I grew up with church as an integral part of my life. My maternal grandfather was an Episcopalian priest and my mother raised her four children in that tradition. We attended services regularly as well as the church’s day school. I participated as a member of the choir and, when I was old enough, served as an altar boy. In high school I was sometimes called upon to read the scripture passages, even though I could not answer my classmates questions about why going to church was so important. I found school equally pointless and begged a teacher to give me a passing grade so I could graduate, a year late! I was clueless about life, employment, God, and intended to wander around the country doing any odd jobs I could find. I knew one thing: I was never going to go back to school!
My parents had divorced when I was 11 and I lived with my mother throughout my adolescence. Within months of graduation my father asked me to live with him. I accepted his invitation and joined a household of three generations of single men. My grandfather was a Methodist, my father was a Lutheran and they took turns attending each other’s congregations. I grew weary of that and chose to attend the Episcopal church where I spent so many years before my mother moved us to Mexico. The following spring, the church hosted a Faith Alive Weekend. Faith-filled visitors from around the state came to Orlando, staying in the homes of local congregants and meeting together at the church to share testimonies and sing. One of the speakers was a former “fixer for the mob” and that caught my attention! He had come to Florida on an assignment and “found Jesus.” Someone explained to him that God loved him so much that He gave Himself, in the flesh as Jesus, to die for him to be forgiven for all of the wrongs he had done; loved him so much that He willingly stretched out His arms and allowed others to nail Him to a cross and die an incredibly painful death; and that He loves each and every one of us that much. I heard and understood and wanted that love. Jesus rescued me that day and I committed my life to Him and found purpose for my life.
While previously I wandered through life without a compass, I found myself grounded in Jesus and He gave my life direction and focus. I had a desire to go back to school and to serve Him by serving others. I was a public servant for 33 years and now continue to serve in various ways, not the least of which includes serving my wife, who helps me in turn to serve others. May He be glorified in my life today.
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