Our spiritual journey together in Christ
Let's grow in a relationship with Jesus together. Search these pages (a work in progress!) for all things Jesus.
Hello
Welcome!
Conversion
My Path
While writing this out I asked the Holy Spirit how I should go about this, how does one tell a story of redemption, forgiveness and healing and not sound all full of himself? How does His message, God’s message and my witness, reach the hearts of those in ear shot? He put this into my heart: “tell them how we met, tell them of your relationship with me and I will take care of the rest”. Thank you, Holy Spirit! With your help, I’ll do my best.
Though I am the human character in this story I pray that you will see this is much more about Jesus than it is about me. Really, this is ALL about Him! I absolutely give Him all the Praise and All the Glory in my story – in my transformation, my resurrection, my rebirth and my salvation.
It wasn’t until I was fifty years old that I gave the reins of my life to Jesus and asked Him to come into my life and make the changes in me that I knew had to be made. For most of my life, I didn’t know, what I didn’t know.
From a child until I was a grown man through my forties, I simply didn’t know who He was, though some tried to tell me. I realize that can be very difficult to comprehend for many of you who have known Him ever since you were a little child. If that is you, you have been blessed beyond measure!
So, what could have happened in my late forties that would have put Jesus on my radar? Or me on His?
Well, I was in a place where God allowed me to slow down. I was brought to my knees as my entire world as I knew it came crashing down. Having learned that law enforcement wanted to examine my life I lived the next two years with the sword of Damocles over my head. For the preceding few years my wife Michelle and I were separated on the verge of divorce, and our children lived with both of us but in separate homes. Life was an absolute mess. I quasi home schooled one of our high school aged daughters as she suffered from a painful broken back from her young life as a cheerleader and gymnast. My mother’s health was also failing, and I was her primary caregiver. My fledgling new internet business was still a struggling embryo. And during all of that, like Icarus of Greek mythology who flew too close to the Sun which melted his wings and couldn’t keep him in the air, I ventured too close to evil on this Earth and I tumbled.
I remember, while I was in jail, waiting for my sentence, being questioned in an interview by the judge’s office. The young woman interviewing me asked if there was anything in my life I would do differently. Was there anything about myself I didn’t like or care for. When I look back now, I cringe at my answer. I thought I was “good". So I said “no, I think I’m a good person” “No changes thank you very much” – I said this while wearing a green inmate jumpsuit.
What…A….mess. What a mess.
It took two years for the wheels of justice to send me to court to face a judge and my eventual incarceration all the while my children lived with me. And now, when I look back, God in His Grace, gave me the time to prepare my children for college and to begin lives on their own as young adults without me in their lives for the next few years.
Then finally I began my incarceration.
It was in the jails where my encounter with God first began.
It was thanks to a fellow inmate who began to introduce me to Jesus and my spiritual journey began in earnest. At the time I didn’t know that’swhat was happening.
Here was a man who knew and loved Jesus and wanted to share Him with me. This fellow knew that the only way I could survive the next several years, let alone the rest of my eternal life, I would need Jesus. Man was he right! God bless this imprisoned brother of mine. I don’t know where he is and he doesn’t know that the seed he nurtured in me eventually sprouted and grew deep roots and fruit. I believe his name was John though I’m not 100% sure. I didn’t know then - the significance he would have in my life. I never saw John again. But you can be sure I will embrace him when I see him in Heaven!
When I finally reached the prison, that I would live in for the next four years, my dearest friend Carol Elizabeth from my childhood sent me a New Living Translation Application Study Bible. It was big. It was heavy. The print was tiny. It was scary. I’m going to read that???? Yeah, right.
I Believe
Let me make this perfectly clear from a man who once didn’t believe in Jesus. This is the Good News 101 or Jesus 101. Hang with me please if this is too rudimentary for many of you but there are folks that should hear this. This is not complicated but it is beautiful, and it is TRUTH.
