My other Birthday

On this day fourteen years ago, I was re-born.

On October 29th, 1994 I took my mom, wife and then 7 year old son to a Billy Graham Crusade at the Georgia Dome. I had no intention of anything happening other than people watching and getting to have my first look inside the relatively new Georgia Dome.

My mother had asked me if I would take her to see Billy Graham as that Crusade might be the last one he would ever do in the Atlanta area.

No problem. We’ll pack up the family and head down to Atlanta to see ole Billy.

The place was packed; kind of a concert type atmosphere. There was singing……some testimonies….and lots of people with Bibles.

Then the place got quiet when Billy Graham took to the platform. Billy preached on the Lamb’s Book of Life. I would be dishonest if I said I remember everything he preached on that night; I don’t.

I do remember this though……

At the end of his preaching, with tears in my eyes because I knew that my sins would cause God’s wrath to come onto me on Judgment Day, Billy asked the crowd if our names were in the Lamb’s Book of Life. I knew my name wasn’t. God was drawing me to Himself and convicting me of my sins.

An invitation was given to come down to a makeshift alter. Before Mr. Graham could finish the invitation I was already headed down. I didn’t say a word to my wife or mom; I just got up and walked down to the 50 yard line of the Dome.

I was met by a little old man named Arthur Steele. Mr. Steele was an alter counselor for the Crusade. He asked me a simple but profound question.

“Why did you come down here?”

What kind of question was that I remembered thinking? Did he not just hear the preaching?

After a few minutes of talking he told me to get down on my knees and pray to ask God to forgive me. ‘Repent’ is what he called it. I did……I got down on my knees and cried out to God for forgiveness for my sins. He prayed with me and then told me that I needed to put my trust in Christ and walk with Him everyday. I said I would…and I continue to do that today.

Ocotober 29th 1994, I became a new creation in Christ. All my sins were forgiven and God continues to work and grow me to this day.

Praise God.