I was seven years old when I believed in Jesus for everlasting life. I was attending a weekly after-school club for children sponsored by the ministry of Child Evangelism Fellowship. It was called a "Good News Club." I can still picture that day in the fall of 1957 when I left my second grade classroom in West End School at the sound of the closing bell and walked the short distance to a large white house located at 517 Greenbrook Rd in my hometown. Our club met in the basement of Mrs. Lyons home. She was our teacher. She taught us about the Savior. Sure I was young. But I was old enough to understand that I was a "sinner" and that apart from a relationship with Jesus Christ I was lost forever. That dear, white-haired, grandmotherly-type lady told us the "good news" of John 3:16. She even suggested that we place our own name in the verse: "For God so loved JOE LOMBARDI that He gave His only begotten Son, that [if] JOE LOMBARDI believeth in Him, JOE LOMBARDI should not perish, but have everlasting life." I believed . . . and at that moment I knew that I was forgiven and one day would go to heaven. I was convinced that Jesus Christ alone could and in fact did guarantee my eternal destiny. I had become a child of God, and He had become my Heavenly Father. This year I celebrate my 50th birthday since I was "born again." When a person becomes the recipient and beneficiary of "good news," they usually want to share it with anyone else who is willing to listen. That is how I feel about the Gospel (the "good news") of the grace of God. I want to share it with the world. I guess that is one reason I began this blog on the worldwide web. By the way, if you want to know more about how to start your own journey with Jesus, I would like to suggest you visit this site created by a good friend of mine: http://www.believeinJesus.com.
2 comments:
Hey P.J.,
Thanks for thinking of me to send your blog. I think of you and Win and the boys often. I'm excited to read your blogs. I know I will be blessed and encouraged by reading it. I always did enjoy your preaching at Evangel and I know I will enjoy getting to know you better in this form. My daughter, Jenna-Kaye, who is now 12 years old, finishing her 6th grade, is going to CEF training this summer. She is very excited. She surprises us at her age, she has already lead 3 kids to the Lord. Even going up to one of them, a perfect stranger and asked, "Can I tell you about Jesus?" And her spiritual insight as she prays just blows us away. John and I, as her parents, are very excited, knowing how we've prayed for her and her brother and sister through the years of raising them, are now seeing how God is working in her life and are so excited and blessed to know her possibilities of reaching others for Christ. God is so good, all the time. Looking forward to your blogging. Darcy (Lees) Stringer
Darcy:
That reminds me, I need to add a link to the CEF website. They are doing a marvelous work reaching boys and girls for Christ.
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