Dear SCC & Friends,
I have been young, and now I am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, or his descendants begging bread. ~Psalm 37:25
Update #44
A relationship with Christ is a relationship that no one can have for you. Others can help encourage and strengthen, but always it comes back to 1st person singular…Who do you say that I am? I remember praying as a teenager, “I may leave you, but please don’t ever leave me.” Even then, I knew I’d fall short, and I certainly did. My teen years, college and military are filled with the good, the bad and the ugly, and the good was by my standard…not His. At 24, He brought me back to Himself once and for all…no more half steps, no more lukewarm, no more starring in my own movie…Finally and forever, my life was to be completely devoted to Him. How I got to that place I cannot explain, other than He never left me even when life and purpose were on my terms. The Lord’s preeminent grace sustained me through years of wandering and doubt and brought me back to Himself.
When all this happened, I didn’t feel “called to the ministry”. The thought of being a Reverend was as far away as I could imagine. Yet, I loved sharing my faith, challenging and encouraging others in the Lord. I went from never reading the Bible to reading it for hours on end. I went from never going to church to five nights a week and twice on Sunday. I went from my plans to His plans for my life. An old hymn says it all, “Heaven came down and glory filled my soul, when at the cross my Savior made me whole…My night was turned to day, my sins were washed away. Heaven came down and glory filled my soul.” My story, like your story, is personal and uniquely orchestrated by the Lord. He has specific purpose for each of our lives, and our relationship with Him remains the most important issue in this life. We were made for these times, and we were made for Him. Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it. ~Psalm 37:4-5 Keep up the good work!
Yours in His grace,
Kevin