Jesus was born of a young virgin woman conceived by the Holy Spirit and lived His life sin free for thirty-three years, He was tortured to death, sacrificed by His Father to be a sacrifice for our sins, and He was raised back to life, as we know it, in three days. Jesus is the Son of God. Who is God you might ask? He is the creator of the universe. He is the creator of all Life. He is the Potter to our clay. The architect of our entire existence. The father God to us all. Jesus is God in Human form brought to us so that we, in our God like yet limited abilities could see, touch, and hear Him. Jesus is and alwayswill be divine. Jesus is and always will be God. So, God is Jesus and Jesus is God. And the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, The Spirit of Jesus who dwells in you, lives in you, if you believe in everything Jesus says about himself. Everything. If you make yourself a home to Him, a temple in which to dwell, you are His and He is yours. Can I get an Amen?
If you read nothing else here today - this is an issue of utmost importance not only to The Church in this very moment in time but to our entire world - please read this:
This world is trying, extra hard these days, to turn Jesus into something less than who He is. The enemy of God is telling a lie and people, sadly even some of our brothers and sisters in Christ, are believing the lie. DO NOT FALL FOR IT. There’s a reason we need to keep reading His Word the Bible, and to come to a bible teaching church, and that’s to strengthen our connection to Him. To grow in Him as He grows in us. Once you stop believing, once your faith comes to a point where Jesus isn’t at the core, you have gained nothing. You have lost everything. If that’s where a professing Christian is, then they might indeed question themselves if they ever really believed. Then too there’s that question “have I really let Jesus take the wheel of my life or am I keeping my own hands on it because I don’t trust Him, and I just don’t think He is who He says He is?” I grieve for anyone in that place. So please, again, take heed, take notice, and believe in Him and everything He says about Himself!
Two of my favorite scripture verses are from John 8:31 and 32 and they read:
“Jesus said to the people who believed in him, "You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
That teaching includes what He taught us about Himself!
My Community
Hello and welcome!
Welcome to a place where I hope you’ll discover that Christ Jesus is present!
This space has been created so that anyone that has a desire to know Him can find a warm, friendly useful place to spend time with Him.
I only wish I could offer you a refreshment (coffee, tea, croissant) while you’re here! Maybe someday that will be possible but we’re not quite there yet.
What do I mean as useful? In this context I mean find ways to get to know Jesus more intimately. Maybe you’ll discover a book or video within that touches you deeply – something that brings you closer to Him (devotional). Or find a way that might help you share what you know about Jesus with someone else you’ve been trying to help on their own spiritual journey (evangelize). Or something that helps you understand what you understand! and even helps you explain that to others (apologetics).
Have you ever thought about how you have come to know someone that’s close to you? Think of a close friend. Or if you’re married or in a relationship, think of your significant other. Whoever comes to your mind; how did you really get to know that person? When I say “really get to know”, I’m talking about that kind of intimate knowledge where you can have an imaginary conversation in your mind with this person and you KNOW what they will say because you know them through and through. You’ve heard them. You’ve spent time with them. Lots of time. Lots and lots of time. And they know you too! That is an intimate relationship. You know what they think. You know how they think. So much so you can have a conversation in your head with them!
Why should it be any different with our Lord Jesus? It shouldn’t. The fact that you’re here speaks volumes that you’ll spend time with Him wherever and however you can.
Of course, with people, we can’t mind read. Can we really know what they think? To a degree, yes, we can. But we really can’t know everything someone thinks or what their opinion on a particular subject might be.
With Jesus it’s different. Very different. Jesus is an “open book” if you will. He invites us to know him thoroughly, completely. He invites us to know what He thinks and how He thinks.
Welcome to a place where He is front and center, where you can spend time with Him, get to know Him a little bit better with each passing moment you spend time seeking Him, either here or elsewhere!
This place can’t be all things to all people but it is my intention that people from devout disciples to the person that just accepted Christ into their lives or to the person that has no clue who Jesus is – that all of these and those in-between can learn about Him and come to love Him as He loves us!
At the top I said I wanted to create this place to be for anyone that wanted a quiet and welcoming space to come study and spend time with our Lord. I am creating it for me too as this will be like my “den” of books and resources and just a quiet place to become a better disciple of Jesus.
Please peruse the site and see what catches your eye. Reach out to me or post a comment. I’d love to fellowship with you!
So, I pray that in this very tumultuous world that you will find peace here but most importantly that you’ll find peace and joy from the wonderful and great I AM, Jesus the Christ.
I’m so excited you’re here I can’t finish this welcome note but I must.
God Bless you and thank you for visiting!
Your servant and brother in Christ,
Andrew Schwartz