I was a teenager maybe 17, when I had my first encounter with our Creator. I was excited, I had grown up in an intense drama filled home environment, I was now going to church, and I'm thinking that now I am going to experience a loving family!! Answer to prayer that I had often prayed.
Shortly after being "born again", I went to a bible camp that consisted mostly of preacher's kids. I knew nothing about the Bible and yet God had given me a message out of the book of Ephesians, and I took 1st place in the preaching contest. When I got home excited, I called my Dad to come pick me up and he told me over the phone "your mother and I decided to get divorced while you were away". I'm mad!! I walked out of the church with my fist clenched and shaking at God. Thoughts of "I'm not serving you! If this is you". I walked away! I remember the Pastor telling me "God has a call on you, if you don't give your life to God; you will do time, or end up dead".
"Whatever" I thought. Now let's fast forward, in my sixties. I can look back and yes! I have made multiple trips to jail: assaults, DWI's, I've been charged with robbing banks, charged with 3 counts of class A felonies for drug trafficking, and September 6th, 2005 I end up in a motorcycle accident where I died twice, was in a coma, and came out of the hospital walking talking "retarded".
And yet the love of God for you is so deep and so powerful, that he gave me a poem in the midst of this all. Talk about the grace of our God! Life is a journey, filled with all kinds of moments; and as you look towards God through Christ Jesus, you can flourish as a Rose in the midst of the thorns, heartaches of life. Breathe! Please read the poem "To Someone Special". The poem is in 9 languages and has reached millions. After reaching 15 million in one year, we're done with keeping track of numbers, because it's not about numbers , it's about YOU. We're here to spread the love and message of our God's love, found in Christ Jesus. You can flourish like a Rose in the midst of the thorns of life.
Help us spread this beautiful message! Thank You!