Pastor Christopher Brock

​As I reflect on my life, I can see that my early years were very blessed. The Lord placed me in a loving home, and my mother and father both loved the Lord. My father was very successful and hardworking and provided a wonderful life for his family and my mother was always there beside me to love me and to care for me. I had an older brother and sister, both of whom I looked up to. Because of this foundation, I believe that I had a deep rooted belief that things in life came easily and nothing would ever go wrong. I believed that I could truly do anything I wanted to, and from my early age my goal was to surpass the accomplishments of my father, which were extensive to say the least. I didn’t want this because I wanted to be better than him, but simply because I wanted to make him proud of me and to show that I could carry on with what he had done

During my time in school, I was very successful in sports and most things that I tried to do. In high school, my skills in basketball continued to increase. I attended church and had become an expert at putting on the image of a humble and selfless Christian boy. However, no actual relationship or belief in God existed in me. Midway through high school, I sustained a devastating injury during a basketball game. It seemed as though my whole plan had been derailed and I began to slip into a state of pain and anger. All the while maintaining the “Christian” image I had perfected. My bitterness was focused on one thing, God. I believed that if He really did exist, then He was the one who was ultimately responsible for destroying the plans I had for my life. I became involved in many things including alcohol, fighting, and drugs in an effort to deal with the anger and bitterness that I had inside me. 

A few years later, I met a man who God used to tell me that He was real and that He loved me. If I would come to Jesus, he said, Jesus would heal the anger that I had and He would forgive me and love me. I admitted who I was to Jesus, and He accepted me and forgave me. Now, having finally accepted who Jesus was, I believed I was ready to get my life back on track. Unfortunately, the “track” I chose to begin pursuing was one that I believed would take me to the things that I wanted, to achieve more than my dad did. Because of this, I didn’t ask Jesus what I should do. I made decisions for myself. I ignored the words of other Christians, I ignored advice of the older and wiser people in my life and I pursued worldly success.

I married at a young age, because I believed that was the foundation of a true American success story. I pursued my career, I pursued my hobbies, and I pursued education. I built a new house, I had multiple nice cars, ate at fine restaurants, and was well respected at my church. I had two children and a dog—I was on my way to achieving the dream. However, from the beginning, I never truly pursued a deeper relationship with Jesus and I never genuinely asked Him what I should be doing with my life. My life had essentially become a lie. To the world, I was the perfect husband, perfect father, and perfect Christian. But, inside I was empty, frustrated, and alone. I was actually a complete failure in each of those areas. My family fell apart. The woman I had married left me for another man, because she realized that I actually never truly loved her. The image of the wonderful life that I had worked so hard to build came crashing down. However, in the moment when I believed that I had lost it all Jesus, met me again and I saw the truth. I stood up and accepted what had happened and I turned all my plans and my entire life over to Him.

Jesus took my mess and began to build it up again. This time not based on my worldly plan, but on His true plan and purpose for my life. He brought my true wife, the one that He had created me to be with, into my life. He brought the purpose of my life into view and no longer am I pursing my own gain but only seek to bring glory to Him. I now seek Him daily, and seek to do what He leads me to in every situation and every circumstance. Thank you Jesus for your love, your forgiveness, and your redemption in my life! 
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May you come to have a relationship with Him as I have!