But Now Am Found: Real Stories, of Ordinary People, of How God Called Them to a Personal Relationship

By Jon Kirkpatrick

These true life stories are related to the parable Jesus told, in Luke chapter 15, The Good Shepherd, where Jesus leaves the larger group to find the one that is lost. We all, at one point in our lives, are lost sheep. As a result, The Good Shepherd calls each one of us to a personal relationship with Him. Sometimes it is simple. Sometimes it seems He calls them with great personal upheaval. Either way, He calls everyone individually. Read about the road each person traveled and see how God intervened at times until He finally made a call which they accepted. These are interesting and heartwarming accounts. You will be amazed to read about the many turns some have made going far from God, then read how He drew them close. It will make you reflect on your own story of how God is calling, or has called you.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Feb 24, 2017
• ISBN: 9781512774870

Jon Kirkpatrick

Jon is a follower of Christ and a lay leader in his church. He is a family life group teacher and an ordained deacon who has worked on local and foreign missions. Jon came to know Christ personally at youth camp at age fifteen. Over the last decade he has been interested in how God saves people. He loves to listen to stories of how God intervenes in someone’s life and leads them to Himself.

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Copyright © 2017 Jon Kirkpatrick.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission. www.Lockman.org

Scripture quotes marked (NKJV) are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotes marked (KJV) are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

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ISBN: 978-1-5127-7488-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-7489-4 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-7487-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017901824

WestBow Press rev. date: 02/14/2017

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Foreword

Introduction

1.   Russell

2.   Salvatore

3.   Jim

4.   Katie

5.   Darren

6.   Rebecca

7.   Rick

8.   Bruce

9.   Sarofim

10.   Kim

11.   Sam

12.   Stacey

13.   Wilson

14.   Harley

15.   Rosa

16.   Shelly

17.   Charles

18.   David

19.   Jake

Epilogue The Good Shepherd Searches

Works Cited

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for laying the assignment on my heart to write this book. It has been both a pleasure and a blessing. Without Him, I would have no idea how to get this done. He put people in my way to listen to, write stories about, and show me what He has done in their lives.

Thank you also goes to those who allowed me to listen to and write about their stories. Each one of them truly blessed me with what Jesus has meant to them. All had nothing but praise for the Good Shepherd, who dug them out of a pit and call them by name. With each story, I could see and hear their excitement in recounting their testimony so that God can be glorified.

I counted on several people to look over this work, and they deserve special thanks. To Sonia Plyler, Matt Dunbar, Lois Handy, Meghan Harrington, and Eli Harrington, I will be forever grateful for the candid and honest feedback that helped craft each story.

FOREWORD

Salvation is such a miraculous event in a person’s life that it leaves that person forever changed. But Now Am Found is filled with examples of how the Lord meets people where they are and with the faith they possess, and God’s grace pours over those people to forgive and cleanse them from sin.

Each account is extremely personal while at the same time extraordinarily supernatural. The only explanation for these changes is the power of God doing in and through these people what they were unable to do in themselves. The overwhelming notion that flows from these testimonies is that no one can question what God alone has done in their lives. They are the authority on their life change and who did it.

As you saturate your mind and heart with the diversity with which the Lord dealt with these real-life examples of salvation, I pray that it will either strengthen your own walk with the Lord or, if you have never been touched by God’s grace, that you will call out to Him right where you are and place your faith and trust in the only One who can deliver you from the power of sin.

Dr. Mike Whitson

Senior Pastor

First Baptist Church Indian Trail, North Carolina

INTRODUCTION

But now am found is a familiar phrase in the popular eighteenth-century hymn Amazing Grace, written by John Newton, who was once an African slave trader. As the song goes,

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost but now am found,

Was blind but now I see.

Many of us have sung that verse frequently, but do we reflect on its timeless words? Over the years of hearing and reading those words in conjunction with studying and teaching scripture, an awesome principle of God’s grace becomes clear, where He pursues us and calls us to Himself. Over a number of years, the Holy Spirit has given me a curiosity for how and why He pursues us.

First of all, there is no question that God, by His grace, pursues us. The parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15 is a fine example of the Good Shepherd. Many people think of God in various ways. When I think of my Master, the Good Shepherd always comes to mind.

What man among you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost! (Luke 15:4–6 NKJV)

God is in constant pursuit of the one which is lost. Whether we realize it or not, that’s you and me. Notice that He pursues until He finds. After He finds the sheep, our God carries it back; He shoulders our burdens. If that is not grace enough, when He gets home, He tells all His friends, Rejoice with Me. Look what I found. What an amazing God.

In concert with His pursuit, God calls us with a gentle invitation. Jesus said in John 6:44a, No one can come to me, unless the Father who sent me draws him. God’s chasing grace is in control through the whole process of our salvation. People don’t decide for themselves to be saved; the Father calls them.

