I got my tattoo when i was getting my divorce. A heartbreaking event, symbolizing the end of my 10 year marraige. My original motivation..sheer rebellion, and a way to thumb my nose at my (now) ex wife, and just "do" something...anything, to get her goat.
After my divorce, i sought refuge from my pain..in the form of constant partying, chasing women to feed some emerging rejective seed and ... i see now..to hide, from myself, God and others.
Here's where it gets weird.... You see, my tattoo was of a red surfboard,with white trim. My actual surfboard was white, with red trim. This is significant, because...in a way..God took that tattoo, made "it" right, and made me right in HIS timing, not mine.
Back to my story... After my divorce, and two years of parting and racking up alot of debt, i was empty. I started attending CLear Creek Community Church in the fall of 2001. The more i went, the more i wanted to be there ! God had seen to it that i was at the end of my rope ...or was it the beginning ?
One day ...on the steps of church, i asked the Pastor if he would come over and talk to me.I was broken, troubled and asking him ( and myself) questions about how i was doing life, and why i felt so freak'n empty. Suprisingly, he agreed, came over that very night..and we talked for 2 hours !!!
Did i immedietly turn to him and accept Christ?? No, i was stubborn.
Fast forward..a year later. God was breaking me ..hard ! I went to work one day, crying and even more broken ... and called the church. I spoke to the community pastor and , 30 minutes later, i was on my knees, accepting Christ as my Lord and Savior. Afterwards, the Pastor asked me "now what are you going to do"...my answer was the following Sunday, when i joined my first small group ( Bible Study for Dummies...a name i thought was appropriate).
I always thought..when i accepted Christ, that the story ended there. What i've discovered is that our testimony is never ending. Since that time, God has been at work in my life ...bigtime ! He's brought people into my life, for the sheer purpose of helping define HIS purpose for me. He brought me broken ...again..to Exchanged Life Ministries, and John and Joyce Stanley. He brought me there to show me who i really am "in Christ", and real, honest to goodness applications for life-transformation and the ability to live out this new found faith...daily. He brought Becky Gray into my life, to lead me to serving in junior high ...which i have now for 5 years. He brought Godly men into my life, which helped me understand i have a gift for discipling to, and helping other lost or broken men. He brought an organization called Christiansurfer into my life, which showed me that there are good christian guys who raise their families right, surf and share God's word with the lost.
So..that's where i'll close my story..back at the beginning. That tattoo...the one that was the opposite color as my real surfboard. God made that right,too. He had me stumble onto a (sight unseen) surfobard for sale on a surfers messageboard..but a year after i had crossed the line of faith. As i approached the garage where it was stored..i had no idea. As the garage door opened, i looked inside..and what did i see. A red longboard..with white trim. Identical to the one on my ankle.
I smile when i recal this story. God made the surfboard allign with the one on the outside of my skin. He also took that surfboard..and through his working in my life, made it a part of my purpose for him...to disciple to the local surf community, troubled teens and broken men. Now..when i occasionally look down at it..or someone asks me about it..it makes me smile. It makes me get goosebumps just thinking about it. God's amazing, and sometimes..when he's at work in us..we can't see it at the time. But it IS undeniable..and amazing...and and so cool, too !
There is another way to fullfill ourselves , and it doesn't start or end with with us ...rather ....HIM.
After my divorce, i sought refuge from my pain..in the form of constant partying, chasing women to feed some emerging rejective seed and ... i see now..to hide, from myself, God and others.
Here's where it gets weird.... You see, my tattoo was of a red surfboard,with white trim. My actual surfboard was white, with red trim. This is significant, because...in a way..God took that tattoo, made "it" right, and made me right in HIS timing, not mine.
Back to my story... After my divorce, and two years of parting and racking up alot of debt, i was empty. I started attending CLear Creek Community Church in the fall of 2001. The more i went, the more i wanted to be there ! God had seen to it that i was at the end of my rope ...or was it the beginning ?
One day ...on the steps of church, i asked the Pastor if he would come over and talk to me.I was broken, troubled and asking him ( and myself) questions about how i was doing life, and why i felt so freak'n empty. Suprisingly, he agreed, came over that very night..and we talked for 2 hours !!!
Did i immedietly turn to him and accept Christ?? No, i was stubborn.
Fast forward..a year later. God was breaking me ..hard ! I went to work one day, crying and even more broken ... and called the church. I spoke to the community pastor and , 30 minutes later, i was on my knees, accepting Christ as my Lord and Savior. Afterwards, the Pastor asked me "now what are you going to do"...my answer was the following Sunday, when i joined my first small group ( Bible Study for Dummies...a name i thought was appropriate).
I always thought..when i accepted Christ, that the story ended there. What i've discovered is that our testimony is never ending. Since that time, God has been at work in my life ...bigtime ! He's brought people into my life, for the sheer purpose of helping define HIS purpose for me. He brought me broken ...again..to Exchanged Life Ministries, and John and Joyce Stanley. He brought me there to show me who i really am "in Christ", and real, honest to goodness applications for life-transformation and the ability to live out this new found faith...daily. He brought Becky Gray into my life, to lead me to serving in junior high ...which i have now for 5 years. He brought Godly men into my life, which helped me understand i have a gift for discipling to, and helping other lost or broken men. He brought an organization called Christiansurfer into my life, which showed me that there are good christian guys who raise their families right, surf and share God's word with the lost.
So..that's where i'll close my story..back at the beginning. That tattoo...the one that was the opposite color as my real surfboard. God made that right,too. He had me stumble onto a (sight unseen) surfobard for sale on a surfers messageboard..but a year after i had crossed the line of faith. As i approached the garage where it was stored..i had no idea. As the garage door opened, i looked inside..and what did i see. A red longboard..with white trim. Identical to the one on my ankle.
I smile when i recal this story. God made the surfboard allign with the one on the outside of my skin. He also took that surfboard..and through his working in my life, made it a part of my purpose for him...to disciple to the local surf community, troubled teens and broken men. Now..when i occasionally look down at it..or someone asks me about it..it makes me smile. It makes me get goosebumps just thinking about it. God's amazing, and sometimes..when he's at work in us..we can't see it at the time. But it IS undeniable..and amazing...and and so cool, too !
There is another way to fullfill ourselves , and it doesn't start or end with with us ...rather ....HIM.
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