The Bloggers of '98.6 Too Cold'

Ryan Walters:

 

 

At age five, I accepted the Lord as my Savior in Vacation Bible School. I was born into a Christian home & attended Christian private education all my life but God and I's story did not take flight until tribulations began at the beginning of my teenage years. When my parents got a divorce & alcoholism & bipolar disorder entered the picture, I grabbed hold of the Lord for protection & comfort & as a result invited Him once again into my life, though much more seriously this time. Still, my own problems of alcohol & dating relationships in high school created a larger mess.  I began to realize as I entered my freshman year in college that my life required some change to say the least. I started daily devotionals with a friend back home (Larry, a blogger from '98.6 Too Cold'), dove into the Word more than I had before and altered the people I chose to associate with. In my junior year I got baptized, declaring an even more sincere commitment to living for Christ. I placed my dependence wholly on Jesus & no longer on women as I had struggled with previously. The following six month period from November to April, I lost my grandfather to cancer & my father from a car accident yet my walk with the Lord reached an entirely new level as He filled me with comfort & peace during the most difficult moment of my life thus far. Post college, my heart's desire is to serve the Lord in courage, in lack of shame or fear (Romans 1:16) & follow Him wherever He may lead me. "Its not that the Lord suddenly finds us or decides to pursue us. He is always there knocking on our door".

 

R.W - 22 years of age - MA

Jodel Wright:

 

"If you give up now, you may never know how far God desires to take you." God's hand has been in my life, well, figuratively! It's like He molds and shapes and creates paths for me everyday. Trinidad is a small Island off the coast of Venezuela; that was where my story began. Twisted and twirled by much pain and disappointment, I stared hunger and poverty in their eyes. But I am so grateful that God had a bigger story, where, believe it or not, I am included. From high school through college with the much needed assistance from my mom, encouragement from my dad, optimism from my sister, and belief from my friends, God continues to shape me more into His Son. Today my heart breaks for the countless souls, tiny as an eight year old girl, who are lost in human trafficking. Today I stand to bring a change to this broken world, to allow the light of Jesus to shine ever so bright through me, and bring freedom to those in captivity. It matters not where your story began because God has a story of His own that is greater than yours; one where you, even when faced with trial and adversity, will be used to change the world! Trust in The Lord because He loves you and He sent Jesus, His Son to die in your place, and who rose and is seated at the right hand of The Father, that you may have life ever so abundantly in heaven. Don't you quit! God has a plan and purpose for you!

J.W - 22 years of age - New York

Nathan McGee:

 

 

I was born and raised in a Christian home and in a Christian environment. My father was a pastor and has been pastoring a myriad of churches over the years to this day. Throughout my life I wasn’t challenged in any way to defend or to move forward in my Christian faith. I had many people to look to as examples of what it was like to live a life of faith, but never had that moment until I left for school. It wasn’t until I was on my “own” that I searched for God. It was around the middle or end of my junior year in college when I really took a new step in my relationship with God; this is where it began. Now only being a year and a half later, I have made some important changes in my life, but I am still working toward where I am supposed to be. Every day I encounter either small or big, different situations where I can advance in my walk with God. I realize that I need to entrust myself to the Lord in the mundane everyday things, as well as the crazy big situations. Throughout the past two years, I have begun to read the Bible and do devotions, not always daily but as much as I can throughout the week. Through this experience I have been able to see areas in my life that need to be changed. It’s not always easy, but I’m a work in progress!

N.M - 22 years of age - MA

 

Laurence Shaw:

Hey everyone! I'm Larry & I'll be contributing to this blog. Since the four of us are going to attempt to share Biblical perspectives from a Biblical worldview, it is appropriate to give our readers a brief testimony of our lives in Christ. I am currently the elder member of the team at 61 years old. I live in Southeastern Massachusetts with my wife of 27 years. I entered into a personal relationship with Jesus when I was 19 years old  when I was convinced that Jesus had died for my sins. Soon after, I was led by the Lord to Liberty University where I completed my degree in Music Education with a minor in Bible. God soon led me into relationships where I was discipled or was blessed to disciple, both older & younger believers. While I have had opportunities to lead others to Christ, the majority of the ministry God has given me has been with younger men who I have been able to disciple in both group & in one on one settings. Some of these relationships continue to this day & are decades old. My overarching goal is to present the "truth in love" to everyone that God brings my way. In order to do this, I must get to know each one really well, identify with their sufferings, love them unconditionally, as God does, then bring Biblical truth to them that is appropriate to the struggles they share with me, gently inviting them to grow in their walk with God, so that they can experience the very best God has for them. So while I will not know the personal story of each reader, it will still be my goal before God, to present Biblical truth from a heart of love.

L.S - 61 years of age - MA