Under Attack

Ever since I made my commitment to Jesus last summer, people have told me that Satan would do his best to turn me away from that relationship. My mother-in-law, Dena's best friend Marianne, and most recently, Tommy, all mentioned that this is something that would happen. I didn't give it much thought until this week as I prepare for my baptism this coming Sunday. The past month and a half, since Tommy asked me if I was ready to be baptized have been a total nightmare for me as far as my job is concerned and I'm starting to think that this is all the work of Satan.

Most people don't know it, but my job has always been a very defining part of my life. I don't know why it is, but I have always taken most of what goes on around me at work very personally and have gotten very far down about it on many occasions. Perhaps that is why I've switched jobs so many times in my life. This has been the case since early March - almost nothing has gone well (a crappy advertising deal with YellowPages.com that has resulted in zero phone calls, doubting myself every day, every job being a total pain in the rear, etc.) and I've pretty much decided to close my business. Just last week, after installing the ceiling fan from hell, I mentioned to Dena that God wasn't there for me that day. Thinking about it now, I was really wrong and it could have been a lot worse - I fell off the top of my 12 foot ladder and was somehow able to catch myself on the loft in the house, I met and talked to a fellow Christian, and made her and her mom very happy customers.

I have also been working with another electrical company on a new Walgreens Pharmacy that has kept me very busy. I haven't had an off day in weeks. This is another thing that I think God has played a huge part in. The company is owned by a guy I used to party with back in my late teens and early 20's. We were never best buds or anything like that, and we probably could have done without each other all together but something has brought us together and I am very grateful for it. Jimmy has been an electrician for almost 20 years and, despite my initial ineptitude on the job, was able to teach me a lot of cool stuff that I didn't previously know. I busted my rear helping him out and I'm pretty sure that he is very happy with my performance. He's got two more Walgreens stores and two Mexican restaurants to wire in the coming months and he has already invited me back to help with the projects as soon as I complete the wiring of my sister's new house. I have no idea if this will result in something permanent but it will keep my busy with a steady income for a while.

Tommy's dad mentioned just the other night how some people are able to create a web that helps bring many people to Christ. Dena thinks that this may be what He has in store for me and what makes me a huge threat to Satan's plan. I am not what most people would call a stereotypical Christian - I like loud, secular music, I smoke, I swear too much, I occasionally drink a beer or six, etc...just a regular guy who is an idiot sometimes. I'm hopeful that I can reach other "delinquents" like myself and help bring them to Jesus. This is really cool stuff!

As for Satan, I need to tell you that you've lost this time so you might as well back off. No matter what you try to throw at me, I'm down with Jesus for the long haul and I'm shouting it to the world this coming Sunday when I get baptised and as much as I can for the rest of my life!