My journey w/ The Man.

[Jay Bird]

My father will tell you that this was not easy for me.
There was a time in my life when I did not believe that there was a God. I grew up going to a catholic school for twelve years and felt that the religion organization was a load of stuff. I more than likely I may never return to the church, but I have been reminded several times in recent years that there isa God and He is in control.

Some of you may know that I drive trains from Denver to Steamboat. I was called to return a train from Steamboat back to Denver. I was “lucky” enough to be assigned to work with a conductor born with a mission to convert railroaders to be born again. Oh brother. In my mind all I could hear was, “Bla bla bla!” I didn’t want to hear his message….at the time. Although, I did allowed him to speak his piece and tolerated his life story along with many praises and questionable tears. I attempted to comfort him thinking he was definitely losing it. Our train was sitting at Tabernash, Co. looking eastward (I’ll post a picture) at the continental divide. I made a comment such as, “Wouldn’t it be great if God were here listening to us and show us that he is here by lighting up the side of that mountain. “ I actually found this quite comical and actually chuckled in my head. As I did this, the side of the mountain lit up in the color of gold. In astonishment, he pointed to the mountain. I looked up and was blown away! Unfortunately, I continued to fight our Lord.
Traveling once again from Steamboat to Denver, I was blazing through Egeria Canyon near Bond Co. This canyon has 2000 foot cliffs on each side of the tracks. I got sick to my stomach and told my conductor the needed to be stopped. As I did, there was a wall of rock in front of me covering the tracks. I was able to stop the train within twenty feet of the rock slide. If I would have hit the rock slide, I am certain that I wouldn’t have survived. I continually ask myself, “What made me do that?” I will probably continue to ask that question until the day I die.

There have been many more occurrences that the Lord has save my tail. Evidently, I am not very good at typing, since this has taken me two hours to do so far. So, I will attempt to keep the rest short and to the point. I have asked myself many times why has God shown Himself to me so many times? My wife being diagnosed with cancer has made me realize that He has been preparing me my whole life for the new challenges we are now facing. Many of you are aware that after only five chemotherapy sessions, which took two and half months, they have begun to shrink.(35%, 55% and gone!) Even the doctor seemed blown away by the results of the PET scan. This is truly a God thing. I will continue to pray daily for my wife’s recovery.

I am not a Bible thumper but I will tell you this……God exists and He is in my heart and is directing my life. I continue to choose not to go to church since I rather spend my Sunday’s shooting. But if you look really hard, He is not just found in the local churches….He is all around us. Not more than a few days ago, I spoke with the same guy who was preaching to me in Tabernash. We ran into each other at a work meeting. At this time he told me I was not to be just one of God’s followers, but instead to be a warrior for His purpose and I’ve always wanted to be a warrior . Thanks for listening to my jibber jabber and take it for what it’s worth.

Now with all this said, go get your Colon checked for early diagnoses! By the way, March is National Colorectal Prevention month.



Sixgun-His Warrior

[Griff]

Sixgun, Jr.,

Thanks for sharing that with us. I too forsake the "organized" religion thing, but... I don't feel that belief in our Father relies on a structure. Far from it. I see too many of his works to NOT believe.

[AJMD429]

Now with all this said, go get your Colon checked for early diagnoses! By the way, March is National Colorectal Prevention month.

I believe colonoscopy should start at age 45 for everyone, and be every 8-10 years. If there is a family history of polyps or colon cancer, it should start at an even younger age. Unfortunately, the test used to cost $225, but people demanded 'insurance' cover it, so now it may run as high as $3,000, and though covered, the co-pay or deductible will be far higher than the total cost used to be. Still, figure $3,000 over 10 years, and you're talking $300 a year for a process that can eliminate the possibility of a very bad thing happening.

Thank God Sixgun jr's honey is recovering.

[firefuzz]

Thank you for sharing, I found your testimony to be quite uplifting. Although I have backsliden from the days when I was in the church every time the doors open and read my Bible daily I do love God and cherish my relationship with him.

An older man, who was very dear to me, that attended the church of my youth was considered to be quite knowledgeable on the Bible. I once asked him asked him how many times he had read It from cover to cover. After a moments pause he replied, "I don't know exactly...several times. But I do know that every time I read it I discover something that I never had before although I've read those same verses many times. But I do know that I'll continue to read it for as long as the Lord grants me sight because I know I've missed more than I've learned."

Those words have been with me for over 30 years now, and the advice and wisdom in them will be with me forever.

