Journey of Faith

1. Journey of Faith By: Llano Church of Christ

2. “As a teenager, I did things that separated me from God. I ran away from home at the age of eleven, which I shared with thirteen brothers and sisters. Because of my father’s abusive ways, they all ran away by the age of fourteen. I was accepted into a gang. There, I started drugs and carried a gun with me at all times. I was with that gang for seventeen years. Fourteen of those years were spent in jail, prison, or foster homes.

3. “When I was eighteen, I realized that this wasn’t a good life for me. I walked away from the gang and fighting and never turned back. Even though I gave up those things doesn’t mean I gave up drugs. Soon, I was in prison for transporting drugs across the border. When I was released, the first signs of change started happening.

4. “I met really nice people. They took me in and loved me. They taught me what love was. They let me call them grandma and grandpa. I quit using drugs except on Sundays. They began taking me to church with them.

5. “There were some old ladies at church who knew that I had musical talents. One of them asked me to lead morning worship. Of course, I agreed because I couldn’t say no to them. They asked me to lead it again next Sunday, then the next and so on.

6. “Later, I was still living with Grandma and Grandpa and the Lord was still in my life. I even stopped doing drugs on Sundays. The church we still went to had been without a pastor for months. One day I heard the Lord’s voice saying, “I called you, Gilbert.” I went to Grandma and Grandma and said, “I think I’m supposed to be your pastor.” They just smiled and said, “What took you so long?”

7. “Now I’ve been their pastor for twenty-five years. Fifteen years ago, we established the Bittersweet Ministries for drug and alcohol rehabilitation. Over three thousand people have gone through the program to date. The Bittersweet Gospel Band performs all over the country as ambassadors for our programs.

8. “My life had changed a lot, but I didn’t know how much until one night in Chicago. We were there with the band. My friend and I were standing outside the home of our host talking before we went inside. Two guys came up to us and asked us what time it was. I looked at my watch and immediately felt a gun to my neck. The other guy was restraining my friend with a knife. I knew I could take the guy, but instead I told him God loves him. His hand began to shake. I reached for his arm, saying, “Look, I’m not going to take the gun, but I’m afraid you’re going to shoot someone if you don’t stop shaking. I’m a pastor, and I want you to know the Lord loves you.” The boy looked into my eyes for a long moment, reached for the money I offered him, and then disappeared into the night with the other kid.

9. “I don’t know if his life was changed, but I sure realized at that moment how much mine had! I had been loved into a new life– a life of peace instead of paranoia, happiness instead of heroin, a life of preachin’ love instead of packin’ death.” • From Packin’ to Preachin’- Gilbert Romero as told to Barbara Smythe -Chicken Soup for the Soul: Christian Teen Talk

10. Every Christian goes through a Journey of Faith at least once in their lifetime. Even non-Christians can have some experience in their life that leads them to what should be the main priority in our life: Jesus Christ. This journey stays with people for the rest of their lives and can motivate them to keep Christ in their lives forever.