Short version: Grew up with a Christian mom and an unsaved sailor father. I was very confused and yet unconvinced about the whole God thing. I was also very bad as a kids but in a silent devious way. Then my father accepted the Lord when I was 16. It was like day and night. He knelt as an angry strict man who enjoyed a drink and rose up as a kind, compassionate loving father. It did a head trip on me.
At the age of 18 I was pretty sure that God existed but I wasn’t sure I wanted to serve him. I made a decision to see what the world had to offer. I remember the Lord telling me that he was giving me a short period of time but then I would have to make a decision. It was very much the prodigal son situation. For one year I went to parties, got drunk, did some drugs, was mean and rude to my parents, almost threw my life away. I had dark moments, suicidal even, lost myself in drak poetry and books. I explored the dark emotions for quite a while. Yet, it was during this time that I received my calling. I knew I was going to be a pastor even though it made no sense at all in the moment. I told my friends and they laughed. I even told my mom.
Sure enough, a year later, almost to the day, I woke up in my bedroom, hung over from the night before, with an awareness that Jesus was there. In a flash he showed me what I had done and where my life was going. His presence was overwhelming. His love was convicting. He was right there with me.
I lept from my bed and fell on my face in his presence. I wept uncontrollably as the conviction of what I had done to him penetrated every fiber of my being, until he touched my inner place with his love, and that’s when everything changed for me. The old fell away because the new had come. In an instant I was re-created. I finally understood what had happened to my dad.
I rushed out of my bedroom to call my pastor who I had not spoken to for a year. My parents couldn’t figure out what was going on and kept asking me if I was okay. When my pastor answered the phone all I said was “I just met Jesus”. I heard a clunk as he dropped the phone on the way out the door and it seemed within seconds he was standing in my doorway. I have not looked back a day since. Oh, I have failed him plenty of times but he has never ever failed me.
Now imagine what the long version would be like. :-) Have a wonderful day in the Lord
15