Rob

[J Miller]

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[rjohns94]

God is all about a relationship with us. In Genesis, Adam and Eve are walking in the garden with God in the cool of the night. What an amazing picture that conjurs up, so peaceful, so right, so fulfilling. Then sin came into the world and the relationship was severed by our fault. God stated right then and there that he would provide a fix to that, and later, sent his son, our Savior to suffer as a man and die on the cross to bridge the gap that sin causes between us and God. God is always pursuing us. It is us who are too busy to have a relationship with him, or pull him out of our pockets when we "need" him. Well, I have discovered I NEED him all the time. We are also called to be part of the church, the body of believers, and to do the work that God has set before us within that body and the world. God is always at work around us and he wants us to join in his work. many people ask what is our purpose and God clearly shows us that our purpose is to have a relationship with him. We were created for fellowship with God. and the other purpose is to join God in the work he has created us to do. He makes us unique for a reason, to fulfill the unique purpose he has for us. he does not want us to be alone, he does not want us to be seperate from the body (the church) and he does not want mediocre devotion to him and his work. God promises he is with us always. His Son has made that possible. People say God is going to judge us and they are correct. He will sit on his throne and judge us through Jesus. He will ask his Son "what about Him, or Her" and Christ will say "Yes, I died for Him/Her too" and then we will be welcomed into the heavenly presence of God and His Son, our saviour. For those that believe, this is the promise, written in the blood of Christ. To each of us, a full measure of Grace has been given so that we might live boldly and passionately and have the fullness of life in Him. Often times, we loose sight of the boundless depths of God's love for us and the depth and breadth of His Grace. If we focused on that, then our response in our daily lives would be much different.


I am so pleased to hear of your journey with your Creator. May he continue to richly bless you and provide for the cure of your wife. May he protect you and guide you and keep you strong for the tracks that are laid out before you. Blessings and thanks for sharing your story.

[41bear]

Sixgun jr and Griff I am also one of the non-organized religion believers. Yet I know in my heart that God is with me always and Jesus is my savior.

God bless you and thanks for sharing your story.

[Malamute]

Thanks for the post. Each of our walks is different in some way.

I would make a couple observations or comments. Going to church, or not, isn't the only mark of a believer, tho there are a couple of things that bear keeping in mind. Now and then, I don't feel like going. Then someone will call to ask if I was OK, or whatever. Makes you feel good that someone cares, and notices. On several occasions, folks have mentioned that it was an inspiration to them to see me there. That's a bit humbling. I never knew. My point about that is, it may not be you on any particular day that's being uplifted by going to church, it may be someone else, and you may never know it. We're told that gathering together builds us up. Sometimes it's you that's built up, other times it may be someone else. Fellowship with other believers does build you up. Being fed in the Word is another aspect of beng built up.

Another thought, you don't join any church, Jesus adds you to His church when you're saved. "Church" is the people, the "called out" in Greek, hence any believer is "the church". Remember the words from the old song "whenever two or more of you are gathered in his name,...."?

A couple church pictures. Or not,...they are too big to load, and I don't know how to reduce them. Maybe the one will stay.

Horses parked behind church.

IMG_0641.JPG

[Blaine]

I'm a sinner. But, things seem to work out for me. Must be getting help from somewhere. You fellas here have helped me to see God more than I used to.

[C. Cash]

Wonderful words of encouragement fellas! God Bless you Sixgun Jr. and continue to heal and lift up your family.

[madman4570]

Thanks for sharing your inspiring story Sixgun Jr.
Prayers to continue, and I pray to God your wife makes a 100% full recovery.
God Bless you and the family!

[Modoc ED]

I'm not a churchgoer but I am a believer.

Best to you and yours John.

[O.S.O.K.]

Good post. Thanks for sharing that with us!

I too am not an organized religion kinda guy. I prefer to have a personal and private relationship with God. I do pray to God often and thank him for the many blessings that I and my family enjoy and to ask for help for others in need. And I can look back at my life and on many occasions identify things that have happened that I just can explain - really coincidental things that resulted in a positive outcome... many times in my youth where I was spared great harm and even death - though I deserved both for the stupid decisions that I made.

I'm not sure if God is actually interjecting in a personal way or if its more of a force for good or something like that, but there is definately an influence.

[gamekeeper]

Thanks for sharing your inspiring story Sixgun Jr.
Prayers to continue, and I pray to God your wife makes a 100% full recovery.
God Bless you and the family!

+ 1

[Nath]

Wonderfull post this is.
Sunday I was in the woods and found my self meditating/praying a little, to rare for me!

I do wish folk would call God by his name though, seems odd we use Jesus' name but not Jehovah! I don't want to cause a debate or lose the charm of this thread, just say'in.

Nath