How I got to here!
“I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.” Psalms 40:1-3 (ESV)
At 12 years old I prayed and accepted Christ in my heart, and He moved in. I did vacation bible school and the occasional church youth trip, church events, and life as I knew it to be was good in my world. It was full of challenges and struggles that came from a split family over a bitter divorce, but God is merciful and full of grace. Between the ages of 17 through 20 I began to drift and live life all about me and my desires. I joined the military and took a job I didn’t pray about. Instead of swallowing my pride and admitting to not praying, I was reluctant and the fade began.
In November 2010 I hit a breaking point in life. Everything I was striving so hard to be was a lie, and brought me to a point of desperation. I had nowhere to turn but back to the very One and only true God, the very one that I had been running away from. “When you discipline a man with rebukes for sin, you consume like a moth what is dear to him; surely all mankind is a mere breath!” Psa.39:11 (ESV) Now looking back I see that God was mercifully in control of it all. The very God who created you, me, and this world we live in was pursuing me so lovingly and graciously. His desire was for me to stop trying to run away from Him and realize He is everything I will ever need. Here I am now almost three and a half years later after a lot of growing and transformation, and still lots more to go until I die and am changed to be like Him. Oh what a beautiful, challenging, love filled, adventure it has been with Christ ever since I prayed that November day; “Lord, if You can do something with this life I have made a wreck of…then here I am!”
I am grateful that over the past three summers, plus some, I have been able to be a part of what God is doing at and through Wind River Christian Dude Ranch. Each summer there seemed to have been a theme or two over all the many lessons I have learned while serving there. The first summer, big chains of my past were broken and restoration was taking place very rapidly on a large scale. Two summers ago it started off with a long distant relationship ending just as the summer began at the ranch. It was a summer of having my focus on a relationship redirected to the most important relationship I could ever be in. It was the one I was already in with Christ. I knew I was neglecting it, putting my girlfriend, other people, or things first. I knew it needed to change and at times I prayed it would, but I wanted to keep my relationship with my girlfriend and other things present in my life. I just now realized it was in that same summer of losing one relationship that God blessed me with an amazing brotherhood in Christ. Who to this day, I have spent as much time as possible with, and I anticipate being my hardest goodbye before leaving for the race Lord willing.
Then this past summer happened. I began to embrace being “single” in the world’s eyes and I began to rely on God. I began to see more of Him, and His presence in my life. One day in particular, as I lay in bed sick doing my devotions, I felt a hunger for more of God and His presence like never before. My mind went to the World Race. I had found out about the race through a friend who had been and she was actually working at the ranch that summer too. It seemed like an amazing time to get alone with God, away from all the blessings in our country that we (I) have let become distractions along with this “Americanized” way of life that I know. At the same time I could be surrounded by a group of growing believers who share a hunger for Christ. I looked into it some, gave it thought those two days as I laid in bed sick, and then the idea of the race began to fade from the front of my mind.
A while later that summer I was in Guam with the Air National Guard. In some of my unexpected off time, while I lay in my bed reading God’s word, this hunger came over me again. It was a hunger and longing from my soul for more. I began to pray “More of you God, I want more of you, I want to be consumed by You God!” The World Race came to mind again. This time I looked into more. I watched videos on youtube, read pages, listened to testimonials. As I thought about my schedule, my job in the military, deployments, the ranch in CO, and more it seemed there was a time this might work. Worst case scenario, I thought I would have to take about a year off from the military since the launch is scheduled just after my contract to the military ends. So after praying, I felt I should go ahead and take a step of faith, trust God, and let Him direct through it all.
Now it is March, I have since been deployed with the military, been accepted, and even given permission from the military to reenlist and they would work around my decision to do the world race if I desired to do so. This is nothing short of God and His provisions for us as His children. I must say God has already proved to be using this experience and working through relationships He has already brought together. I would like to close with a challenge for you. Pray and ask God if and how He would have you respond to this letter. Would it be through prayer, support, or even a calling for you? Please do not miss the fact that every day as a child of God you are called to go. Go into the all world and share the very salvation you have received from Christ. May God be glorified, honored, and praised through all that is said and done, Amen.
“But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, “Great is the LORD!” As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes though for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!” Psalms 40:16, 17 (ESV)
