The funny thing about truth is that it’s true, whether you believe it or not.
Who is Chad? Well, I am.
And typically I don’t start sentences with conjunctions or like writing about myself.
The pronoun “I” is one of my least favorite words. Close runners up are words such as myself, me, personally… You get the idea.
Growing up I lived with my Youth Pastor and his wife from the day I was born until I moved out at the wise old age of 19. That’s actually just a weird way of saying that my parents were youth pastors, and I wasn’t the wisest of people at 19.
Having parents in ministry taught me a great many things, and for that I am grateful… I may also be somewhat jaded, goofy, and occasionally temperamental, but those are rare occasions… except for goofy.
I grew up in a small church in a small town in the midsized state of Oklahoma. It taught me to trust God even when it doesn’t make any sense, is totally unpopular, and looks futile. I learned that God is always faithful to those who follow Him, and that this world really doesn’t have much to offer in comparison to what God has.
I wish I could say that I have followed God my entire life, but I can’t. I can say that God has kept His hand over me even when I wasn’t paying any attention to Him. It was and still is His Grace that keeps me.
I met my wife, Kristal, during my Senior year in high school. We dated for six years before getting married. We have two amazing boys, are still married, still live in Oklahoma, and still feel like teenagers. Teenagers living in an old married couple’s bodies, but teenagers none-the-less. Now a father myself, I am living life more abundantly, and love doing the work that Jesus has called us to do.
It’s a rather lengthy story, and some day I may write it down, but suffice it to say, it was a long journey getting here. I was in my early thirties when God began taking me from being a “Believer” to being an actual Christian. I don’t call myself a Christian because of my beliefs. I call myself a Christian because it is Christ whom I follow. My hope is that all who read these posts will see Jesus Christ for who He is, and will follow Him, not just believe that He is who He says He is. Faith without action is completely useless.
So many I’s.
Truth In Red Letters 