What is your story? Each one has a story to tell. We all have life stories to share. I remember as a young boy, visiting my grandparents on my mother’s side of the family, I would sit and listen to Grandpa Gardner tell stories. I’m really not sure which ones were true and which ones were fabrications, but they were all entertaining and interesting. Somehow the storytelling would always end up with a tale about H. Peter Deese. I’m really not sure if he was a real person, or an invention of Grandpa’s creative imagination. But if he was a real person, and he did everything Grandpa said he did, then he was an interesting man who lived an adventurous life.

The Apostle Paul had a story to tell. You can read his story three times in the book of Acts (see his testimony in Acts 9, 22, 26). His story revolved around his confrontation with the living Lord Jesus Christ as he traveled along the road to Damascus. This is Paul’s personal story. It was a reliving of his personal experience. It happened to him, and he was always ready to share his story with others.

You and I are just like Paul: We have a story to tell. Truth be told, we have many different stories to tell. But there is one story of special importance that we have to share, and it truly needs to be told. That is our own personal testimony of our own confrontation with the Lord Jesus.

My story begins on September 13, 1977. Actually, it begins long before that, but that particular Tuesday evening is the night my life changed forever. However, to bring us to that evening, allow me to back up five days to Thursday, September 8. That day started off just like any other day. I had gotten up, prepared myself for another day of work at Seco Electronics, got in my car and headed out on my ten-mile drive. Shortly after leaving my driveway, I heard a voice – clearly, distinctly, and unmistakenly. Now, just so you know, had you been with me you would not have heard it (or at least I don’t think you would have) but I could not NOT hear it. The voice simply said, “Steve, it’s time for you to give Me your life.” I didn’t have to ask, as Paul did, “Who are you, Lord?” No, I knew full well who it was.

The rest of that day I could not get my mind off that voice, and that message. That evening I went home and told Teresa that I wanted to go to church Sunday morning. She laughed, thinking I was joking. We had, after all, just hosted a wild party of drinking and drugs at our house the night before!

I’ll spare you the details of the next two days, except to say that I continued to ask Teresa to attend church with me, and she continued to refuse to go. So, Sunday morning came, and I went – alone. The pastor of the church had visited us on several occasions at the request of my parents. I entered the worship center and sat at the very back. After the service, I asked him if he could spare a few minutes to speak with me. After several minutes we made arrangements for him to visit with us on Tuesday evening. It was then, September 13, 1977, at 10:45 PM, that Teresa and I both were gloriously saved and forever changed by God’s amazing grace.

Our life journey has now taken us through many different experiences, each of which resulted in life lessons which were intended by God to grow us toward spiritual maturity. We’ve come a long way, and still have a good way to go. But He has been with us every step of the way.

That’s my story. Many other details could easily be added, but hopefully you get the gist a life that was changed. No, not by my own strength, but His. You have your own story to tell. Are you quick to share it when the opportunity avails itself to you? We should all be ready to tell others the tale of our lives.