As time progressed and I got older, I was a rather rebellious person. I mean who can say they've dropped a triple stack of Ecstasy, smoked a blunt laced with cocaine, and finished off almost a whole fifth of Jim Beam in one night? Or how about the time I took some bad acid and thought I was dead and walking by clouds. While most everyone has seen their party days, I definitely had my share, and I was usually the one throwing them. I'll never forget the summer of 1999, and I'm sure I'll never remember most of it either. As the years went by, God kept ahold of this prodigal son, but I was sure I was testing his limits. His love, without conditions, is what keeps all of us within his reach and safe from harm.
I had my experiences with both Pentecostal and non-denominational church settings, and as a mature adult, I went with the latter. This decision, along with my maturing faith, gave me the stance that love is above all. We are nothing without Christ, and all of us are equally imperfect and guilty of sins that cannot stand in the presence of Jesus. While this is my faith, and I know that everyone needs a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, I don't find shoving it down their throats to be at all effective. I have always repeated that actions speak louder than words, and people can just as easily be a living witness as they can be a direct witness. Pushing forward, my priority is to love other people, make sacrifices, and to focus more on obedience.
