Pillars of Faith In Our Church Community
Bob’s Story
A Snapshot of My Story with God
On February 16th 1975, when I was a 15-year-old, I confessed Jesus as my Lord and Savior and I was born again. Everything changed inside of me on that day when Christ came into my life. Nothing would ever be the same again.
Now, the Holy Spirit began to put me back together, piece by piece, making me into a new creation in Christ Jesus.
There was so much damage that had been done in my life as a child that was caused by poverty, alcoholism, abuse, and neglect that I needed to be healed from.
In my immediate family, my father was an alcoholic. My mother ended up having 5 children, a year apart or less. She also came down with Multiple Sclerosis when I was 7 years old.
Throughout my childhood my parents would separate because of my father’s abusive, neglectful, drunken, behavior. My mother would return to him time and time again, placing me and my siblings back into the turmoil.
I was the 3rd of 5 children. The oldest was my sister, then my older brother and we were about a year apart. My 2 younger brothers and myself were 11 months apart. My brother who was 11 months younger than me was placed in an institution at 8 years old with mental disabilities. My other 2 brothers, and my sister were place in a school for those with disabilities. I was the only one that was placed in a public school. I think this caused me to always feel like an outsider in my family. If my Grandmother on my mother’s side had not stepped in and helped out with our care, my life would have been a lot worse as a child.
On the day Christ came into my life, I was living in an old dilapidated house with my 3 three sibling and my father and mother. There was no running water or indoor plumbing in the house.
Becoming a Christian in this family was not an easy thing. My older brother tried to beat Jesus out of me, he would destroy my Bibles and any Christian material that I had. I was forced to hide my Bible under my bed and would pull it out and read it early in the morning before he woke up.
If it wasn’t for a few wonderful Bible School students from Word of Life Bible Institute who would come every weekend and minister in this youth group in a little country church, I do not know how things would have turned out for me.
My family was the poorest family in town and these Bible School students even brought me clothes that the other students donated from the Bible School, so I had something decent to wear to church.
Four of these Bibles school students are still a part of my life today, 45 years later; Pastor Dave & Ruth and Joe & Nora.
Pastor Dave was only 17 years old when I was saved. He spent time with me each weekend helping me to grow in my walk with the Lord. The fact that he cared about me and showed genuine Christian love to me was foundational for me as a new Christian. Today when we see each other, we just hug and cry as we consider all that God has done for both of us over the years.
Joe & Nora are a couple that have walked with me from the beginning. They moved to Vermont from Rhode Island after they completed Bible School. It seems like this couple has always been there for me over the years.
When I was in the 10th grade, Nora encouraged me to go back to school when I wanted to quit. Joe has ministry of intercession which has touched my heart and soul more than anything. He will call my house and just leave a message, “I am praying on you.”
Yes, God has been with me all along the way. Through many trials, through many storms, and times of despair, I have had a sure anchor for my soul in Christ Jesus.
I thank God that I have seen many members of my family place their faith in Christ. Both of my parents, my older brother who persecuted me so much, and my older sister all confessed Jesus as their Lord and savior and they have all gone to be with the Lord.
God has helped me to overcome so much. He has always been a present help in my time of need. When I was in high school, he helped me to go from being a failing student, to a B student. He helped me while raising 3 kid’s, working full time, to get an Associate Degree in Christian Ministry. In the last 6 years while pastoring a church, I was able to finish my degree and was awarded a Bachelor degree in theology last August of 2019.
Only God can take a tormented, broken soul and do such a wonderful work in them. To God be the glory for the things he has done!
I still face struggles every day, but I have all I need. I am blessed with a wonderful family and with a wife that God has used to encouraged me to take steps in my faith walk that I would have never taken without her in my life.
A song by Casting Crowns called, "Love Moved First" says it so well.
This is the story of a runaway
with no way home and no way out
I threw the best of me away
I had my chance, it's too late now
Too far gone and too ashamed
to think that You'd still know my name
But love refused to let my story end that way!
You didn't wait for me to find my way to You
I couldn't cross that distance even if I wanted to.
You came running after me
when anybody else would've turned and left me at my worst
love moved first!
What kind of grace, relentless grace
would chase this rebel down
Crawl into this prisoners cage
take my hand and pull me out
You knew I couldn't make the change
so You became the change in me
And now I live to tell to the story
of the God who rescues
From the throne to the manger
From a manger to the grave
Your cross is the proof
Love made the first move
From a grave meant to keep You
To a stone rolled away
Your cross is the proof
Love made the first move
I remember where You found me
I'm amazed by where I stand
Your cross is the proof
That love made the first move!
As I look back over the past 45 years, one word that comes to mind that describes what my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ means to me, that word is FAITHFULL!