Acappella --
And growing to love the word…

How did it happen for you?

How did what happen? You ask.

How did you grow to love the Lord?
What drew you to him?

How did it happen for me? You ask.

I’d be happy to tell you!

First let me start by saying – I’m not as close to God as I need to be, nor do I love him as I should. But, I’m still growing, and he’s still drawing me closer and closer to him… thankfully.

There are a lot of things that played a part in my growing to love the word of God -- and his son as well. I was blessed to have godly parents, and my dad was the preacher for a small Church of Christ in southern Ohio. I say “was” because he passed away, in 2001. I was blessed to do his funeral on my birthday. He was an incredible man, a spiritual man -- who loved the God of the word -- and my mom is just as amazing.
It was common –- when I was growing up -- to wake up in the middle of the night and find my dad in the family room, or at the dining room table reading the word. I know that was very important in my developing a love for the word of God.
There are many other people and situations that have impacted my love for God and his word, but there is one group of people I would like to point out specifically…

The music group Acappella has played a major role in helping me develop a love for the word of God, and because of that -- love for God.
It has been such a blessing to grow up listening to scripture put to music. Don’t get me wrong, I love Contemporary Christian Music – just look at my profile and you can see that. But Keith Lancaster and Acappella have been such a blessing to me by putting scripture to song, and putting the word on my heart. Several of the scripture I have in my memory, I have because they sung it to me over and over through my car stereo.
One more thing, www.hosanna.org has a program called “Faith Comes By Hearing.” Several years ago I ordered their dramatized version of the Bible, it has a lifetime warranty against pretty much anything -- they really want to make sure you have the word with you. They even replaced the set I had worn out; they challenge you to do that…Cool huh.

So there you have it -- my growing to love the word story! Or at least most of it.

Thank you to everyone (dad, mom, my wife, daughter, friends, Acappella, Hosanna, preachers, teachers, children) who have played a role in my life by teaching me to love the word of God, and because of that, you helped me grow to love God himself.

And to you Father... thank you for showing yourself to me through your Son, your children, creation, and your Spirit. I know my very ability to love you -- comes from you... THANKS...

What's your story???

Faith comes by hearing…