Front Row Faith: Testimonies of Faith

By Gregg McDonald

The front pew in a Church is a special place for sure. It's the front row to the Biggest Stage in this world and the seats in the first row don't cost a dime; but they do "cost" something. When you look across the front pews of Christian Churches, you'll see a very diverse crowd. On any given Sunday, you'll see senior citizens, young Couples with very young Children, international Families, and folks of every race and walk of life. You might see an eager Family with a baby clad in beautiful white attire looking forward to their trip to the Holy Water font for a Baptism. Or, it could be someone much older in beautiful white attire about to plunge backwards in that same font. You might see someone at Church for the first time ever (or in a long time) with eyes wide open with the Spiritual curiosity of a newborn being "born-again". Regardless of who you see in the front row, all have paid a price beyond money to sit in those first pews. Time, tribulation, surrender, loss, gain, charity, endurance, patience, perseverance, hope, love, Faith, etc. are just a few of the prices that have been paid by these and others to be able to sit in this row. And, it didn't come cheap. Like when Jesus Christ went to the Cross for all of us, it was by His stripes that we were Healed (Isaiah 53:5); and, it was by this world's stripes that these people were Redeemed. The following are just a handful of "stories" of those that may or may not sit in the front row at your Church. While nobody deserves the right (the Mercy) to sit in the front pews, all have been given their tickets to the front row by the Price (the Grace) that Jesus paid for us on the Cross. These tickets, while freely-given also must be "kept" through hearing God's Call, being Faithfully-Obedient to God, and exuding a ruthless Trust in Him. Reckless Love made those pews available to all of us, so what Choice do we really have? God bless and Godspeed!!!

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Sep 27, 2021
• ISBN: 9781667804125

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Copyright © 2021 by Gregg McDonald

ISBN: 978-1-66-780412-5

Table of Contents

Disclaimer

Acknowledgements

The Front Row / Introduction

Walter & Betty

Mr. Ray

Melissa

Jimmy

Rosie

Mpho

Michael

Rick & Sara

Miss Claire

Max and Samorn

Melchor

Aleksander

Javier

Wally

Gregg

Disclaimer

This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents in this book are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

This book is designed to provide information and motivation to its readers.  No warranties or guarantees are expressed or implied by the author’s choice to include any of the content in this volume. The individual author shall not be liable for any physical, psychological, emotional, financial, or commercial damages, including, but not limited to, special, incidental, consequential or other damages. The views and rights are the same: You are responsible for your own choices, actions, and results.  As every person is different, the advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. As always, people should seek the services of a competent professional before beginning any improvement program.

Acknowledgements

As always, I would like to thank God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.  From before my days on earth through today, God has been leading me – whether or not I have been accepting of His Lead.  God gets all of the credit for this book and I hope to have made Him proud by being Faithful in writing it.  I’d also like to thank our Holy Mother, St. Mary, St. Joseph, St. Michael, St. Raphael, St. Gabriel, St. George, St. Gregory, St. Anthony, St. Padre Pio, St. Theresa, St. Faustina, my Guardian Angels, and all of the Angels and Saints who were also a critical part in the development of this book.  They have all had input in one form or another into this process and are core to our time here in this world.  I’d also like to thank all of the Holy Servants that have Inspired me throughout this process.

I would next like to thank my Wife, Michelle, for all of her love, support, and Faith through the years.  She is my Queen in this world and I still can’t believe that she continues to partner with me in this life.  She is the best person that I have ever met and I can’t believe that I get to call her my Wife.  I’d also like to thank our Children, Andrew, Luke, and Ella, for their continued love and support throughout our Faith Journeys together.  Their love and Faith have been an Inspiration to so much more than this book, so I just can’t ever thank them enough for making me a better Father in this life.  I would also like to thank my Parents, Colin and Sandra McDonald, for their courage, sacrifice, and love throughout my life.  They are heroes to me and laid the foundation of Faith for me at a very early age leading by their example of hard work and belief.  I would also like to thank Michelle’s Parents, Gary and Tina O’Connell, for their constant belief in me and the Faith Journey that they, too, have witnessed in our lives.  For without two sets of great Parents, there wouldn’t be a Gregg and Michelle (and Kids) or this book.  I would also like to thank our extended Families for their love and support throughout the years and this process (there are too many to list here).  Lastly, I would like to thank the countless number of Spiritually-connected folks that have also been a key part of the writing of this book. Again, there are too many to list…

The Front Row / Introduction

The front pew in a Church is a special place for sure.  It’s the front row to the biggest Stage in this world, but the seats in the first row don’t cost a dime.  But they do cost all of us something.

