In high school I was labeled a religious fanatic. I was seen as obsessed, and my extreme behavior landed me in the school councilor’s office at one point. As I sat there at the councilor’s desk, she glanced from her paperwork to me a couple of times and finally asked, “what happened to you”? Her question provoked by the surprise of what a single summer could do in the life of a young man.
It was the summer of ’96. I was a high school drop out, on drugs and living in complete rebellion. I had been caught robbing vehicles and a warrant for my arrest had been issued. The stark contrast undeniable on the school records in front of the councilor showed a 0.4 GPA to a near 4.0 and her question stood. What happened to me?
My answer? Jesus happened to me, I said, and He is the answer to every failing drop out student on this campus, so I can’t help but tell others about Him. Her answer? Okay.
His touch was undeniable. My heart was forever marked when I met Jesus, and the mark He makes is a prelude to the mark we can make for Him.
Am I still obsessed? Absolutely. Am I still a religious fanatic? Without question. And it’s not just because I say so, the last 16 years speak for themself. I’ve had the honor of seeing hundreds, perhaps thousands, of lives touched with the same power that transformed me. I’ve led numerous people to Jesus, introducing them to the power of the Holy Ghost and leading them into intimacy with the Almighty. I’ve seen bodies healed and those oppressed by demons set free by the the gracious love of our Everlasting Savior. I’ve seen boys and girls rescued from lives of dispair and placed in homes where they are loved and cherished. The list goes on and on.
His touch is undeniable. His love uncontainable. I will gladly accept any label that places me in the confederation of radical abandonment to my glorious King. Jesus is everything, and in His Kingdom, anything less is uncivilized.
One of the greatest ways the Lord is touching lives through our ministry in India is through our children’s home. If you’d like to help us make this Christmas special for our “Hope Home” kids, use the link below.