When I Woke Up
When we hear of Christian testimony, some traditionally assume we need to have our defining “come to Jesus” moment, or we don’t know Christ. With me, however, it wasn’t that way at all.
I had a good childhood. My parents made sure that I wanted for nothing. I grew up attending the Catholic church and would do so until I was confirmed in the faith. Church attendance then significantly dropped off for me at that point.
The next time I saw the inside of a church was at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego when I was 18. Each Sunday offered a reprieve from the drill instructors of Mike Company – so I welcomed the opportunity to attend Christian services. Once graduation passed, so did my interest in anything faith-related.
About two years later, I found myself in Bosnia-Herzegovina serving as part of the NATO Stabilization Force (SFOR). It was during this time that I was allowed to visit a place called Medjugorje. This village is considered a very holy place. In 1981, the Blessed Virgin Mary began appearing to a handful of people, passing along messages and “secrets” to the world (www.medjugorje.org/overview.htm).
In 2008, my Army National Guard Unit deployed to Afghanistan to support Operation Enduring Freedom. I had prayed a few times throughout my time in Afghanistan, but as you probably can tell, I wasn’t a dedicated follower of Christ. On my last mission, I was exposed to two Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) within a matter of hours. Both of the IEDs had detonated directly under my vehicle, but it was the second (larger) blast that would render our MRAP vehicle inoperable. You could say that Afghanistan began what was to be considered a faith. It wasn’t a true faith, but the wheels were turning.
Operation Enduring Freedom 2008-2009
Fast forward sixteen years, and I can firmly tell you that Jesus Christ saved me. There was no exact moment, no particular day, but a moderate sanctification that resulted in tremendous growth over a 3–4-year period. With each passing day, a faithful and loving God continued to draw me closer and closer to Him.
Then, I began to pray more frequently and with purpose. I became aware of what I was blessed with in this life, even when I had deliberately separated myself from God for decades. God remained committed to me when I had previously ignored His calling.
I ended up giving it all over to Jesus Christ. I began to acknowledge and confess my sins to God, even my sins of omission. I knelt down and confessed it all to Christ. I placed all the guilt at the foot of the Cross. God took hold of me and healed me by His grace and my faith.
God has revealed so much to me these past few years of my life, and I must share what He is doing in my life now as an example of what He can and will do in yours. Now, I see how God has shaped our relationships with each other to show us the kind of relationship He wants with us as our Father. He hears our cries, sees our bruises, and delights in our happiness. He will never forsake or leave us as long as we claim to be his children and He, our God and Father.
What God offers us through Jesus Christ is a relationship. In this relationship, God is the provider. We only need to show up and place our trust in Him. I missed that point my whole life.
For 40 years, I wandered in my own desert, not trusting in the one who provided but only seeing what the world presented before me. It was not until I recognized my lack of ability to help myself that I met Jesus. Jesus offered to bear all my burdens. He offered forgiveness I didn’t deserve and a joy I could never imagine. This joy has led me to the keyboard in front of me. I’m not a writer, nor ever wanted to start a blog. It’s not the horrible writing nor the bad vocabulary I worry about. I only want to plant a seed. A mustard seed. I want to share this awesome news about a God who saves us from ourselves and wants us to live with Him eternally. He asks of us so little compared to the vast treasure He promises to reward us.
I’m not here to drag anyone by the collar to dunk them in a river. That’s not how Jesus works. Jesus sat with the sinners and loved them. He showed them the perfect example of how we were to live and treat others. He even offered to heal us and allow us to call Him brother. Jesus wants a relationship and seeks our trust and faith. A true faith that would lead to obedience to what He asks of us.
My goal is to tell my story and share the story of Jesus. God will do the rest. Whether sitting with convicted felons who seek Jesus, writing a blog to share my failures, successes, and faith, or planning trips to India to reach the unreached – I have a God who will never leave my side. This is all for His honor and glory alone.
If you’ve gotten this far down in reading, I commend you. I would pose the following questions to you. Are you battling anything that seems like you can’t overcome it yourself right now? What relationships are torn in your life that need mending? How will you respond to God’s love?
I would challenge you to jump into God’s Word first. That is where you meet Jesus face to face. Then, register to join or even lead a circle. Start with someone you trust – perhaps a friend or family member. It’s free to join, and registration opens up many valuable resources. Finally, pray, and pray often. It is in our weakness that God’s power is made perfect (2 Corinthians 12:9). Remember, you are not on this journey alone.
Many blessings,
Dave
