We now come to the climax of Brian’s chronicles. It is a wonderful thing to know that there is a Master Craftsman with an invisible hand working behind the scenes of every human creature on earth. A loving Heavenly Father yearns for relationship and fellowship with His creation. A Master Strategist sends and allows circumstances and events to guide them and as it were like a magnet pulling but ultimately leaving the decision for true relationship, for that final step of faith in the hands of the created one.

It was the spring of the year when men often seek the Author of Life on the occasion of celebrating Easter that Brian and his Sweetie knew from somewhere deep in their parental core that their young sons needed to be exposed to the teaching of God’s Word. So they dressed up in their Sunday best and drove to the closest church in their neighborhood. It was a church that had “Jesus Saves” posted in neon lights across the steeple and unbeknownst to them they were having revival meetings! Why they chose that church they didn’t know at the time. Maybe it was because Brian lived next door to the pastor when growing up or that he attended school with the pastor’s children. Whatever the draw it soon became very clear why and it was providential.

They handed off their sons to the children’s workers and entered the sanctuary sitting close to the back of the church. The singing was loud and inspiring and life seemed to waft through the pews of people as they worshipped their Savior. The speaker was a powerful evangelist named D.M.Fruits who only had one leg as he leaned against a stool and fired away with truths from the Word of God. His words were arrows of burning truth and they pierced their hearts as he spoke so earnestly. He told how Jesus suffered then He bled and died and that He did it for Brian and his Sweetie. They sat in their pew with hearts trembling with conviction of sin. The congregation stood for the last song “Just As I Am” and an invitation was given to go forward to trust Christ as Savior. They gripped the pew in front of them and stood like statues. A little elderly man in front of them turned around and said, “If you want, I’ll go forward with you.” To which Brian said, “No that’s ok were just fine”. But they weren’t fine. They couldn’t wait to get away from that place and quickly retrieved the boys and scurried home.

But God’s pursuit of Brian was relentless as he would find himself on a weekend trip into the mountains of Pennsylvania with a friend who was contemplating a divorce because of his broken marriage. Brian’s brother Pooch, a strong Christian, who had also witnessed to him at the gas station a year earlier, was also on the trip and after a day in the mountains the men were relaxing in the cabin and his brother began to encourage his friend to turn to God for answers for his broken marriage. All that his brother said caused Brian to reminisce in his own mind about the many times he himself had run from God. It all seemed to come to a head and he couldn’t escape any longer.

They went to the cabin bunk room and there lying in his bed in the dark room Brian told his brother about his thoughts and he responded, “You don’t have to be in church to trust Christ as your Savior, you can do it right here and now.” At that point Brian stopped running and opened up his heart with a simple prayer, “Lord Jesus, I’ve been saying no to you so many times but right now I ask you to come into my heart and forgive my sins and make me your child.” He invited Christ into his life in the best way he knew how and he came in! His life was transformed into a new creation!

He shared the news with his Sweetie when he returned home and she received it with skepticism but when she saw the genuine change that had come over him within 6 months she too trusted Christ as her Savior at the dining room table in his brother Pooch’s home. They went on to have another son and all 3 grew up to be men of God and all are serving Jesus today.

To keep this blog as short as possible I didn’t include other miscellaneous family facts and names to keep the theme focussed just on how God loves us SO much that He seeks us and draws us to Himself especially by sending His Son Jesus to the earth to die for our sins so we could trust Him by faith and have eternal life. I pray this story has been an encouragement to you.

Jesus said: “No man can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him.” John 6:44

Maybe HE is drawing YOU to Himself today!

If so, go to Guaranteed Reservation in Heaven!

Or go to New Blog Index for more encouraging blogs to help build your faith!