A Testimony/Letter : Damon, Thanks for organizing the movie for last night. What a powerful message. I am frustrated to say that for most of my life I couldnt have looked past the brokenness and seen the work of God in Richs life. So much of my life in the Holiness tradition was more like the rule book preacher that was portrayed in the movie. I couldnt have heard Jesus Loves Me above Called Unto Holiness, Church of our God. I wonder how many Richs have come in and out of my life in the last 45 years and I have not seen who they are in Christ, or been able to help them see it. I went home last night and pulled out all of my Brennan Manning books, moving them to the front of my reading list. I had picked Brennan up at the airport and spent about three hours talking with him once when I was a student (he was a chapel speaker). He asked me a lot of questions, that I answered out of my rules and regulations mindset. Im sure he caught on, but those were the only answers I knew that pertained to my picture of Christ and the church. Dont get me wrong, those trips to the altar and rule followings kept me out of trouble in High School, but it wasnt a heart knowledge. As Brennan was leaving to go back to the airport, he gave me a signed book, it didnt hit me until I read it last night, that I had totally missed the message: Steve, Thank you so much for your kindness. My prayer is that you realize how deeply you are loved. Your brother, Brennan He probably wrote that on thousands of books (except for the Steve part), but I wish I could have understood the depth of that reality. The movie last night has worked on me. Jesus keeps moving me out of myself, and all my preconceived ideas of what God wants. Its like I spent most of my life hearing Jesus teach, with my eyes closed…I never noticed He was looking at me with a countenance that made all all my striving seem childish. Damon, my prayer is that you continue to help me realize how deeply I am loved. Steve Steve Newton Assistant Dean of Students Spring Arbor University
Posted on: Fri, 17 Jan 2014 16:02:42 +0000
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