Stories of Transformation

'When I returned home, I saw a miracle’

I am a blessed man.  God has always been good to me, but I didn’t realize it until I put my faith and trust in him. 

Unfortunately, it took a family crisis to open my eyes. I was fortunate to grow up in a loving family.  My parents always took us to church and I attended Confirmation.  However, I couldn’t wait for Confirmation to end and I never felt close to God. 

After high school, I went to trade school then worked in construction and married my wife, Karen.  We had two children, Bill and Stephanie, and my life was good.  At Karen’s urging, I attended St. Andrew’s, but it was more from a sense of obligation and that this would be good for the kids rather than my desire to go.

This all changed 15 years ago.  At that time, I was a masonry superintendent overseeing the construction of a hospital in St. Peter.  I was living there during the week and returning home on the weekends.  Karen was taking care of the kids and working full time, but had also developed arthritis and some type of sores on her legs.  In addition, Bill suffered a broken jaw playing soccer and Stephanie needed knee surgery because of a gymnastics injury.  

One Sunday when I was home, Karen couldn’t get out of bed due to acute pain from her arthritis.  It was far worse than ever before.  I was scared to see her that way.  I knew my parents would be in church that day, and I had told them earlier in the week I would be there. I figured it wouldn’t hurt for me to go by myself.  During the service my mom asked if we should fill out a prayer request card for Karen. “What the heck - it can’t hurt,” I said. Mark Wickstrom prayed for Karen and others in the church prayers. When I returned home, I saw a miracle.  Karen was doing housework as if her body was healed. I asked her what she was doing up and she said all the pain had left her. God’s grace and healing power is the only way to explain how someone could suddenly be cheerful and feel so much better.  I said my first real prayer that morning and asked Jesus to forgive my unbelief and to help me seek him out.

I started reading the Bible and began praying.  My co-workers noticed a change in how I acted at work.   One day two men asked me to pray for them – one for his wife who was ill, and the other for his elderly mother.  When I came home that day, I told Karen that I wanted to write down their prayer requests so I could ask for God’s help.  Karen asked me, “Why would the men approach you?!” I thought that was a good question. I figured it had to be the transforming power of Jesus: even if we don’t always see how God is changing us, others do.

My faith continued to grow.  I had a successful career with Knutson Construction for many years.  However, one Sunday morning at church I heard that the St. Andrew’s maintenance supervisor had resigned. The sermon that morning stressed that if you think God is putting something on your heart that you should pray with someone and see where it leads. There was something stirring in me about the job. I prayed with Mark Wickstrom about the opportunity that day.  Seven days later, I prayed with Mark again.  Five days later, I began working full-time at St. Andrew’s – a position I feel fortunate to have each day I come to work. 

Volunteering and getting involved with different ministries: local missions, mission trips and youth camps building a home, serving in a food line or simply sitting in a boat helping an inner-city kid catch fish, has had a transforming effect on me. God has opened my heart’s eye to the beauty of what a faith community can do. I enjoy working with a variety of people from all walks of life, answering the same call to serve. We really have become closer and feel more like a family in such a large congregation. I have received more joy in serving others than I can possibly give.

I have fallen in love with Jesus and the Holy Scriptures. A lot of brothers and sisters are helping my walk with our Lord. Pastor John Straiton is my closest friend and mentor; through John’s friendship and support he has shown me the true joy of reading the Bible.  Through Men’s Ministry, I have gotten to know a few hundred men who I can share my walk with.  I enjoy being with the men’s prayer group on Monday evening.  This is the beauty of the Christian community.  The Holy Spirit is alive and I can see it at work daily among the staff at St. Andrew’s and all the people who walk through its doors. 

My life before Christ was so different than my life after I came to know Him.  Jesus said, “I came to bring life and to bring it abundantly.”  God has helped me to truly love my wife, children and grandchildren.  My eyes are now open to the joy of relationships, to share in the joys and sorrows of my brothers and sisters in Christ, and how to serve the Lord by serving others.

My children grew up at St. Andrew’s, and it is a joy to watch our grandchildren do the same.  Karen is healthy and I’m proud to call her my bride after 34 years of marriage.  The Lord blesses me every day.
Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say Rejoice.”