My Story

I’m not much different than any stories told by the thousands that have a testimony of grace and how mercy set them on a new coarse in their life. There also seems to be a common ground in the understanding when people write down and record their testimony of grace. What once was dead in there works not begins to give life just as our faith in Christ grows by reading His words. It’s no wonder we have an indefinite source of testimonies from believers in history and now it’s my turn to print my own.

A definition I learned early in my walk about grace made a lot of since to me was this:

• G ods
• R eward
• A t
• C hrist
• E xpense

For a non believer it’s pretty easy to understand and respect the last part, (Christ expense).  But because almost all will  not argue about Christ expense on the cross, His blood (God’s reward), is the  part that baffles them. Today I will share a portion of my testimony of grace with you and it’s my desire that there’s a place in your heart to be filled by grace while reading my story.  The first three chapters of Romans may clarify this reward of His grace also .

My religious background was rooted in the Catholic church. I began learning and obeying all the rules as a good little lad. You know, the ten commandments, prayers like “Our Father”, different stages of the cross, and even the candle ritual where you would drop monies and pray to your favorite saint. By the time I was eight I stepped up to the ladder of obedience to be an alter boy with great optimism. I made my claim to my patron saint, Dominic, and all seemed to be in order for a great life. Back in those days we actually used the Latin language to recite parts of the mass.

Then one day I began to wonder what my purpose in life was and started to discover there were a lot of unanswered questions about the why’s…. I happen to be one of those real annoying type of kids that would never shut up. Later in life I began to understand why they used to tease me and say, “mosey nosey”, or was that “nosey mosey”, doesn’t matter, I never paid attention to that. I just had to find these answers and would not stop.

Attending a morning service while I was in the back with the choir one day, I were kneeling and praying and  God spoke to me. I didn’t even realize He did until sixteen years after this day… allow me to explain. There I was staring at Jesus hanging on that life-sized cross over the alter and I asked God “There has to be something more to this than all these ceremonies. What is it?” You see, people couldn’t answer my questions and that was so frustrating to me and I decided to ask Him myself. Unfortunately, no one there was ready to explain to me that I could have a personal relationship with Him.

Guess what happened after that?

That nice young lad that used to be so nice and helpful to others started listening to that other voice. A few more years and lots more practice in the affairs of sin led to a total rebellious nature to my fellow citizens and most importantly against God. Without getting into to many details I got married at age twenty, helped bring two daughters into this world and was sitting on top of the world by age twenty-three, or at least I thought.

Right when I thought all was well, my wife decided to leave me. I turned to the three most important gods in my life at that time and they were sex, drugs, and rock & roll. You see, God never forgot that day that I asked Him, (What is it) even though it took me an additional sixteen years from that day to arrive to the point that I was ready to see those answers. All I ever wanted in life was to have a happy family. He had to strip my pride, ego, etc. and bring me back to my knees when I asked like before. I’ll tell you how He did.

So here I am in Las Vegas, in the fall of 79, being kicked out of the house I was sharing with my druggy friends and a friend  invited me to stay at his house. Well he was leaving under the roof of his mom a dad and they welcomed me in with a smile. His dad was a Air Force Commander and not home all the time but his mom was the nicest lady I’ve ever met. She was also very short and we all know short women, so cute.

She never had a harsh word and was quite the example of Christian. To be more descriptive we see in Philippians 4:8,9 “Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things. Vs.9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.”

I noticed there was something about her but I couldn’t put my finger on it. She wasn’t the type to rip out the scripture and start shouting to the hilltops no, she simply had this polite whisper saying “Praise the Lord….Praise the Lord….Praise the Lord” Over and over and over I thought that was sooo strange.

Every day before I would go to look for work, she would pray for me. And then one day when I arrived after my job search she asked about my day and gladly responded,  “I put in for this one particular job and I would sure like to have that one”. Without hesitation she grabbed my hand and began to pray “Lord, Greg has been out looking for this job and we are asking you to provide for him this job because he likes it”. Of coarse I was thinking now she has really gone over the deep side.

Low and behold early the next day morning, the phone rang and the interview was set. I was thinking that was a little strange but she grabbed my hand again to pray only this time instead of asking God for something, she was thanking and praising God. Now I was really beginning to feel awkward.

So I went to the interview and I sat in front of his desk with two stacks of application. One on the left of about 20-25 and on the right about the same. He grabbed my app off the left and proceeded with the interview. After a few minutes my app went to the other pile and he continued. A few more words were exchanged and he asked me if I would be willing to start first thing tomorrow morning at 7am. “OF COARSE” I replied with great excitement.

Now I’m headed home and not even thinking about the prayers and as I walked in she asked, “How did it go”. When I told here she gave glory to God with her favorite phrase,  “Praise The Lord”. Like a bolt of lightning, that was the moment I turned back to Jesus. I was not convinced yet but He answered her prayer and I have never seen anyone receive an answered prayer like that, let alone overnight! This is where the nosey mosey came back to life and I began the treasure hunt.

She was a wise person and she knew that her style of worship might not be the best of a fit for me so she introduced me to another couple and within two weeks I was weeping and asking Jesus to save me from my sins.