"And it's hard to say who you are these days-but you run on anyway

You keep running for another place to find that saving grace..."

                                                                        Tom Petty, "Saving Grace"

Even though an American rock and roll star wrote this song in 2005, it describes me perfectly in 1982.  I was in high school then in Kansas City.  My life was what every teenager of the 80s desired: I had my drinking buddies, a girlfriend, and I was even captain of the track team. The gods of high school smiled upon me. 

At least for a little while.

But soon my drinking caused problems; then my girlfriend and I broke up.  Our track coach was fired for fighting with another student on the team and the school administration felt I played enough of a role in the collapse of the team that they relieved me as captain and kicked me out of National Honor Society.

Going into high school graduation in the spring of 1982, I was a distraught young man. The things that were supposed to make me happy had all failed me. I was confused. I was running from something but I did not know from where or why. 

A friend on the track team saw my depression and invited me to church. I declined.  "I got religion," I said, "and I got a Bible."  That was true.  Every night I read my Bible.  But I had no idea what it said. 

Finally, because a cute girl was going, I decided to go to church too. I went to church expecting to meet my next girlfriend; instead I met someone much better. Jesus Christ.

The speaker at the church talked about the pain of Jesus' crucifixion and that He died because of His love for me. The speaker's talk was graphic, like something from CSI or from Mel Gibson's "The Passion." I remember thinking, "If God loves me this much to suffer like this, then I want to get to know this God."

On a hot summer's night in June 1982 I gave my life to Jesus Christ.  His Spirit entered my life, forgave my sins and I began a journey with Him that continues today.

Now after a quarter of a century Jesus is still my Lord. I have an incredible wife, awesome kids and I still enjoy running and music. I even moved my family to Europe so we can tell those who don't know Christ about Him. Yet the foundation, the very core of my life is that the Creator of the Universe limited Himself to a man's body, took upon Himself our sins, paid our death penalty and offered us forgiveness, redemption and a relationship with Him that will last forever. 

I did not merely "become religious," I began a relationship with God Himself. I can call the universe's greatest power, love and judge "my Father!" What a privilege!

I found my "Saving Grace."