Every child of God can look at his or her own salvation as a unique experience with almighty God. Some people I have interviewed are unimpressed with their own salvation because, if they recount the story, it seems rather bland and uneventful for them. On the other hand, God put some people in unusual situations or allowed them to exist in dire lifestyles to save them. I encourage all of you reading this book to uncover your own story of salvation. Consider the people, places, circumstances, surroundings, personal backgrounds, ways you were taught or not taught, words spoken, scriptures revealed, pains, joys, and the quiet solitude when the Holy Spirit began to knock on your heart’s door. Once you join the puzzle pieces together, you will see that no one but God could orchestrate such a story. Those of us who have been born again should never forget it. My pastor always reminds us, Never get over your salvation. It will give rise to praising God almighty for what He has done in your life.

My prayer is that you will enjoy getting to know those who shared their stories as much as I enjoyed listening to what God did for each of them. If God uses these encounters with Him to enlighten you as to His saving grace, then we all are blessed. My friend, if you don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, my prayer is that you will ask Him to come into your heart today.

These are real stories based on personal interviews or interactions. Names have been changed to protect privacy.

Russell

One of the things I realized in gathering information for this book is that God has moved in the lives of people I know and that there are great conversations around their salvation. It is rewarding to hear what God has done with someone close.

Russell is a friend of mine, and we have known each other for more than twenty years. He and his wife have been in classes I have taught in two churches. One day, we were in our life group class talking about good things God has done for us all when Russell started talking about his salvation experience. Tearfully, he shared his story of how God pursued him and touched him like only God can.

Russell described his upbringing in a Christian home. However, church attendance was sporadic, and the whole family rarely attended together. Like all of us at times, other distractions put church attendance far down on the list of things to do. His mother and father had different reasons for not attending regularly. Russell’s mother is a very shy person by nature. She prefers to keep to herself because she is very uncomfortable in group or social settings. While she felt uncomfortable at church, her children would regularly see her reading her Bible and praying. This love for scripture and God made an impression on Russell early in life. There is nothing like a praying mother. I think God lends a special ear toward those tender prayers.

Russell’s father worked for the railroad and was not a churchgoer, but he was not opposed to the idea either. Like many men, he found other distractions on Sundays. He is a tool man and an outdoorsman as well. He had a Christian mother as well who influenced and raised him in a Christian home. By his own admission, he had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Russell’s maternal grandparents lived on the same property in Kentucky with Russell and his mom, dad, and sister. They actually lived next door. Grandma would faithfully attend a local God-honoring church. Grandpa, on the other hand, did not like church attendance. Described as a good man, he liked to drink a little and cuss. Grandpa was an unsaved tobacco farmer.

God used Grandma to bring Russell and his older sister to church each Sunday. When Russell was early elementary-school age, Grandma would have Grandpa stop at Russell’s house, pick up him and his sister, and take them to church. Grandpa was often quick to drive away from church because Russell remembers Grandpa’s squealing tires leaving the church grounds. Grandpa did not know that he needed Jesus, too.

Grandma was diligent in taking Russell and his sister to church where they began to hear the truth about Jesus and how He had died for their sins. Russell admits he could feel the Holy Spirit dealing with him and knew he needed to do something about it. People can go two ways with conviction: they can give in and ask Jesus to come into their hearts and lives, or they can run the other way at their own peril. Russell chose the latter.

Russell’s grandmother and mother remind me of Timothy’s grandmother and mother spoken about in the Bible: For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well (2 Tim. 1:5).

At about age fifteen, Russell and his sister had heard enough truth and felt uncomfortable enough (convicted enough) to determine that not attending church would make conviction go away. Little did they know that the Holy Spirit is a great pursuer of all and does not relent. The two devised a plan to approach their father about not going to church with Grandma. Russell was a bit shy about bringing the matter before his parents, so his sister started the conversation. After she laid out their case, Russell voiced his whole-hearted agreement to discontinue going on Sundays. To his surprise, his father said, Okay, you don’t have to go. Russell was good with that decision.

Soon, a job at a local grocery store kept Russell busy. Working at the store was fun due to the interaction with coworkers, especially after work hours. He developed unhealthy relationships and started hanging out with the wrong people. Christian friends he knew from church were around, just not close anymore. Somewhat frequently, the work group would get together to drink and smoke marijuana, usually to excess. Party life was developing a hold in Russell’s life and taking him down the wrong path.

One night, Russell was camping with friends and drinking heavily. As it got late, he knew he needed to try and make it home. It was raining hard, he was drunk, and a motorcycle was his only transportation. He was trying to get home quickly to get out of the rain and not watching his speed. He thought the best thing he could do was keep the front tire on the yellow center line, which would take him straight home. As he neared home, he came to a busy intersection where he should have stopped, but instead he flew through the intersection, went off of the road, and was catapulted off of his motorcycle. For a second, he realized he was traveling at fifty-five miles an hour. He remembers his face hitting the handlebars before he went airborne and landed right in his great-grandmother’s garden.

