...i often am brought back to Grand Rapids in my mind & thoughts & prayers...thinking of those I knew growing up...school, church...socially, ...athletics.. etc.. and of course pastors...our family attended 1st CRC on Bates Street ...an inner-city church..not sure why my parents chose this church..definitely not the closest to our house..we could have walked to Seymour CRC on Alger street for that matter..almost right across the street but our parents wanted to drive to 1st crc..they still haven't explained it to me.. anyways..our first pastor was Terpstra...I was too young to interact much with him...but later we had Morris Greidanus...(i think he's originally from canada...his father was a professor at the seminary)...and I was in high school at the time I decided to make profession of faith..and so I had to go to him and discuss my faith and beliefs and then also had to do so with all the deacons and elders ...and finally the big day came and I made my profession before the congregation.. and I still proudly show my certificate of profession to this day (it's online !) .. and now I'm im california so I pray for Morris Greidanus...by the way, he forgot to sign it..and later I had to mail it to him for his signature..(did he truly forget or was he trying to "diss" me?) ...my faith is REAL....I love the Lord with ALL my heart, mind, & soul..yes I do..and later I went to our Christian college..got a bachelors degree..and another bachelors and did some mission work overseas...and some more..and taught school...and finally returned to my formal calling..going to seminary back in grand rapids..and then continuing in california at another seminary.. and I started my own ministry..and started telling the Good News in the street ..online..and wherever I had the opportunity..and that's my ministry..that's my faith being lived out...not in a pulpit in a church building but in the pulpit of life..
...but I am here to pray for Morris and his dad, Sid, too..may the Lord be with them..may they continue to grow in Christ and not look at us thru a Canadian lens.. but thru Christo-lens. Christ-filled eyes, hearts, and minds! God bless
