My Story: Introduction

I am writing this story today because I do not want to forget it.  The sections that cover the past are much longer than those sections that look to the future.  If you look at my life there is no way to guess at key moments where it was headed.  I encourage you to write out key moments of your life if nothing else but for the memory but also so you can remember key points.  I would be willing to guess that like mine, yours has taken a lot of twists and turns.

I am not sure how this story will be classified.  I do not consider this to be a religious or faith story but a story of a life where faith in Jesus was key.  Where he the father (God), son (Jesus), and Holy Spirit plays a key role in how my life is lived.  When I was young I placed my faith in Jesus as my Savior, at that moment the father forgave me of my failures (past, present, and future) through his son’s sacrifice and sent the Holy Spirit to live within me.  If starting out you are not inquisitive in the role this faith has played let me say that throughout my life is woven stories of how my faith in God, the creator, is in my life.  Let me start by saying what I believe.  John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  This verse is taught to many in the Christian church at many different ages but often to the youngest kids.  I believe from it we learn that God loved us so much that he sent his son, Jesus, to this earth as a sacrifice for our sin.  If we place our faith or trust in Jesus and believe he has died to forgive our failures or sin (all – past, present, and future) he (God) will forgive our sin and give us eternal life in heaven.  If you do not believe it is my hope that after reading this story you would consider faith in God and trust his son, Jesus, died on the cross for your sins.  From my experience this does not mean life is without trouble but we are given our reward in heaven eternally as life with God forever.  I believe with the beauty we have on this earth that heaven will be unimaginable.  Scripture mentions streets of gold as being something we will experience there but I believe that will not compare to being in the presence of God.  There is no evidence in scripture or especially in this life that life here on Earth will be without troubles. I believe these troubles or struggles are a refinement to A.) prepare us for what the father desires for us and B.) to be used as a testimony of God’s love for us.  As I am learning in my own life my struggles prepare me for the future and are a story used by many of what faith can do which gives them hope in their own lives and struggles.

The other day we were listening to the radio and the old country song If You’re Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Even Knows) by Rodney Atkins came on.  In the song he says, “If you’re going through hell keep on going…You might get out before the devil even knows you’re there.”  As I listened to the song I felt that I did not fully agree with the lines because of the life I had lived plus my faith and what I had just experienced.  I believe there are a lot of spiritual battles going on around us that we do not even realize that is happening.  I believe the devil knows what is going on and because of my faith and most importantly I believe our heavenly father knows the battles we are facing and I know he is right there with us.  As I am going through this trial I have experienced, continue to experience, and will experience the presence of God.  I will do my best to share these stories in the coming lines but so many times I was unaware until it had passed.  Looking back it is very evident on the moving of our heavenly father during this time.

As I was in the hospital at the beginning they did not know if I would survive.  I talked to a friend the other day that told me back here at home they were told to pray for me because doctors did not know if I would survive the day.  When I did survive the question of what my life would look like after all this came up.  A doctor told my family that this was a tragedy.  TRAGEDY?  At this point let me ask, have you experienced tragedy?  I believe it is how you face tragedies of life as to how you come through them.  We can either sit in them or we can work to overcome them.  Maybe life will not be the same, maybe your physical condition is what it is.  TRY. At the end of it (maybe it is in a few minutes) you can at least say you tried.

Even though this has been and continues to be very frustrating there have been times that it has been worked out very mysteriously.  The only explanation I can give these mysteries have been the work of my heavenly father.  There have been many times that I have had a need then it has been met even though I did not realize the need to even pray about it but the heavenly father was right there with me, saw the need, and answered the prayer.  I do not know why but I feel a tug to tell this story.  A call if you will.  I have never in my life felt like writing something before.  Since at the moment I do not communicate that well (don’t know if I ever have) I am going to write this one out and hopefully the story will be an encouragement for someone.  Some of my greatest memories are from the outdoors and times with friends around a campfire.  So I ask you to pretend with me for a few,  we’re sitting around a campfire and I take the moment to say, “Here’s a crazy one for you…”  With all this rambling let’s get onto telling the story.

As the song says, “This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long”…

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