2.5.76.

February 5, 1976. Our countries bicentennial celebration year. Celebrating 200 years of independence from the motherland. One month from my 8th birthday. I lived with my family at 4828 Carousel Dr. in Charlotte, NC. It was a normal day. I had gone to school. I came home and went to the snack drawer and got a Little Debbie oatmeal pie for my afternoon snack. I then, of course, watched Gilligan’s Island and the Brady Bunch before heading into the rest of the evening. My mom made our dinner and we headed into the evening of chores or mild homework. The usual. I can picture our den. Black bucket swivel chairs. The gold potato chip chair in the corner. Burnt orangish brown carpet. 1976 baby. And a life changing letter delivered to our mailbox that day.

My two sisters were both older than I was. I enjoyed getting to know their friends over the years. Many of them were very kind to Rhonda and Daphne’s much younger brother. One of those friends was Elaine. My family and I always went to church. Heavily. Parents in the choir. Dad was an elder. Children’s church. Sunday school. Memorizing verses. Heavily. On February 5, 1976 our family received a letter from my sister’s friend Elaine. I remember she wrote the letter to our entire family. In the letter she explained that she had really special news that she wanted us to know. She told us that some months earlier she had become a Christian and went on to thank our family for the impact that different ones of us had on her life and in her movement towards relationship with Jesus. As I sat in the black bucket chair and listened to her words being read, something happened in me. I remember. “Huh. I thought that Elaine was already a Christian and yet she is writing to tell us that it just happened recently.” And then I remember wondering these eternally crucial words in my own story. “I wonder about me? I wonder if I’m really a Christian?” All of my heavy church involvement doesn't do it. My family knowing Jesus doesn't do it. I don't do it. God does it. God used Elaine’s letter that day in my life.

I quietly wondered in my almost 8 year old soul about the letter and my question til bedtime. At bedtime my mom was in my room with me. I crawled up on my bed and sat on my NFL bedspread. I knew where all the Dallas Cowboy squares were. Cowboys fan for life. No haters please. And I told my mom what I had been thinking about. She called my sister Daphne to come in with us. If I thought that Elaine was already a Christian and she was telling us that she had not been until recently, I was wondering about myself. And there on my NFL bedspread on February 5thof the bicentennial year of our countries independence, I began to speak my first actual words of dependence on Jesus. Simple, specific, movement of God. Life changing. I spent time that night with my mom and sister talking about believing that God can forgive me for my sin and that He wants to have a relationship with me. With me.

With you.

43 years ago, last Tuesday.

HGA.

His Glory Alone.

There’s more.