18 years...

Since October of 1989, I have been conforming my life to the image of Jesus Christ. There are times when I look back on who I was, and I am so grateful that person does not exist any more. Then there are other times that I feel as if I am the same person I was back then. I can't believe that I still struggle with many of the same things that I struggled with back then.

As I look back on 18 years of being a Christian, I am so grateful for God's blessings. He allowed me to know a wonderful Christian family, and be discipled by them (Jerry & JoAnn). He has blessed me with a wonderful wife, whom I do not deserve. He has given me four wonderful children, who are an absolute delight. He has given me a wonderful job working with teens, that I absolutely love. He has given me so many things that I can't imagine what kind of disaster I could have done to my life, if He had not intervened at just the right time.

I came to Christ in a wonderful church, with an incredible pastoral staff. My first understanding of Scripture came under Stu Weber's teaching. I could not wait to hear Alan Hlavka get up and teach, because the man made sense to me. I grew up without a father, and Stu was teaching on Biblical Manhood. Before Tender Warrior ever came out, it was a sermon series. You should listen to Stu & Alan online at http://www.goodshepherdcc.org/

As time moved on, I too moved (physically) to another church. There I sat under the incredible teaching of Rick Elzinga. Rick is a wonderful teacher, and a good friend. In fact, he was the pastor that married my wife and I. His wisdom and insight was and is so valuable to me. I cannot thank him enough for the blessing he has been to me. Again, God was putting me under good authority.

From there, my wife and I moved to Montana. In Montana, we were so blessed to be under the teaching of Joel Banham. Joel has blessed me in so many ways. He has encouraged me to be a pastor. I know that I have made a lot of mistakes in my life and that on my own, I could not be a pastor. Joel has shared with me about how God takes lives that are filled with garbage, and makes something beautiful out of it. He has shared that, God can take a past like mine, and redeem it, and use it for His glory. If it were not for Joel Banham, I do not think I would have the desire to be a pastor today. To this day, I still consider him to be one of my closest friends.

After almost six years at the Bible Chapel and being under Joel's authority and teaching, God has brought my family to Eastern Washington. I am so blessed to be where I am now.

I do not deserve any of God's blessings, but then again, none of us do. As I reflect on my past and where God has taken me, I am grateful for my loving Savior, who died on the cross for my sins. There is now no condemnation in Christ. I now have eternal life, because He rose from the dead, and gave me new life. My sins were dealt with on the cross, all of them (past, present, and future). God's word guides me, and His Spirit convicts me. He has given me everything I need for life and godliness. I have never been for wanting in my relationship with God.