Maintenance

Greetings,


Now, back to my story!

I shared with you last time that after visiting the chapel I had felt a great change coming over me.  After being so bold as to ask God if He would DO SOMETHING WITH ME I had to come to turns with what that meant.  The only way that I can describe it was it was if a great burden was lifted off my shoulders.  For weeks I had struggled with the idea of being away from Christine and my family for an entire year.  That day in the chapel it was as if God was saying, "I know, it's hard but I'm with you!".

On my journey home I have come to realize that God truly means that.  He wants us to know that He is with us and that can make difference.  It made a huge difference in my mental approach to Galena.  I missed Christine and my family very much but I had the sense that I was going to make it...and I did.  This same feeling came to me before every surgery I had...I was going to make it!  And I did!

The presence of God through His spirit is an interesting thing.  In the midst of sadness and pain, disaster and tragedy, God's spirit brings us peace.  It was that peace that I felt that day in Galena, AK.  Following my acceptance of Christ I began to notice that the other side of the street (the bar) wasn't as appealing.  It wasn't that I didn't want to go have a beer with my buddies.  It was just that I now felt that I didn't the beer to deal with my life.  I had God now and He was incharge.

I think that's hard for men.  We are constantly bombarded witht the idea that we are the providers, we are the protector, we ar in charge!  Being blasted with that every day of our lives we are, understandably, cautious and hesitant to put any one else in charge.  But, that's deal that God has made.  Believe in my son and give Him your life and I will come and abide in you!  Looking back it seemed like such a simple decision  LIFE SUCKS + MISS MY WIFE + BITTER COLD= I NEED JESUS!

It probably wasn't that bad, more likely it was worse!  Coming to Christ in Galena AFB changed my life forever and that's what it was supposed to do.  Yet, now that I had this new faith, what was I supposed to do with it?  Well, God had a plan for that as well.  Join me next time as I share with you the way that God took a miserable sinner and brought Him to the throne of Grace.


Blessings,

Derek