I love history! There is something about the “what ifs” that stirs up curiosity, wonder, and debate within me. What if Christopher Columbus never found someone to finance his explorations? What if General Lee was able to take Little Round Top in the Battle of Gettysburg? What if Adolf Hitler waited to defeat the British before attacking Russia? Maybe the world would be completely different. Or maybe it would be exactly the same. We will never know because history takes care of the outcome of all events. My personal history is the same. There are so many “what ifs”. I am sure we can all say the same thing about our own personal lives.
The most important aspect of my history was when I decided to give my life to Jesus. I don’t have a date or a time, but I do remember the moment. I would guess that I was around 6 to 8 years old. Every night my mother would put me to bed and encourage me to “ask Jesus to come into my heart”. I wasn't sure what that meant, but I made sure to make that part of my prayer. One night, however, I felt Him come into my life. I felt an immense joy take hold of me. I couldn't wait to get up the next morning to tell my mother. From that moment on, I have had a strong desire to live my life for Christ. Although I never left Him, I did venture away from Him from time to time. When I was in my early 20’s, I re-dedicated myself to His will and from that I have grown and grown. I seek Him daily. He has forgiven me of my sins. He carries me during times of trouble, and He rejoices with me through the celebrations. He is everything!
So, my personal history may not be written in a text book or discussed in a college classroom, but it is extremely important to me. And I will never second-guess the “what ifs” when it comes to the commitment I made so many years ago. Not only do I have history with Christ, but I have a wealth of promise for the future.
Chuck Pickering
Elder of Spiritual Life
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