Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
Well, the day has arrived. My 48th birthday. That’s 17,532 days that the Lord has blessed me with since the day He brought me into His creation and into the care of two of the best parents and custodians that one could ever ask for (thanks Dad and Mom! smile).
I had a fantastic childhood, growing up in the small western Pennsylvania town of Brookville and was active in my local Presbyterian Church where my mother took me so I could begin to be educated about the Lord. I was a pretty good trumpet player in my day and would solo with the church choir as well as hold the top seat in my high school’s trumpet section from 10th through 12th grade. I would marry and have my first child through the five years after high school, still attending my home church and continuing to grow in my faith, now as an adult.
In 1983, economic distress hit in the area I was living in and I needed to make a change to provide stable income and benefits to my family. So I decided to enlist in the United States Navy and began this career back in August of 1983. It was a big change that took me away from my sleepy hometown and into a whole new culture…a diverse service environment and my first venture into a predominantly urban lifestyle. It also led me away from my home church and my comfort zone. One of my greatest life failures was not finding a new church home as I arrived at a new assignment location.
This time away from the church and consequently the Lord lasted for around 9 years. In that time, I lived the lie that a lot of people live when they don’t follow the Lord. I said to myself, I’m a good person. I know what’s right and wrong. I can handle my life on my own. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
The joy of my second daughter being born in 1986 would soon be replaced by the agonizing hurt and despair cause by an adulterous affair by my spouse and the end of my marriage. And after suffering through it, I would never wish divorce on my worst enemy. I harbored a lot of hatred in my heart against my ex-wife and it was so easy to place the blame on her. After all, she had been the one who strayed. This lasted for several years and it was like a poison infecting and killing my very soul.
Then, divine intervention happened. Or maybe it was Amazing Grace. Actually, it was both.
I was volunteering at an elementary school in Norfolk VA when I met a woman, Grace, who God sent to get my attention and bring me back to Him. I’ll never forget one of the first things she said to me as we started to discuss seeing each other. She said, "If we’re going to have a relationship, God is going to have to be first in everything." I said, "No problem. I agree with you." Yet, I was far from as convinced inside as I showed outside. In fact, I was downright scared to death. My thoughts raced. "What was I getting myself into? I hadn’t been in the bible for so long. Would I be able to tell the Old Testament from the New? Would God really take me back? I was less than settled as I began to get back to attending church with my Amazing Grace.
As I attended more and more Sundays, I remember feeling a huge change going on within me. I was literally living out the words of 2 Corinthians 5:17 and becoming a new creation in Christ Jesus…learning that I was only scratching the surface as I lived BC (before Christ). This new AC (after Christ) man had a whole different set of principles to live by and apply. Everything I learned was so new and I couldn’t get enough of God’s word and the wisdom I was gaining from it. And I began to be the family spiritual leader I should have been all along.
Something else happened within me. I learned to forgive in its purest form. For if Jesus could hang while nailed to a cross, suffering more pain and agony than I could ever imagine. While this Jesus was hanging and dying and listening to the mocking words of those who stood and watched Him die…the very ones He was dying for…He spoke amazing words saying, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." And the Spirit spoke to my heart and said, "If Jesus could forgive them despite what they had done to Him, then you, Mark, can forgive anyone." And ever since that day, I have…to include my ex-wife.
Fast forward now to today. The Lord has taken what he started in me over 16 years ago and has turned it into a full-fledged internet ministry. Who would have seen this coming while I was walking away from Him instead of running to Him as I do today? Well…He saw it coming. And by His amazing grace and my amazing Grace, He worked to save this wretch and make something out of Him. So thank you Lord for all you have done for me in my life…for your mercy and grace. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you as you take this ordinary man and do extraordinary things through me. And thank you for the opportunity to be a mouthpiece to others, just as you used my blessed Grace when she spoke those wonderful words years ago, words I now share with my readers…"If you’re going to have a successful, sustained relationship with anyone, including God, you must put God first in your life." I pray it will be so.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
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