Thursday, January 29, 2015

Weeping for Joy Over That Blessed Building

I'm slated to give my testimony ("pilgrim story," or "life story," as they call it) in my formation group at TEDS. Actually, were I not sick, I would be doing that today. But instead I'll be telling next week, not this week, what great things the Lord has done for me.

Well, as I have been thinking a little about my conversion to Christ, I went back to find the church building where the risen Lord Jesus met me in the Gospel. The people who folded me in and nurtured me there no longer meet there. I'm not sure who does. But just seeing the building, where grace came down on my sinful soul, after not being there for quite some time, brings me to tears. I'm weeping for joy!

If you click on the link and take a look at the building, it won't have for you, of course, the emotional pull that it has for me. But nevertheless I post the link to that blessed place where Christ redeemed my life from the pit. I would have posted a link to a view from the front of the building, but someone is in the front painting at the time of the picture! Moreover, in any case, the side of the building is where I always walked as I headed to the front of that blessed place to meet the Lord Jesus and his people week by week.

I hope shortly, as I've been hoping to do for some time, to post my conversion story. It should be up by next week.

(Update: Well, I've not gotten it up as of 2/25/15, due to too much press and the tyranny of the urgent, as well as an unwillingness to give up bouncing around with my little girl in generous quantities. Yet I still hope to post my testimony in the coming weeks. Lord willing.)

(Another update: So it's now 4/21/15, and I've still yet to complete my personal testimony for a post here. I've got to admit, due in large part to a fleeting and unstable memory, that putting together an overview of what the Lord did in my life has proved more demanding than originally I thought it would be. Moreover, I prefer not to think about myself or write about myself at any length, even if it is about what God has done in my life. And so I shall return to trying to finish this half-finished testimony when God moves me again to think about what great things he's done for me, and when, of course, Providence provides a season to do so.)

2 comments:

Steve B. said...

Jeff, I am happy to report that the Church of DeKalb is a great church. In fact, I swapped pulpits with the pastor two weeks ago (i.e. he came to Rockford and I went to DeKalb). It was great to preach at 425 Fisk again! I too have fond feelings for that place. God was so gracious to us in the days you were with us. He was moving mightily!

Jeff Wencel said...

Steve, good to hear the church meeting in KBC's old building is a healthy outpost of heaven. I'm sure it was good to preach there again. I love that place! It's my favorite church building of all the churches I've been in. God is good.

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