Deprived

I didn't grow up in church and I can remember when I first came to Christ and going to church my friends asked me why I decided to do this. It was like I decided to go against them and some actually acted as if I betrayed them. I realized that for the most part I was a good person but good has little to do with heaven and fulfilling God's purpose for my life. I was deprived and I realized it. I needed to find out for myself and not rely on others to find MY purpose. Dictionary.com mentioned deprived as to "lacking the necessities" and I found I was. It was then I found my friends from people I was aquainted with. Nothing makes sense to a non-believer when I comes to committing to Christ. Many told me I would return and that I would "come back." Boy, I am glad they were wrong. 15 years later I am traveling across the nation preaching about the same christ that saved me from the often cold streets of NYC. Here is a thought that I found that made me reflect on the total grace of Jesus Christ:

A man has deprived himself of the best there is in the world who has deprived himself of the Bible.
- Woodrow Wilson

This is why I do what I do. To help others find purpose. Don't deprive yourself of what God has. Read and discover the hidden treasures found only in Him.

Continuously searching,
Tony