The year was 1988. Mary McDonald placed her hand on the TV and was led by Jimmy Swaggart in a salvation prayer. “There’s a new name written down in glory,” he said as he pointed at her through the screen. She turned off the set and stood wondering, “Is that all there is to it?”
The next day she went to early mass, said the rosary and lit a candle for her husband in Purgatory.

At work, she shared her experience with her friend, Sally.

“Oh, that’s great, Mary! I’m so glad you’ve found the Lord!”

“But I don’t feel any different. Is something supposed to change?”

“No, you’re saved because the Bible says you’re saved. It has nothing to do with feelings. The Bible says we are to ‘walk by faith.’”

“OK. I get it. It’s because I said the prayer that I’m saved.”

“Yes. You see, going to church and doing good deeds can’t save us; only the blood of Jesus can save us.”

“So everything I did before to please God didn’t do any good ... but now that I’ve said the prayer, God is happy with me?”

Sally could see she wasn’t getting through. She remembered she had a book at home called What Does it Mean to be Born Again? and promised to give it to her the next day.