“Now my priorities have completely changed. I still struggle with sin, although by confessing my sins to Jesus in prayer comes a peace I never knew.�

Russ’ “Faith Story�
May 2007

God has been persuing me for a long time, only I didn’t know it.

I grew up in a Christian home. Our life revolved around church. And my family was a combination of “Leave it to Beaver� and “My Three Sons.� I have all brothers. While I knew all the Bible stories, The 10 Commandments, and The Lord’s Prayer, I had no spiritual life and I really did not know what it meant to follow Jesus Christ.

During college, my faith became irrelevant. There were too many other interesting avenues to explore.

I met a group from Campus Crusade for Christ and they invited me on a weekend retreat, where in February 1972, I asked Christ into my life.

Nothing changed for me. In fact, for the next ten years you couldn’t find any evidence that would convict me of being a Christian. During that time I met Diane and we were married right after college. We went on a 1 ½ year honeymoon, which changed my life, but not spiritually.

Later, when we had our first child, I started thinking about what had impacted me the most growing up – it was my church. We became active at the church I grew up in for the next twenty years, serving on, and chairing, different committees, boards, teaching classes, driving the church bus, and whatever else seemed important at the time. I rededicated my life to Christ several times on spiritual retreats, only too shortly afterwards to get back to the “business of church� and my career. Even though I thought I was successful, I really did not have joy and peace in my heart. In fact, I knew there was sin in my life, but like Adam and Eve, I thought I could hide from God; only in my case I hid behind all my church activity as a way to conceal my sin from God.

I knew something was missing. Part of my responsibility was to help start a Second Worship Service. We visited many other churches in the process. What changed me and deeply impacted me were those worship services that included preaching from the Bible, and a gospel presentation. It made me feel spiritually and Biblically like a baby. It was if I had been stuck in the first grade for thirty years!

I started attending Highland Park Baptist Church six years ago, and through the nurture and witness of people here, I came to realize the importance of a spiritual life. I learned how to be a real follower of Jesus. Through fellowship here I learned that I can have a personal relationship with Jesus, and that we are all sinners but we are saved not because of what we do, but because Jesus paid the price for us. Life’s most exhilarating moments include getting married and having children, and leading someone to Christ.

Now my priorities have completely changed. I still struggle with sin, although by confessing my sins to Jesus in prayer comes a peace I never knew. Whatever the cost of following Jesus, closeness to Christ brings true joy, and the assurance of a home in heaven when I die is immeasurable.

This Bible verse is on my computer: Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.