I first called out to Jesus Christ on an Easter Sunday when He set before me the ultimate question: “Who do you say that I am?”

Before that day I thought of Him as a good man, at best. More likely He was just a myth. Whatever He was, He wasn’t for me.

But every word of the sermon that day seemed to speak directly to the innermost thoughts of my heart. I was confronted with the reality of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection and I could no longer deny it; “Truly this Man is the Son of God.” He didn’t just live like no man had ever lived, but He also died and rose again proving He is who He claimed to be. And He did this for us all–even me. Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, even though He knew everything about me (about us all), willingly laid down His life. I was saved that day as I confessed with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and believed in my heart that God raised Him from the dead.

In the 20+ years since then, the Lord has continually blessed me (in spite of me) in more ways than I could’ve ever imagined. The greatest of these blessings: my precious wife, daughter, and son. And if that wasn’t enough, He has given me the grace to be able to serve His Body year after year in a variety of ways. It is a great privilege and joy to live my life for Him who gave His life for me, and to be blessed with the solemn charge to care for the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.