www.MissionPossibleCards.com was officially launched on Internet Evangelism Sunday 2007. Please visit and start caring, sharing and being there!
Monday, February 19, 2007
Thursday, February 8, 2007
God is in the details: The Birth of Mission Possible Cards
I want to start off with saying that this story is almost too much for me to believe and I understand some skepticism. If that is the case, email me and let’s talk. I have included a time line of events to refer to if you (or I) get lost in the details. I have heard it said that “the Devil is in the details”, my story will prove the exact opposite!As you can tell by scanning the time line below, my life has always been colorful. Upon hearing my story, people have often said I should write a book or something. Well, I did...uh...something! I wrote an article for a Christian Business Directory outlining my story.
The story went out to about 10,000 people and was read by a Catholic youth leader. This wonderful lady invited me in to speak with her youth group. Before I would accept the invitation, I let her know that I was not Catholic and I was going to let her kids know that they need to accept Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. She agreed that they needed that as well...sweet!
A week or so after accepting the invite, I got the call from my old buddy Chris Weber (founding guitarist of the rock band Guns n Roses). We have not spoke or hung out for years due to me being a church-goin suburban dad and him still living the rock & roll lifestyle. Chris was prompted to contact me because he was a rock star again with a new band UPO, who had a song at #5 on the Billboard chart.
I met Chris a couple of weeks before I was to speak to the youth group and we renewed our friendship. Before I left, he asked me if I had seen his scrapbook. When I opened it, I was shocked to see all the photos I took of the band 20 years earlier! Chris was nice enough to let me scan the pictures and I had them to show the youth group the next week.
In the audience was a reporter for the Signal newspaper and her photographer. They ended up putting my testimony and the Gospel on the front page of the my city's newspaper!
The outcome of all this was the birth of my sharing ministry. Since I am a graphics guy, I created a tri-fold two-sided brochure with Guns n Roses photos on one side and my story on the other. Since that time, I have been able to share my story hundreds of times and even to large groups at a Men's retreat and even at business functions.
Fast forward several years to April 2006. My close friend and teacher of my Sunday School Nathan asked me to share about evangelism in our class. I remembered a great tool called "Share Jesus without Fear" and Googled that name. Up came www.allaboutgod.com/share-jesus-without-fear.htm. I was so excited about the AllAboutGod.com website that I tracked them down and called. Candy; the founder's wife answered and we had a great time of sharing. I then met Greg and he introduced me to Randall the Vice President of the site. AllAboutGod has 22 separate sites and last year had 20 million page views and more importantly: 30,000 people prayed for the first time or rededicated their lives to Christ!
My first thoughts on the site was this would be a great place for my story and I could help with their graphics. I am embarrassed by that now, because it seems very "me" focused and the website is called AllAboutGod, not AllAboutDean!
Fast forward to December of 2006, I was getting ready for work and God put the site AllAboutGod into my head. I felt a little guilty because it had been months since working on anything due to my home renovation. I get to my home office and get a call from my best friend Al. Al's story is as dramatic as mine and I have been blessed to disciple him for the last four years...now he disciples me! I introduced Al to Bryan Cole earlier in the year at AllAboutGod.com and Al's company hired him for their web work.
Al and I start off our conversation discussing divine appointments and how God transcends time and can easily manipulate circumstances. My favorite view of sharing my faith is that God gives us the "Privilege of being a part of the Process"...meaning WE are not the process, HE is (thanks Bill Fay).
Al then asks me if I have any illustrations about the Trinity. I mention that Water is one. Water can be a liquid, vapor and a solid but still retains the same elements: H2O. Al then mentioned the Egg example.
I then say that neither the Water or the Egg example fully do justice or fully describe the Trinity...they fall short.
I then suggest we check out what the web has to say... I type in Trinity Illustration into Google and up comes:
Trinity Doctrine - 12/13/06
With respect to the Trinity Doctrine, none of the popular illustrations are completely accurate descriptions. The egg fails in that the shell, ...www.allaboutgod.com/trinity-doctrine.htm
The fact that the website almost quotes me would be good enough...but at that exact SECOND. My Outlook beeps and Randall Niles, VP of AllAboutGod emails me!
