Well I seem to find my self here with a new car, a new pistol, and the same
old bad habits that got me here in the first place. Some how the pistol is
in my hand, hammer cocked and under my chin, I nervously place my finger on
the trigger. “Just squeeze” I hear the voice say, “It will all be over, no more
pain, no more worry, no more tears, no more anything, just done.” I began to
sweat, my hands were trembling, I felt my grip tighten around the pistol in my
hand. My finger pressing a little more against the trigger when all of a sudden…
Needless to say I am still here. I didn’t pull the trigger. I couldn’t A friend told
me of a love so great that no matter how bad I had been, it didn’t outweigh
the good that he knew of. What was that Good? Could anything that good
exist in this world? Then one day I’m in the yard when I see this old hound dog
out in the road. I thought he was too fat to be a stray so I read the name on
his collar with the phone number listed below. I called the owner to come get
his dog.
I knew this must be the guy, it was obvious, even the dog recognized the
truck. He stepped out with a smile and a thank you and asked if my family and
I go to church. I think I probably just kind of grinned and softly said no. He
gave me a card for a little country church right down the road. I remember
thinking after he left that he had this“Peace” about him. I thought how lucky
he must be to have found a peace like that in this world. The more I pondered
the man’s invitation to the church the more I was nudged to go.
old bad habits that got me here in the first place. Some how the pistol is
in my hand, hammer cocked and under my chin, I nervously place my finger on
the trigger. “Just squeeze” I hear the voice say, “It will all be over, no more
pain, no more worry, no more tears, no more anything, just done.” I began to
sweat, my hands were trembling, I felt my grip tighten around the pistol in my
hand. My finger pressing a little more against the trigger when all of a sudden…
Needless to say I am still here. I didn’t pull the trigger. I couldn’t A friend told
me of a love so great that no matter how bad I had been, it didn’t outweigh
the good that he knew of. What was that Good? Could anything that good
exist in this world? Then one day I’m in the yard when I see this old hound dog
out in the road. I thought he was too fat to be a stray so I read the name on
his collar with the phone number listed below. I called the owner to come get
his dog.
I knew this must be the guy, it was obvious, even the dog recognized the
truck. He stepped out with a smile and a thank you and asked if my family and
I go to church. I think I probably just kind of grinned and softly said no. He
gave me a card for a little country church right down the road. I remember
thinking after he left that he had this“Peace” about him. I thought how lucky
he must be to have found a peace like that in this world. The more I pondered
the man’s invitation to the church the more I was nudged to go.
One Sunday morning, I loaded up the wife and kids to answer the invitation.
What I didn’t realize at the time was this was no invitation by a man. This was
an invitation by God himself to be in a relationship with him. I guess we went
to Givhans Baptist Church a handful of times before my wife and I went to the
front for altar call. That car, that pistol and that night all came to mind. The
good that my friend had years before spoke of was suddenly upon me. It was
the goodness of Christ Jesus who had already died for me, who had already
known me, who had already suffered for me. His grace was extended the day
his arms were stretched and nailed to the cross. Everything that I suffered
with trying to defeat, he had defeated over 2000 years ago. I was saved and
I came to know the lord and to answer his call to serve him through this
music ministry.
Thank God for the Old Hound named Duke, the lord does work in
mysterious ways!
What I didn’t realize at the time was this was no invitation by a man. This was
an invitation by God himself to be in a relationship with him. I guess we went
to Givhans Baptist Church a handful of times before my wife and I went to the
front for altar call. That car, that pistol and that night all came to mind. The
good that my friend had years before spoke of was suddenly upon me. It was
the goodness of Christ Jesus who had already died for me, who had already
known me, who had already suffered for me. His grace was extended the day
his arms were stretched and nailed to the cross. Everything that I suffered
with trying to defeat, he had defeated over 2000 years ago. I was saved and
I came to know the lord and to answer his call to serve him through this
music ministry.
Thank God for the Old Hound named Duke, the lord does work in
mysterious ways!