Archive for July, 2008

I was thinking a little earlier and realized that it’s almost my anniversary. No, not that one (Keyna knows that I KNOW my “dates”). No, Friday is my anniversary with my family at hyde park. And being that tomorrow I will begin my 10th year here, I thought I’d share how I “really” got here…

• Somewhere around ’86 – a friend of mine shared with me that he had a bad dream about me and that i needed to give my life to Jesus. I didn’t care. Even though I didn’t have ears to hear, I remember it and to the best of my recollection this was the first time anyone ever spoke to me about Jesus in an evangelistic way. That friend was Coval Long, Pastor of “Light of the Nations Church” here in L’town.
• Early 1989 – I began attending church with my future wife, Keyna. I didn’t like church at all – I thought it was terrible from beginning to end, with the exception of one thing: the Pastor preached from the scriptures and for the first time I thought God was drawing me to myself.
• Summer ’89 – I quit going to church. No one cared, no one called and it’s not like they didn’t recognize i wasn’t there. Truth is, I didn’t really like their church anymore than they liked this unrepentant sinner with long hair. Maybe they didn’t feel this way, however, their silence towards me leaves me with this impression. Truth is, if someone would have loved on me I would have never left and the next 8 years wouldn’t be the whirlwind of sin it became…
• Summer ’95 – went to an Amway convention with my dad and they had an awesome worship service on Sunday morning. I was drawn and intrigued by JESUS. I, however, had not one committed, Christian in my life at the time so it was a waste.
• Fall ’95 – this guy named Eric loved Jesus. He was a chain-smoking, tatooed, cussing, recovering alcoholic/coke addict who had 2 failed marriages. He found JESUS during treatment. He was raw but I had never, ever met anyone like him. His roughness around the edges had a lot to do with a lack of Christian mentorship, as he had gone to church after salvation and they didn’t accept him. When he would talk about Jesus to me (and he did) my heart would burn within me. Had he only had “the conversation” with me, I would have been saved. I doubt that he knew that he was supposed to have “the conversation” as no one ever taught him how. (by the way, I want to spend the rest of my life helping the Eric’s to come to Christ, be accepted and loved by the church, so they can affect the world the way that he did me).
• Winter ’96 – Keyna and I attended a church here in L’town because some friends were going. We didn’t really like it… I mean, Keyna really wanted to find a church to raise our unborn Madison in, but we just didn’t really feel like it was the one. They did reach out to us through a SS class, but their outreach was quite frankly unwelcome and felt forced to me. It turned me off even more to them. My friend attending, by the way, wasn’t commited himself, so no loss there…
• April 20th, ’96 – Madison was born last night and after almost watching her die on the delivery table I recognized Jesus, vocally, for the 1st time in years. “Lord”, i said, “I thank you for giving Madison life, for saving her, for Keyna being fine. I know that YOU did it, God! And I know that the proper response is to give you my life, to allow you to save me, but I’m just not ready!”. What a fool I was. I really prayed almost that exact prayer – i’ll never forget that moment.
• May ’96 – January ’97 – it’s like God removed protection from me. “OK, mike p – I’ll get your attention!”. My father-in-law’s terminal illness took an obvious turn for the worst, baby Madison fell on her head from the changing table (!!), a trip to Urgent Care for me, a death threat letter aimed at me and naming everyone in my family including my new baby, a busted back window on my work vehicle, and my mother-in-law had a major heart attack. By the end of this, Keyna said, “we need to get back in church!”. My reply: ok.

Check back tomorrow for Part 2 – it’s the part where “you” come in…