On the one hand, I could say that this journey started out when I was a little boy staying at my Nonnon's house. In the morning, she would sit at the dining room table; grab an old pair of glasses, and a Bible. She would already be up, and when I would walk downstairs, I would see her reading. Nonnon would invite me to sit next to her and she would start reading the Bible out-loud to me
...In Italian.
See, Nonnon's Bible was not in English, so I did not understand a word she was saying. But I did feel her love for Jesus. It just oozed out of her. As the day turned into night, and bedtime approached, the final part of her day was kneeling in prayer right in front of a lit picture of Jesus.
In this picture, His arms were open and I got the feeling from the picture that He was ready to embrace anyone at anytime, for anything. Again, if you were to ask me to repeat her prayers, I could not. They were in another language...But I was fully aware that the person she was praying to was no stranger to her.
She loved Jesus and it showed in the way she would talk to Him.
Years later, I found myself a senior in high school. The time in between was filled with the stuff of everything a boy does from the ages of 13-18. Sports, hanging out with friends, thinking that everything was the most important event in the history of the world...
Then, by chance one day, I was invited to a church camp and it was there I met a man that was simply bigger than life itself...Dave Glass. (youth pastor at 1st Alliance at the time) Soon after, I started attending youth group and became interested in this "Christian life."
Youth group was filled with fun, fellowship and a hearty dose of preaching. [Most people complained about the preaching and wanted more fun, but I never really cared about the games. I had the idea that church is where the Bible is preached, so if you wanted fun and games –go join the basketball team.]
Anyway, some time passed, and I watched as my friends dedicated their lives to Jesus. The really powerful element about all of this was that their lives were being changed. I saw new commitments, new lifestyles, and new passions arise in them. This made a very big impact on me.
A few months later, on one Sunday night in October, a man named Pastor Don Jones stood up and preached a message that has changed my life. He talked about sin, its consequences, and how to have a right relationship with God. I found myself broken inside. I remember sitting in the back of the church and just wanting to run up front, and give my life to this Jesus.
-But I didn't. I didn't know how-
After the service, I talked with some trusted people, and I made my mind up that next week I was going to embrace Jesus. So next week I made my way to the church and walked into the service with 10 minutes remaining. I had my Jerry Rice jersey on and just walked up front to the altar. I can remember people staring at me as I walked up front like it was nobody's buisnes.
But it was there that I was met by Pastor Dave and more importantly there I embraced Jesus.
That was over 15 years ago. Since that time I have went on to Bible College to major in Youth Ministry, I've received a Master of Divinity, and currently am working on my second Master's degree, which is Organizational Leadership. I say this not to brag, but to bring up the point that before Jesus, I had no plan, no direction, and no real purpose.
David says in the Psalms that "God took him from the miry clay and put his feet upon a rock." (Psalm 40). In a real way, I was drowning in the mire and did not even know it.
The ironic thing was that my life was filled -but it was empty with anything of real substance.
Sometimes I sit and I wonder...
-Where would my life be without Jesus?
-What would I be doing today?
You see, I was drowning, not in water, but in something else.
--A purposeless life.
The Apostle Paul says that "He considers everything a loss compared to knowing Christ."
I have a feeling that he would understand just what I am saying here about an aimless life.
In the end...My Destiny was to meet the One who sets Destiny in motion.
The One that is responsible for all my other meetings with destiny.
Is it time you met your Destiny?
Is it time for you to stop trying to keep your head above water and fighting the waves?
Embrace Jesus. His arms are open wide.
For You.
-Any time -Any place
"Come to Me, all who are heavy of heart and I will give you rest."
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