Today is September 11 2010, It's been 9 years since the attacks on the World Trade Center and the world has changed. My life has changed so much in the past 9 years it makes my head spin. I've been married for 7 years and now have twins 7 months old. When the attack happened, I was dating Steph and selling Beer for a living. I was living a life that could possibly been leading me straight to Hell....but how easily we forget that God will make all things good if we let Him (ask Him). You see I have been on this walk for a while now and my sins have been revealed to me, and I've sought forgiveness. Believing that the Bible is TRUE, I know that Jesus has forgiven me of my sins and now I try to live in a way to give Him the Glory. I fail miserably sometimes, and sometimes I am broken hearted by other peoples sins. I try not to be judgmental or even a hypocrite, but it doesn't always happen the way I intend or even appear the way I really feel. Sometimes I am judgmental, most times I've just wanted to motivate someone or help them find the right path, but that too can seem not exactly how I really intended. I hope by continuing to work on my short comings, I can help someone else along the way.
In the Book of James (James 5:19) we are told, " My Brothers and Sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another, 20 you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner's soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins."
I want to be one of those people that help. I have wrestled with God for most of my life. As a child I felt a calling and pushed it away. As a teen this same calling would pop up at a most us suspecting time and again I would push it away. When I flunked out of college and was really down on myself I felt it again.....but guess what, I pushed it away. Numerous times I've ignored what God has been telling me because I was living foul, and there is NO WAY God would be calling someone like me! I can no longer ignore Him.
In spring of 2003 I married a Saint! She has been a huge help in my walk. She has loved me when I have been unlovable. My return to the Lord began when we got married. We started helping with the youth that following fall and the snowball was rolling! The Summer of 2004 we went to a youth retreat at Lake Junaluska and a significant change was made. The preacher had an alter call at every service. This was new for this life long Methodist. During this weekend the preacher gave one alter call in particular that changed my life. A little boy that I had not seen during the whole event moved out close to the end of the row and was on the edge of his seat waiting for someone to ask him if he wanted to make a commitment to Jesus. In fact, the preacher said something along the lines of, " if someone is near you, ask them if this is the Jesus they want to know". As I watched all of our youth go up, I just felt really good that our youth were making an important step in their lives. Well, in the mean time this little boy covered the ground from the end of the row all the way down to me...... and I didn't even notice. That's when the Saint that I married leaned over and said to me, "well are you going to ask him". My response was quick, "Ask who?". As I turned to my right, my eyes met his.... I turned back to my left and replied,"I cant remember what he told us to say"....and my dear wife instructed me to ask him what came to my heart. I turned back to this random, never before seen kid and asked, "is this the Jesus you want to know?" and I was met with a tearful reply of YES! We walked together to the masses of the alter call. When we were instructed to break into a smaller group and discuss this decision, his parents met us and took over from there.....which I was glad because I was ill equipped for that conversation. That's when it all became Real to me. I made a decision to try to walk the walk. If I was going to help with the youth and someday have children of my own, I needed to be Real in my Faith.
From that point God has continued to surround me with godly people. People that have ministered to me and may not have even realized it.
In the summer of 2005 I began to move in a way to explore "The Calling" and have been following the direction God has been leading me ever since.
Just a few days ago I posted on Facebook a request for prayer. I am continuing to request prayer as I follow my Calling and move closer to where God is leading me. I hope my life can prove helpful in someone else's walk and discovery of their calling.
Thanks y'all,
Lee
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