Faith By Accident

(The following faith story was written by Steve Bachman, a member of St. Andrew’s who is married to Sharon and has three boys.  Steve is also president of the St. Andrew’s Church Council.  His story is one of the 500 we are compiling to show how faith in God can sustain us in all situations.  Submissions are encouraged from all St. Andrew’s members. Send your story or thoughts for an article to faithstories@saintandrews.org.  A member of the faith stories committee will follow-up with you.  Please email us also if you’d like to join the committee.)    

My life has been filled with many significant events like most people.  However, it is only in the last 10 years or so that I have fully accepted it is my responsibility to be thankful to God for each outcome.  There was a plane crash when I was 23, the loss of a child at 27, the premature births of two of my three sons and the death of my dad.  Finally, I experienced the death of a marriage after 22 years.  As I write this, I see a “list,” but what I feel is thankfulness.

At age 23, for the time, I appreciated life.  I was burned – but alive, and became the eternal optimist.  I never looked at anyone with a disability or handicap the same way.  When I was 27, our little girl died in my hands during childbirth.  It showed me my own weaknesses and to never take any life for granted. 

When my now 21 and 18 year old sons were born, after their mother experienced months of pre-term labor and weeks of neonatal intensive care, I was ready to be the best dad once I got them home.  In addition, I was very close to my dad for the last 10 years of his 86 years.  We said it all, we lived life well together and he knew how much I loved him before he left to be with God. 

The last piece is my divorce.   I have had many regrets, words that should not have been spoken, or thoughts that I am thankful are only known to Jesus and me.  He has helped me come to terms with my failings in a relationship that everyone should be able to “make work.”  If I hadn’t had my kids to worry about during the slow process of this death, it would have been much harder.  The Bible says that the Lord will never give us more than we can handle – and there is also a promise of great things to come.

I subsequently met a spirit-filled Christian woman who has become my wife, discipled me and made me feel it is OK to be “obviously Christian.”  She has encouraged me in everything I do, especially in those things regarding activities at and within our church.  I have become more awakened to the obviousness of the Holy Spirit, and filled with a much greater sense of purpose beyond myself.

In any activity involving my Christian brothers and sisters – whether through church council meetings, with my prayer partner or other times of devoted fellowship – I am reminded how blessed I am and the responsibility I have to Jesus.  By my accepting His grace and forgiveness, Jesus has challenged me to get busy and start working for Him 

Thanks be to God.