To understand the Miracle of this, Randall is on vacation skiing with his family and is prompted to send out an email before hitting the slopes.
The other crazy connection is that he is skiing with Jim Montgomery who is heading up the Youth websites and Randall had spoke to Jim about me the previous day!
Now God has my attention, on Sunday I want to find the guy; Nathan that started this whole thing and tell him about my AllAboutGod miracle. I just dropped my family off at church and was riding the shuttle bus alone (this rarely happens because my kids like the shuttle). I have an empty seat next to me and who should sit down but....Nathan! Before I can open my mouth, Nathan turns to me and says: Do you know that website AllAboutGod?!
Do I ever!
This is where it gets good.... Now God REALLY has my attention and I start redesigning the graphics for AllAboutGod and God gives me a new logo design.
At a Wednesday Men's prayer breakfast, I am sharing about my divine appointments with my buddy Rob. God gives me an illustration that I believe will rock the world for Christ: When the typical missionary is sent to a "closed" country, they are sent with a needed skill...ie: doctor or teacher...not as a Christian worker or church planter.
The missionary is now engaged in secular work and possibly has a secular business card saying doctor or teacher. It occured to me that on the mission field, their work day looks a lot like my work day. We both are engaged in secular work and carry a secular business card. WHAT makes them a missionary?? Why do they get to send newsletters back home?
It is their OTHER business card! It is their Missionary business card that reveals their true identity, heart and calling. It then occurred to me that my Guns n Roses story is MY Missionary card. Whenever I have been obedient and carried that story around, God has ALWAYS provided someone to share it with!
Several days later God woke me up at 4:30 in the morning and gave me a vision that I pray will change the world. The problem with typical church attenders of the world is they do not share their faith. Their true identity and calling is their secular business card (or student ID). If they had a Missionary business card and could see God work in the lives around them, God could change their heart, identity and calling.
What if you could go to a website like AllAboutGod.com and download a FREE custom Missionary Business Card, commissioning yourself for the task of sharing with your family, neighbors, coworkers, classmates and friends. The card could be printed on your inkjet or color laser printer and make the carrier "armed and dangerous". Having this card on you and prayed over, will allow God to provide "Divine Appointments". The other side benefit to sharing the card is accountability. In my own life, I have felt a great pressure to live a consistent Christian lifestyle (and witness) before the people I have shared my story with.
I know that Christian tracts and even Invitation business cards exist, however, I have never found one that is personalized.
God woke me up again (this time 3:30) and gave me the ministry logo and tag line: Mission Possible Cards - Care, Share & Be There! Meaning it is now Possible for you to be a Missionary. The typical tract or even secular business card does not communicate these three crucial things to the seeker.
After coming up with the concept. God reminded me of a job I had 17 years earlier. I was the group coordinator for Church Growth and Evangelism seminars in the US and Canada for Fuller Evangelistic Assoc. The job entailed calling a denomination and organizing a group of pastors to attend a seminar in their city. It occurred to me that the card could be launched through denominations with thousands of churches.The first target audience would be the army of Welcome Team member, Ushers and Greeters throughout the US and World.
This idea was rattling around in my head when I was driving to work. As I passed by the headquarters of Foursquare International, God put the name: Dan Ussery into my head. Of course! I know the Regional Administrator for thousands of churches in the US!
I pulled over and try to call Dan. The two numbers I try don't work. I then am forced to call the main office, where no one knows me. I ask if Dan is still the Regional Administrator. The receptionist says: "I am sorry but no, he is now in the computer department". I ask to be transferred to Dan.
Dan answers the phone and he remembers me. I let him know that I have new ministry that I would like to share, but not over the phone. I then ask what is his new title: Chief Information Technology & Communications Officer for the world! 30,000 churches! God gave me the exact guy I needed to speak with!
One week later, I get a call from Dan and he is available to meet Friday at 4 PM. I work on graphics until 12:30 in the morning and print out a copy for Dan and email a copy to AllAboutGod.
Friday at 2 PM, I get the go-ahead to launch the card idea on all 22 AllAboutGod websites. At 3 P M I get the opportunity to share my story with the staff of the restaurant in my office building. At 4 PM I present the idea to Dan, an hour and 40 minutes later, he prays over me to launch this ministry to the world.
