I was fortunate enough to be born into a Christian family who seemed to be at the church “every time the doors opened” as they say. As I grew up in church and learned the stories of the Bible, I also saw the benefits of a close personal relationship with Jesus modeled by my parents and many other relatives. I knew that I was far from perfect and needed forgiveness from sin. As I came to understand that Jesus had lived a perfect life and died on the cross to pay the punishment that I deserved, I asked Jesus to be my Savior and turned my life over to Him at a young age. It was, is, and always will be the best decision I have ever made.
I wish I could say that the day I made that decision I became perfect just like Christ and never had a bad day or anything but happiness since. But that’s not how God works. Followers of Jesus know that the decision is just the first step on a long journey of being molded and shaped to be more like Him. With me, that meant that God would start dealing with the sharp edges of my life like my temper, my impatience, my pride, and many other things. Because He loves me, He is still working on me today.
When I became a parent, I understood in a whole new way how God related to me as His child. I have two beautiful daughters who I love unconditionally, a small reflection of how God loves me. When they worry about things that I know are small and won’t matter in the long run, I see how God looks at me when I’m anxious about things. But God has taught me the most about how He loves me through my son who is on the Autism Spectrum. Lessons about patience and about having faith in an uncertain future and how His love for me isn’t about the great things that I can accomplish, but simply based on who I am – His child.
In 2019, I felt God calling me to pursue a Master’s Degree in Pastoral Ministry online from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. I received a Masters in Pastoral Ministry degree in 2022 and my wife and I are currently praying through the possibility of being sent by our home church to plant a new church in the area.
Knowing Jesus and walking with Him is the best part of my life. His love overwhelms me and I have the certainty of knowing that I will live with Him forever. I hope that you know Him and have started that personal relationship with Him also. If you haven’t and would like to know more, there are several resources under the “Good News” tab at the top of this page or you can reach out to me and I will be happy to talk with you.
“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” – 1 John 3:1