Parenting This Generation – 11.11.09 – What’s Your Story?

Hello FBC Youth Parents,

So far these emails have been sort of “informational” and really not very “interactive.” I was wondering if you would mind sharing your story with me.

Many of you know my story. I came to faith in October of 1995. My life was radically changed by the love of God. (that’s the short version)

Here’s the long version… (feel free to send me your “short” and / or “long” version too)

I grew up in Gadsden, Alabama. I am the son of Glenn and Sherrie Ford. My parents divorced when I was very young, and I basically grew up with three parents rather than a more traditional scenario. My parents from almost as far back as I can remember were my mom (Sherrie), my dad (Glenn), & my stepmom (Julia). These three individuals loved me, and they encouraged me to be very involved in the student ministry of College Heights Baptist Church.

Throughout middle school and high school I enjoyed the many student events that the church provided such as: centrifuge youth camps, youth choir, Wednesday night Bible Study, Lock Ins, and countless other exciting events and adventures. One of my first mission trips was to Boston, Massachusetts. This week of missions in Boston was a big encouragement to me. I remember thinking that the missionary that we met was ordinary in many ways; however, God was using him to do mighty things in a city that was in desperate need of a Christian witness.

My first steps in faith may have been taken as a student in the youth group; however, it would not be until college when I would actually accept God’s invitation to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.

In college, I turned my back on the life that I had been living up to that point… Christian meetings, Christian friends, and any sort of Christian influence were purposely avoided. I drifted far from the life that I knew as a churchgoing teenager. A lot of people ask me why I played the part of the prodigal and why I no longer had an interest in the things of God. My answer: sin. In rejecting a life of faith, I embraced a life of rebellion against God. During those days, sin defined my life.

One October night in 1995 during a typical alcohol and drug fueled college party in my apartment, at age 20, I went into an empty room, locked the door, dropped to my knees, and I asked Jesus to “save me.” From that moment forward, Jesus has been my Savior (my means for forgiveness for the sin in my life… see Romans chapter five verse eight) and my Lord (the leader of my life… see John 14:15). I experienced and continue to experience the fresh flood of God’s love, grace, forgiveness, and freedom because of what Jesus did for us on the cross and because of what he did for us from the grave.

What happened many years ago in my college apartment continues to serve as an anchor for the rough waters of life and faith. The remainders of my college years were spent serving as a ministry partner with Jacksonville State University’s Baptist Campus Ministries (bcm). I also met my wonderful wife, Thea, through a bcm student event.

We served as summer missionaries in college: Thea in Colorado, and myself in Pennsylvania, Hawaii, & Israel. One phrase that has echoed through my life since the days of my summer missions experiences is this: “God does not call the qualified; God qualifies the called.” This concept covers much of Scripture. As a follower of Jesus, I now believe and understand more fully that God gives us each everything we need to accomplish the tasks that he has given us. It (a life of ministry and service to God) is not about our qualifications; it is about God’s calling.

After college graduation we would serve as US / C 2 (united states or canada for 2 years) missionaries on Alabama’s gulf coast. My official title was resort missionary. I know, I know “suffering for Jesus on the beach.” I used to get that a lot. Our 2 year appointed evolved into a total of 8 years. 6 of those years were spent working on my master’s degree at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. The greatest joys of working as a resort missionary included supervising summer missionaries, working with youth and adult mission teams from literally hundreds of churches, and working with disaster relief.
I now enjoy working full time with the wonderful staff, church family, and community of First Baptist Church in Fort Payne, Alabama.

My favorite verse of Scripture is Psalm 37:23-24… If a people’s steps follow the Lord, God is pleased with their ways. If they stumble, they will not fall, because the Lord holds their hand.

God is holding my hand, and I now have the privilege to point students in the Fort Payne community to the truth of God’s love and grace.

This story swapping thing may be something you would want to try as a family sometime.

Praying for You and Yours,
jeff ford