The next day (a Saturday) Dan presents my idea to Jack Hayford, former President of the denomination and the man who led me to the Lord in 1988! Jack liked the idea...praise God.
Just last Sunday, I am moved to share my miracle with a student at the Master's College from Sri Lanka. Meshad is a wonderful worship leader and his love for the Lord shows all over his face. As I shared, I mentioned Foursquare...he lit up like a Christmas Tree! He then mentioned that his father is a pastor and one of his close friends is the President of Foursquare Sri Lanka. I then mentioned the only person I knew from Sri Lanka...Leslie Keegal. Meshad then exclaimed...that's the guy! I now have an introduction to all the churches in Sri Lanka!
Amazingly, Leslie Keegal attended a class I took at the King's Institute with my then girlfriend Laura in 1990. I was agonizing over my decision to propose. I felt God speak to me through Leslie and it confirmed in my heart that Laura is the person I should marry. I soon proposed after that.
I pray that the connections and miracles in my story will touch your heart and move you to join me in launching Mission Possible Cards to the world. Please email me at: Dean@AllAboutGod.com. I would be happy to send you a custom card or discuss ways to customize one specifically for your ministry or church. God Bless you.
1966 - Born premature 2.5 lbs – Rancho Los Amigos Hospital
1967 - Joni Eareckson Tada is brought to the same hospital for rehab
1967 - Foster care with the Clark Family
1975-84 - Lived with Biological mom 6 locations, including Hollywood
1981 - New best friend if Chris Weber, founding guitarist of Guns n Roses
1984 - Graduated High school and move in with Chris and band members in Hollywood
1986 - “Discovered” at Hollywood and Vine working at Bernard luggage store -party guy to suit & tie in one step.
1986-90 - Hollywood Commercial Real Estate leasing high-rise office buildings
1988 - Saved at Church on the Way, Pastor Jack Hayford
1990 - Organized groups of pastors to attend Fuller Evangelistic Assoc. Church growth seminars in the US and Canada. The seminars and resources feature: John Maxwell, Rick Warren and Bill Hybels.
1989-96 - Attended Christian Assembly in Eagle Rock, CA, Pastor Mark Pickerill and worship Tommy Walker
1990 - Laura and I attend class at Kings College and Leslie Keegal from Sri Lanka prays over the class and because of this prayer, I propose to Laura
1991 - Married to wife Laura
1993 & 1996 - Josh and Jared are born
1992-2002 - Working selling color printers and started design studio www.dcfxgraphics.com
1997-2000 - Designed ads for James Cameron's movie Titanic and an Elvis Presley Cookbook
2002 - Renewed friendship with Chris Weber and rediscovered photos of Guns n Roses
2002 - The launch of my sharing ministry using my testimony and photos of band
2004 - The original CD of Guns n Roses is released and my photos are used and featured in Rolling Stone magazine
2006 - Ran across www.AllAboutGod.com and introduced myself to the ministry
Return to http://www.ministryplanet.net/sites/deanclark
Monday, February 5, 2007
Sunday, February 4, 2007
From Death to Life at Hollywood & Vine
Psalms 139:16 "You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit them together in my mother's womb. Your workmanship is marvelous... You were there while I was being formed...You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe."
This above verse is very important to me because it supports the view that each life is precious and God has a wonderful plan for every baby (and mother) even if the child is unwanted. My testimony starts with this point because I was one of the unwanted children that survived just before the legalizing of abortion (Roe vs. Wade) in 1973...this is my story.
- Dean Clark -
An Unexpected Arrival...
1966...My unwed mother delivered me prematurely in her Van Nuys apartment. She had originally planned to sign me away for adoption but the doctors discovered I had multiple health problems and was considered "unadoptable". I weighed 2.5 lbs. at birth and had a tumor in my windpipe. The doctors performed an emergency tracheotomy so I could breath...but GOD had a Plan!
1967...My first 13 months were spent in the rehab institution: Rancho Los Amigos Hospital. I was considered retarded, could not make any sound and the doctors gave no hope for a normal life.
