Welcome to December...(well, almost)

Sorry for the silence. I'm working on finishing "Something's Gotta Change Part 2" and it'll be up sometime this week. I also have been thinking a lot lately of how I can best be Christ-exalting in this blog and starting tomorrow December 1st I will be posting my daily devotional. This isn't gonna be so much for your benefit as it is for mine, but hopefully and prayerfully God will be pleased in it and you will be blessed by it. Thanks again for you love and prayers. Grace and Peace

Jacob

Something's Gotta Change

Hi! Thanks for your patience with me and also your faithfulness in prayer for me. During the past few weeks there has been a lot of change going on in my life. Change is something that most of us hate because it is usually not our idea and it puts us out of our comfort zones. Change makes us feel out of control and causes a lot of uncertainty and stress. But when I look back in my life, change has been a great thing!

I mentioned in my very first post that "Since I became a Christian, almost 4 years ago, God has been doing A LOT in my life in the way of maturing me in the faith. For the sake of time I'll save the details for later blogs"...Welp, I've got some time on my hands so you're in for it haha.

I'll start my story all the way back to when I was in second grade. All my life up to this point my parents had been faithfully bringing my brother, sister, and me to church basically every time the doors were opened. I don't really remember a lot about it except some of my buds from school came there too and we always had fun. During this time, however, a lot of change took place. One morning I woke up and remember seeing my Dad's dad (Paw) in our house and was informed by my brother, who was 14 at the time, that our dad had been taken to the hospital. We went on to school that day and once we returned home, our mom called us and told us all she knew. My dad had a massive stroke that caused him to lose about 2 liters of blood, over half of his physical brain, and peripheral vision in his left eye. The doctors gave him 0% chance of survival. While he was in the hospital, people from the church we still attend would come and take care of us, mow the grass, chop fire wood, and whatever else they could do they did. They loved on us a lot not only physically but spiritually too. Before leaving someone would always remind us that they were praying and even pray with us. I didn't really have an understanding of prayer and remember doubting the significance of it. I would say to myself that there was no reason to pray because 0% isn't much of a chance. It actually means there is no chance.

One month later, I saw my dad for the first time. Man had he changed! He was in a wheel chair with a freshly shaved head and a feeding tube in his belly. He couldn't walk or talk but I remember hugging him for the first time and, after my mom placed his hand up around my back, him patting me on the back as to say, "I love you, son. Everything's gonna be alright."

There's quiet a bit more detail that I could gladly tell you but the gist of it all is that this change produced in me faith that this God who all the people had told me they were praying to actually existed and that He is in the business of performing miracles! My dad who was basically pronounced dead had been given life! He is still alive today!

Soon after, I went forward at church, said that I wanted to be saved and was baptized shortly after.

Now most people, including myself for the longest time, would have said that I became a Christian then but seeing my inward thoughts and actions during my middle and high school days, it is pretty evident that there was not a life change. I lived a morally good life (no smoking, drinking, etc) but what I did not have was a relationship with Jesus Christ. The only time I would ever open my Bible was on Sunday morning and even then I didn't read it or pray. The only thing I was concerned about was being "cool" and when I would fail at that (more often than not) I would just look for something else to do. But never was even the name of Jesus brought up in my conversations except to cuss Him.

So I graduated high school, enrolled at Tennessee Tech University only because my mom and brother had both attended and graduated. The only thing on my agenda when I came to college was to graduate with a degree that would make me a lot of money, marry a supermodel, and live happily ever-after. The last thing on my mind was Christ. But that's when the weirdest thing happened. My random roommate was a Christian and as we were talking the question came up of whether or not I was a Christian. I answered, "Yes! Back when I was in second grade..." and as I kept on talking about myself all I could think was, "Jacob. You are a liar."

During that semester a lot of change was taking place. I was actually having to work at making good grades,I was meeting a ton of new people, I had listened to my mom's final words of advice to not miss church on Sundays, and a guy on my floor began inviting my roommate and I to a Christian organization on campus. Living with this guy, I began seeing up close and personal how my life as a Christian and his were radically different. About halfway through the semester I began reading the Bible some and after hearing the Gospel every week at church (Stevens Street Baptist), from this guy on the hall (Ben Nichols), from my roommate (Matt Metzger), and also this organization (Campus Outreach), God convicted me of my sin and how lost and hopeless I was without Christ. I needed to change but I couldn't. God had to do the changing and He did. The Miracle Worker was back in action and this time He brought me from death to life!

....To Be Continued....

Coming Soon: Official Update

Sorry for the delay in updating. I have not forgotten and will give an in-depth update tomorrow sometime. I seriously love knowing that you are praying for me and thinking of me. That is very encouraging. Check back in tomorrow for the "goods."

Jacob