Friday, December 15

"And we all, with unveiled faces, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another: for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."

I grew up in a Christian home and was baptized at age 14. However, I did not have a strong personal relationship with Jesus for several years. My life and faith drifted. I didn’t understand that LOVE is a verb. I loved Christ in my head but not in my actions.

Well, the Holy Spirit really started to work on me in 1977, when I married a strong Christian woman, Chris. I prayed for someone like her and God put Chris in my midst as a living, breathing example of true Christian living.  Other than Jesus, Chris is my greatest gift from God. Being with and around Chris led me to a desire to know more about God.  In the fall of 1984, in the midst of a real estate crash, I started a 13-year journey with Bible Study Fellowship. I studied scripture almost daily and my prayer life strengthened significantly. Then my career got in the way of my walk with Christ. Starting in 1997, my work became all-encompassing and my relationship with Jesus was, once again, taking a backseat. 

However, the Holy Spirit has been very patient with me. Praying and reading scripture has long been a part of my life, but serving God and his people has come more slowly. The last 10 years also coincides with the arrival of Dr. Tom Pace at St. Luke’s, and a strong emphasis on “Inside-out Habits”. I believe this commitment within St. Luke’s has led me to a stronger, richer relationship with Jesus. I love Tom’s weekly reminders of “Inside-Out Habits”. The Holy Spirit has opened up so many opportunities for me to serve God’s people. The simple act of making sandwiches for Kid’s Meals with my Emmaus brothers, visiting members and friends of members who are patients in the Medical Center, being more generous with our resources, and participating in the governance of our great church is so rewarding. My faith in and love of Jesus has never been stronger. 

Thank you, Holy Spirit, for being patient with me and transforming me towards your likeness. Without you, I am nothing.