1967-75...The Lord placed the desire for foster children into the hearts of Terry and Pauline Clark. Miraculously, the day of their interview with a social worker, they were baby sitting a neighbor boy with braces. The sight of him in the backyard prompted the social worker to ask if they wanted a handicapped child...me! They took a big risk by bringing a fragile 13 month old into their family (they already had 3 children of their own). Within 6 months I was miraculously able to bypass the tracheotomy in my neck and somehow move enough air past my vocal chords to speak! I was blessed to experience a safe Christian home and loving parents for 8.5 years. My stay with the Clarks unfortunately would not last...but GOD had a Plan!
Into the Mouth of Hell
1975-82...The Clarks had decided to adopt me and I thought my dream was finally to become reality. My biological mother still had parental rights and when she discovered the Clark's plans, she pulled me out of their home. I moved in with my biological mother and stepfather. My mother worked nights and I spent many hours after school alone. My half brother watched me and just happened to be a drug addict and dealer. I was introduced to drugs at 12 yrs. old. I ended up having 3 step dads and living in 14 different locations. The highlight of this period was the season I slept outside with my dogs (the house was so small my twin bed was placed in the backyard).
1982-86...My biological mother and I then moved to Hollywood to live with her new boyfriend. I spent that year in Hollywood hitchhiking to school each day. My new best friend was Chris Weber, founding guitarist of the rock band Guns n' Roses (GnR). I then moved out of Hollywood for 11th and 12th grade. After graduating from high school, I called my old friend Chris and he invited me back to Hollywood. I moved sight unseen into the GnR party house. Over the next few years, our house had a constantly changing cast of GnR band members, groupies and weirdos of every kind...thankfully, GOD still had a Plan.
Discovered at Hollywood & Vine
1986...During this time I worked at a luggage store at the corner of Hollywood & Vine. One Saturday, God sent a guy named Rob Langer into my luggage store looking for a briefcase. Rob mentioned that he had just placed an ad for a runner at the CSUN Career Center. I boldly (stupidly?) told him to cancel his ad because he just found his guy! My bravado got me hired on the spot even though I still had no idea what the job was..."runner?!" My first day on the job was spent in a suit shop with Rob buying me my first (and only) suit and tie. He then put me to work as a Commercial Leasing agent for the two high rise buildings at the corner of Hollywood & Vine. In 2 short weeks I went from funky black clothes and a spiked hairdo in a luggage store, to a suit and tie guy in an office with a secretary!
1987...God used my new found conservative appearance to save my life from drugs and eventually my soul. I decided it was time to come clean from my cigarette, cocaine, pot and beer habits and lamely announced my new life direction to my friends during one of our beer bashes. A month or so later, I came home from work to find my roommate Mike moving out and the entire apartment empty (he owned everything). God knew I was not strong enough to stay clean on my own and used this incident to remove the temptation to party. I had no bed or furniture...but GOD had a Plan!
Out of the blue, a friend from my early childhood called and asked if I knew of a room for rent...he was having trouble finding something because.....he had a whole house full of furniture! My new roommate Brooks turned out to be the positive peer pressure I needed to stay clean and he eventually introduced me to the person that took me to church. (Update...Brooks came to the Lord in the last few years!)
God Makes His Move...
1988 - Mother's Day...I attended Church on the Way in the S. F. Valley and was shocked to see normal and even "cool" people there (and not a "church lady" in sight!). Several key things hit me during that first exposure to church as an adult: I had achieved much of the success (through real estate) that the world said would fulfill me, but in that service I was aware how truly empty and unhappy I was. I appeared clean on the outside, but I finally realized I was a sinner in need of a savior. What amazed me was that in a huge service of 3000 people, Pastor Jack Hayford (and God's Word) were speaking specifically to me. After 4 sundays I went to a back room to pray with one of their counselors. I thought that God couldn't forgive me due to my dark past. The guy responded that God rescued him from serious sexual addiction and the Lord could forgive my past as well. I prayed and proclaimed my belief that Christ died for my sins and rose again. I admitted that I was a sinner and accepted Christ's forgiveness. I then asked Jesus to come into my heart and be my Savior and Lord (meaning I would live for Him and seek His will for my life through His Word: the Bible). The Lord answered my prayer that day and my life began at that moment...but GOD still had Plans for me.
