- Joined
- Mar 16, 2009
- Messages
- 47,454
- Reaction score
- 53,137
- Location
- Dixie
- Gender
- Male
- Political Leaning
- Independent
I was brought up in a Christian family, but at the age of 13 I was convicted by the Holy Ghost and could not rest or sleep until I gave myself to God and asked for Jesus' saving Grace in my life.
In my college years I struggled with some doubts and uncertainties, and studied many other religions during that period, but I came back to Christianity; it was the only one that really rang true to me.
Since then I've had to bury all my grandparents, half my Aunts and Uncles, my own parents and my best friend-like-a-brother. I've endured an unwanted divorce and single parenthood, had times of poverty and times of prosperity, times of joy and times of deep suffering.... and I continue in the faith. I am a flawed human being and my walk is imperfect at best, but I try to live by what I believe daily... not to be saved, but because in gratitude of Jesus' Grace I try to do what pleases my God, to do justice and practice mercy and charity and kindness. I work and eat my own bread in quiet and take care of those I can, and when someone is open to it I reach out and offer them The Word.
I'm also nothing special. There are tens of millions more much like me, just quietly living the faith out as best they can and trusting in Jesus' Grace. You don't hear about us in the news very often; we rarely do or say anything newsworthy. We're the anonymous man that helps you change a tire and refuses to take anything for it; the quiet woman that fills trays of food for the poor at the Soup Kitchen; the youngster that hands you a pamphlet and invites you to attend their church with a smile; the nameless man in the background sawing boards when the news reports on a new project by Habitat For Humanity.
Most of us are quiet folk who have no desire to force you to do things our way. We probably think it would be better if you did, and if you're open to talking about it we're willing to explain it, but we rarely push it on anyone who doesn't want to hear it.
Well anyway that's my two bits...
In my college years I struggled with some doubts and uncertainties, and studied many other religions during that period, but I came back to Christianity; it was the only one that really rang true to me.
Since then I've had to bury all my grandparents, half my Aunts and Uncles, my own parents and my best friend-like-a-brother. I've endured an unwanted divorce and single parenthood, had times of poverty and times of prosperity, times of joy and times of deep suffering.... and I continue in the faith. I am a flawed human being and my walk is imperfect at best, but I try to live by what I believe daily... not to be saved, but because in gratitude of Jesus' Grace I try to do what pleases my God, to do justice and practice mercy and charity and kindness. I work and eat my own bread in quiet and take care of those I can, and when someone is open to it I reach out and offer them The Word.
I'm also nothing special. There are tens of millions more much like me, just quietly living the faith out as best they can and trusting in Jesus' Grace. You don't hear about us in the news very often; we rarely do or say anything newsworthy. We're the anonymous man that helps you change a tire and refuses to take anything for it; the quiet woman that fills trays of food for the poor at the Soup Kitchen; the youngster that hands you a pamphlet and invites you to attend their church with a smile; the nameless man in the background sawing boards when the news reports on a new project by Habitat For Humanity.
Most of us are quiet folk who have no desire to force you to do things our way. We probably think it would be better if you did, and if you're open to talking about it we're willing to explain it, but we rarely push it on anyone who doesn't want to hear it.
Well anyway that's my two bits...