.” Then, I told her, “But I don’t even know if I believe in Jesus!” And she said, “That’s okay! That’s not a prerequisite.” So, I agreed to be on the praise band, not knowing what I’d be doing, because I had a huge crush on the cute leader of the band, who played the guitar like Jimi Hendrix (not really, but I was young and easily impressed)! And that’s what set me off on my journey to knowing Jesus as my Savior.  

The band practiced for many hours twice a week. I saw the band members more often than my own siblings. (Just in case you’re curious what I ended up doing in the band, you’ll have to read to the end to find out!) Those hours of practice included many moments of prayer and reading the Bible together. This whole Jesus thing was becoming more and more real. After months of practice, we were playing at a revival meeting when I realized I wanted — no, desperately needed — a relationship with Jesus. And Jesus met me there. When I woke up the next day, it felt like the bright sun was shining ONLY on me, and when I went to school, I couldn’t stop smiling because of the joy that kept bubbling up inside me! All the walls and dams I built around my heart came crashing down as God’s love flooded in with immense force and tenderness. 

Looking back on those days, I realize that knowing Jesus as my Savior has given me (and continues to give me) the abundant life that John 10:10 talks about: “I have come so that you may have life and have it abundantly.” The abundant and eternal life Jesus offers us is a life lived in God, who is the source of all love and life, regardless of which side of heaven we’re on. The joy, love, grace, forgiveness, mercy, acceptance, and peace I’ve experienced over the years of knowing Jesus as my Savior have given me an abundant life. Back then, I thought being saved meant going to heaven after I died. But now I understand that the word for salvation in Greek means “to heal, to be made whole.” And I have known for a long time that my relationship with my Savior Jesus is my path toward wholeness. 

Looking back at being in that band freshman year of high school, I am ever so grateful for everyone who accepted me and met me where I was, especially my Sunday school teacher, who asked me to join the band, knowing I was not a believer. It was that praise band that taught me about the power of prayer and love. Had it not been for them, I wonder how I would have come to know Jesus as my Savior — how I would have come to know the abundant life that I know and live now. As a spiritual teacher, Ram Dass once wrote, “We’re all just walking each other home.” Indeed, let’s walk each other home into the abundant love and life of God. 

P.S. So what did I end up doing in the band? I was “the motion girl.” I came up with motions to songs (yes, including the “My Savior Loves Me” song) and made everyone do them with me. That was my way of walking everyone home!

Angela Ryo currently serves as Pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Munster, IN. She enjoys taking long walks, reading, listening to NPR, and drinking good coffee with friends and strangers alike.