I Love to Tell the Story

I love to tell the story

For those who know it best

Seem hungering and thirsting 

To hear it like the rest.

And when in scenes of glory

I sing the new, new song

'Twill be the old, old story

That I have loved so long.

  My spiritual birthday is this week -- April 4 will make 55 years since I walked the aisle and knelt at the altar of our little church in Red House, West Virginia. We were having a revival at our church -- the evangelist was named Raymond Kelley -- and I can remember seeing tears running down his face as one more little soul was saved that night. I don't remember a word of the sermon or any song that was sung, but I clearly remember feeling a heavy burden being lifted when Preacher Scott took my hand and asked me, "Do you want to be saved?"-- and I said "Yes." I remember how happy my mother was --  she was so joyful to know that I became a Follower of Christ at a young age and now I had my whole life ahead of me as a Christian. I remember being surrounded by some of the old saints of the church who gathered at the altar to pray with me. My life was changed for the good that night, and it have never regretted that decision. In the following years, my three younger brothers all knelt at that same altar and we were a family that prayed together and stayed together, worshipping at the little church where my grandparents and great grandparents had been faithful members.  I have so many precious memories of that little congregation.  Eventually we built a new church and the little church was sold. It was never used as a place of worship again, and now the steeple has fallen off and the building is falling down. But it will always be holy ground for me -- the place where I learned about the love of God. Happy birthday to me!!