The Summer of 1989

What a summer it was. The summer of 1989. The direction of my entire life changed that summer. I changed schools, I changed majors, and my career path changed forever. Much of it transpired with a trip down Tenneryville Road between Longview and White Oak that June 17 Saturday evening. I had just finished my sophomore year in college, and God put a song on the radio that He used to speak to me so clearly about the direction of my life. I wanted to go into some kind of field that had to do with math - most logically accounting. God had other plans. And when Steve Camp's song "Don't Tell Them Jesus Loves Them" came on the radio that evening, I finally surrendered to what I knew God was calling me to long before I actually gave in. He wanted me to be His servant as a minister of the Good News of Jesus Christ; and do it for a living. All my excuses were no longer legitimate; and I had no choice but to obey. And I'm glad I did. The next morning, June 18, I made that calling public that God was calling me into the ministry; and six weeks following (July 30), I was licensed as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. One month later I was enrolled at East Texas Baptist University (thank you Don Page), and the rest is proverbial history.
Now here I am 20 years later and still on the journey. I am honored and overwhelmed at where God has taken me and what He has done through me. I am privileged to be the husband of a great wife, Jennifer, and four beautiful adopted children (Brandon, Bradley, Brenna, Bethany). I serve at a great church, and God continues to faithfully use me. Amazing. 20 years of ministry. Some words that describe the journey so far: incredible, painful, overwhelming, rewarding, children, mentors, salvation, camps, Longview, Breckenridge, Paris, Pflugerville, Kelly, Jonathan, Jenny, love, friends, faithfulness, joy, tears, hope, family, eternal, life, fun, investing, family, God. The list could go on and on and on.
God doesn't call the equipped. He equips the called. I'm living proof of that. Thank you God for 20 great years of ministry - for using me beyond my wildest dreams or expectations. I pray for 20 or more years of faithful ministry to come. May I be found faithful to the call - so that when the summer of 2029 rolls around, I can look back at the summer of 2009 the same way I look back today at the summer of 1989 to the present - with no regrets and great anticipation. You are a great God, and I love you.