Spiritual Birthday - 20 Years as a Christian

Today is my spiritual birthday. Twenty years ago, I attended a Christian camp in Thousand Pines, CA with the church I had just started attending with my brother, Robert (Covina 1st Baptist in Covina, CA).  On February 18th, I went forward during an altar call. It was an emotional moment for me. I will never forget that moment and my brothers embrace after I decided to follow Jesus. I cried. It's something I do at very emotional moments in my life. Giving my life to Jesus was a decision I have NEVER regretted.

I grew up as a Catholic and left the Catholic church prior to my confirmation. I searched for a few years through high school and started attending church at the invitation of my brother (who had recently become a Christian himself). The drastic change in my brother was evidence enough that there was something to this Jesus person. After attending for a couple months, asking questions, and reading the bible for the first time - something that I was never encouraged to do as a Catholic - I gave my life to Jesus. It's been twenty years today. It's been a wonderful ride. God has always been faithful, despite my unfaithfulness from time to time. I have seen miracles in my life and in the lives of those around me. I have seen God work in mighty ways. God allowed and blessed me to pursue one of my passions...music. I have been in several Christian bands over the years. I was able to take part in the creation of several tapes, CD's, and other cool musical projects. God brought me my beautiful wife. Aside from my brother, my wife has had the greatest impact on my spiritual growth. She always encourages me to push further, go deeper, and not accept mediocrity in my spiritual life. For that, I am grateful. God has blessed me with three wonderful boys. I am blessed to be their father. I have enjoyed teaching them about how to follow Jesus in their own lives. Someday, they will make their own decision to follow Jesus and I will rejoice with them and embrace them (probably with tears).

I am thankful that God called me to be His child. I am thankful that He moved in my heart twenty years ago today. I am thankful that He has kept me safe through the past twenty years and that He has kept me under His mighty wing. I am thankful to God for my salvation and for rescuing me when I was stupid and walked away from time to time. I am thankful to be counted as worthy to serve Him for the past twenty years. Here's to another twenty!