God was evidently watching over him; he could have been killed. He got up and stumbled to his house in one piece. Naturally, when he went inside, he lied about the accident to cover his drinking. He told his dad that he had hit a rock that threw him off the bike. Russell suspected his father knew what had happened. His eye was swollen shut the next morning. About a week later, Russell and his father went to get a new motorcycle rim and tire. When the tire clerk mentioned that he had never seen a rim in such a beat-up condition, his dad said, Yeah, son, you want to tell me about that rock? Russell simply said, No. Like most young guys, Russell tried to shrug the incident off. However, this close call with death scared him.

Just like the prodigal son in Luke 15, God was letting Russell choose his own path. Sometimes that’s what God does; we have to come to the end of ourselves to realize that we have picked the wrong road. Russell admits that the motorcycle accident was not his only close call with death. God was using these life-threatening situations to convict Russell again. Do you see the Good Shepherd here? The Holy Spirit was using prior truth that had been implanted in Russell during his formative church days combined with possible life-ending accidents to intervene.

One week in particular was vividly tough when he was a teenager. Russell had a bad experience with drinking and drugs. He remembers being scared and knew he had to get out of that lifestyle. He knew he was on the wrong road, the road to death and destruction. He had an overwhelming need for God to change his life’s direction. No rest, no sleep, constant conviction, and guilt were his weights. Burdens are heavy, heavier than tons of physical weight to be carried. Our bodies were not meant to bear burdens; that’s why Jesus said, Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest (Matt. 11:28).

A turning point came with the intervention of a Christian friend, Dave. Dave asked Russell to join him at church several times, but Russell had better things to do. Dave came to hang out with him one Friday night. They were both drinking and enjoying time together, but the fun ended when Dave put his arm on Russell’s shoulders and said, Russell, I’m worried if you were to die, I’m afraid you would go to hell. Russell remembers Dave’s comments exactly. Those words ate at him. God sank them deep in his soul. He recalls thinking to himself, Why did Dave have to bring that up and say that? We were having such a good time. Why did Dave say, go to hell? Russell did not want to go there mentally. He did not want to equate his knowledge of hell and the real possibility of going there.

It’s amazing how God will take an event like two friends drinking and use it for His glory. I believe God put words in Dave’s mouth. The Holy Spirit knew what Russell needed to hear. Immediately, Russell felt convicted, troubled, and upset. At this point, Russell could stand it no longer.

Thursday rolled around the next week, and Russell finally got enough courage to tell his dad that he wanted to go to church and be baptized. While helping grade tobacco on Grandpa’s farm that day, Russell’s dad said, Russell wants to go get baptized. Do you want to go? Grandpa agreed to join them.

His dad called the church to talk to the pastor about setting up a baptism that day. The pastor was gone, so he called an elder, Mr. Johnson, who called some church members to come to a baptism; Russell wants to be baptized was the message. About six people accepted the invitation and showed up at the small church. Included were Russell’s dad, mom, grandpa, and grandma and Russell.

Being an elder, Mr. Johnson made it a formal affair by leading some music first in an invitation-type setting. When they started to sing, Russell was thinking, I’m ready to go. We don’t need an invitation. Russell stepped out in the aisle to move down front. As he left his pew, he noticed Grandpa holding on very tightly to the pew and shaking.

By this time, Russell was in front of the church waiting impatiently. Then Mr. Johnson said, We will sing one more stanza. Russell was beside himself. He knew he needed salvation and wanted it to happen. He thought, This is about me.

While listening to the last stanza, Russell turned around and looked at his grandfather, who was still shaking and still holding tightly onto the pew, white knuckles and all. Just then, Grandpa stepped out in the aisle to join him. Grandpa knew that he needed salvation, too. God in his infinite wisdom knew what He was setting up—salvation for two.

Mr. Johnson wanted to make sure that both Russell and his grandfather knew what they were doing, so he opened the scriptures to Romans, making sure they understood that sin had separated them from God and that Jesus died for their sins and rose again. Then repentance and confession happened. They both asked Christ to come into their lives together. Both were baptized the same day.

Russell remembers that his guilt was gone, his burdens were lifted, and he was no longer afraid of death and hell. An immediate peace and comfort came over him. Mom and Dad were excited about his salvation. Notably surprised and pleased, Grandma was so excited about the two salvations that she even kissed Russell. While Grandma had always been a good lady, showing affection was out of her comfort zone.

After the two salvations that day, Russell, his father, and grandparents all started going to church together regularly. Drinking and pot-smoking parties were in the past. Carousing buddies were told about his conversion. They were good with it and knew Russell would not be back.

The Good Shepherd

Can you see the Good Shepherd at work? God made sure that Russell was in the proper physical environment in Kentucky. Raised in a Christian home, with his mother and grandmother living their faithful lives in plain sight, Russell could see right from wrong. God made sure he knew enough truth that He would later use to convict Russell of his sin. Russell knew that the