Today is my 30th Spiritual Birthday

what a day.  i've been a christian for 30 years today.  my parents did such a great job celebrating this day every year that i still remember some specifics about the night that my parents talked about this with my brother and i after supper.

this is one of those things that my wife and i are passing along to our own daughters.  i've been taking moments throughout the day today, allowing holy spirit to bring back to mind moments in time that i've had with him.

some of the more powerful ones:

• my first time attending a small group while in youth group.  i still have some interaction with one of the leaders, and some of the kids in that group today.
• countless times spent with my youth pastor, Dan Seaborn.
• being asked to serve on the leadership council my senior year.
• preaching a sermon twice my senior year to our senior high youth group of about 250 kids.
• being baptized in lake michigan the summer before my senior year.
• starting up a group my 4th year in college, which grew to about 100 students every tuesday night where we worshipped and spent time in prayer.
• going into full time ministry after college.
• my wedding day.
• the miscarriage of our first two children.
• the birth of my next two children.
• hours of interaction with holy spirit while running the 56 mile Comrades Marathon in South Africa.
• meeting our sponsored child, Nomonde Precious in South Africa. 
• having both daughters accept Jesus into their hearts. 
• countless conversations with holy spirit while trail running at Kickapoo State Park.

and on, and on, and on.

these moments have been so precious to me.  God has been a powerful and important part of my entire life.  while i've had my moments of following him more closely than others, i'm proud to say i've never walked away from God.  i've never backslidden.  i've never given up on him.  

and he's never given up on me.  he's been so patient with me.  so loving.  so caring.  so tender.  so filled with mercy towards me.  

with all the certainty i have in me, july 19 will always be the most powerful day in my life.  it's the day i gave my life over to jesus in 1983, at the age of 6.  he's my savior, my redeemer, my ever present help, my rock, my very best friend.  

God the Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, i love you!  happy birthday to us today!