When you look across the front pews of Christian Churches, you will see a very diverse crowd for sure.  On any given Sunday, you’ll see senior citizens, sometimes in droves, sitting together with their walking aids lined-up like a row of Harley-Davidson motorcycles outside a greasy spoon.  On the other end of the age-spectrum, you might see a young Couple with very young Children sitting up-front with the hopes that the proximity to the Big Stage (the Altar) will help keep their rambunctious kiddos focused and at bay long enough to actually enjoy Sunday Services.  You might see a Family from Africa in their Sunday Best – which might include some kanzus (a traditional dress worn by Swahili-speaking men) and kangas (worn by Swahili-speaking women).  You might see someone hunched-over and weeping throughout the Services.  Or someone that you see in the same exact position like they’re never leaving as you leave after Worship through the back of the Church.  You might see an eager Family with a baby clad in beautiful white attire looking forward to their trip to the Holy Water font for a Baptism.  Or, it could be someone much older in beautiful white attire about to plunge backwards in that same font.  You might see someone at Church for the first time – perhaps ever or in a long time – with eyes wide open with the Spiritual curiosity of a newborn.  Or, you might see someone being born-again.

Regardless of who you see in the front row, all have paid a price beyond money to sit in those first pews.  Time, tribulation, surrender, loss, gain, charity, endurance, patience, perseverance, hope, love, Faith, etc. are just a few of the prices that have been paid by these and others to be able to sit in this row.  And, it didn’t come cheap.  Like when Jesus Christ went to the Cross for all of us, it was by His stripes that we were Healed (Isaiah 53:5); and, it was by this world’s stripes that these people were Redeemed.

The following are just a handful of stories of those that may or may not sit in the front row at your Church.  While nobody deserves the right (the Mercy) to sit in the front pews, all have been given their tickets to the front row by the Price (the Grace) that Jesus paid for us on the Cross.  Nobody can scalp these tickets; they must be earned through hearing God’s Call, being Faithfully-Obedient to God, and exuding a ruthless Trust in Him.  Reckless Love made those pews available to all of us, so what Choice do we really have?

Walter & Betty

Walter and Betty sit at Daily Mass, as well as at Sunday Mass, in the front row of a pretty big Church.  Walter moves mostly via a walker and Betty at this point.  He’s always wearing his signature Member’s Only jacket and shuffles about like the robotic-mannequins a Disney World’s Hall of Presidents.  Nothing makes Walter move too fast.  I suppose that if even a canon went off behind or near Walter, he’d turn at the same speed to see what the noise was as he does when he turns ever so gently to look at me with his ice-blue eyes to say hello and peace be with you.  Those same eyes are his most redeeming feature – there’s a depth and, ironically, a warmth to them that just makes you want to know Walter more.  It’s like they have a tractor beam built into them luring you in for a closer look.  Walter rises as quickly as he turns to say hello – as does he sit in his pew at the same speed.  I almost feel funny using the word speed in the same sentence as Walter.  Walter’s next best surface quality to me (beyond his super-cool jacket) is his arctic-white hair.  I mean, Walter is in his late 90’s and his hair is albino-white per the Sherwin-Williams’ color wheel.  At 6’-5" (less the 3 inches he’s lost from hunching over due to the ice formations on the branches of his hair), he’s a formidable physical presence.

Betty on the other hand feels much younger than Walter – even though she’s only five-years junior to him.  The years have been much kinder to her.  But what she’s gained in age, she’s lost to size.  Betty’s only 4’-11.  Walter towers over her; even in his hunched-over, walker-dependent state.  She is as strong as an ox after having to help Walter for the better part of the past 20 years (which probably explains the great shape that she’s in).  While Walter has gone-white" across his top, Betty’s hair has weathered like old barn wood into a steely-gray.  She’s got a smile that warms your heart and she isn’t too selfish about sharing it with others.

I regularly see Walter and Betty coming to and from Church together in their Hyundai Sonata.  They’re hard to miss already given their statures, but it helps to get noticed when you’re parking in the handicap spot right in front of Church.  I was drawn to the two of them by the Holy Spirit – there was just something about them that I had to know more about.  So, I asked them about their stories…

Walter: I don’t really know where to start.  Nobody ever asks me anything.  What does it matter if I sit in the front row at Church or not?

Betty: Be nice Walter…  Gregg’s our Friend.

Walter: I know that.  I just don’t think we’re all that interesting.

Gregg: Well, Walter and Betty, you’re both very interesting to me.  Please tell me about who you both are and where you both come from.

Betty: "I’ll start first then. [Walter paused, of course, so Betty took pole position on this one] I was born on a farm in rural Indiana in 1923.  I was the third of thirteen kids which wasn’t so crazy back then.  I mean, my Folks needed a lot of Children with all of the work they had to take care of on the Family farm.  We farmed all kinds of vegetables and had cows,