1989...God even managed to use my Guns n' Roses past for His Plan. In 1989, GnR was the biggest band in the world, I offered to share my story about the dangers of rock and roll with the youth group at church. I unknowingly launched a 3 year stint in youth ministry.
1990...I was a committed Christian and working in ministry, but yet was continually haunted by the bad choices I had made. I feared being found out and mistakenly thought that Christians didn't continue to struggle like I was. I finally talked to the youth pastor, half expecting him to fire me on the spot. Instead, he shared a verse that changed my life:
Romans 8:1 - Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
The Lord opened my eyes to the fact that my past, present and future sin were covered (forgiven) by Christ's death and resurrection. I finally began to heal and several months later, after 2 years of no dating, my future wife entered my life. I feel the Lord waited for me to deal with these issues before putting me into a dating situation.
1991-07...These last 16 years have been the highlight of my life. The Lord has blessed me with a wonderful wife and two very active and amazing boys. As any parent knows, the challenge of raising children in a troubled world makes our previous life experiences seem trivial by comparison.
1996...Our move to Santa Clarita has been an incredible blessing. Our family has found an awesome home at Faith Community Church in Newhall. We are seriously studying God's Word and are challenged by the lives of many godly friends.
9/11/2001...The foundations we Americans place our hope in were rocked by the tragedies in New York and Washington D.C.. America's security and prosperity were threatened as we saw our major institutions crumble. We witnessed firsthand the vulnerability of our jobs, finances and government. We in California know a little about shaky foundations from our many earthquakes. I now have a foundation (my faith in Christ) that can not be shaken even though the world around me crashes and burns. My faith has been strengthened by the fruit (results) I see in my life. My life before Christ was one of fear, self loathing, greed, jealousy and gossip. I still struggle in many areas but now I can see love, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self control. Life in Christ is not easy or always happy (kids can make you nuts!)...but I now have a inner hope, peace and joy that comes from a personal relationship with God.
2007...When I wrote this story originally in 2001, I had no idea all the changes it would bring. Chris Weber and I renewed our friendship. Chris is now married to a wonderful wife and works as a drug councelor. During our visit I rediscovered photos of GnR I took back in 1983. Then in June 2004 the photos I took were used in a new GnR/Hollywood Rose CD and Rolling Stone Magazine...who knew? I have been sharing this story (and now photos) for 18 years and have seen God open amazing doors and opportunities, culiminating in the launch of Mission Possible Cards.
I want to challenge those reading this to pray for an openness in their hearts to recognize God's Plan for them, their family and their work.
Do you have questions about God, the Bible, Church, Faith or Sin? Are you hurt, angry, indifferent or confused about God due to earlier life experiences? Please email me at Dean@AllAboutGod.com, visit www.AllAboutGod.com or visit a local bible-teaching church to help you sort out your questions or direct you to the answers you seek...GOD has a Plan for YOU!
Thank you for reading....
Dean Clark
This above verse is very important to me because it supports the view that each life is precious and God has a wonderful plan for every baby (and mother) even if the child is unwanted. My testimony starts with this point because I was one of the unwanted children that survived just before the legalizing of abortion (Roe vs. Wade) in 1973...this is my story.
- Dean Clark -
An Unexpected Arrival...
1966...My unwed mother delivered me prematurely in her Van Nuys apartment. She had originally planned to sign me away for adoption but the doctors discovered I had multiple health problems and was considered "unadoptable". I weighed 2.5 lbs. at birth and had a tumor in my windpipe. The doctors performed an emergency tracheotomy so I could breath...but GOD had a Plan!
1967...My first 13 months were spent in the rehab institution: Rancho Los Amigos Hospital. I was considered retarded, could not make any sound and the doctors gave no hope for a normal life.
1967-75...The Lord placed the desire for foster children into the hearts of Terry and Pauline Clark. Miraculously, the day of their interview with a social worker, they were baby sitting a neighbor boy with braces. The sight of him in the backyard prompted the social worker to ask if they wanted a handicapped child...me! They took a big risk by bringing a fragile 13 month old into their family (they already had 3 children of their own). Within 6 months I was miraculously able to bypass the tracheotomy in my neck and somehow move enough air past my vocal chords to speak! I was blessed to experience a safe Christian home and loving parents for 8.5 years. My stay with the Clarks unfortunately would not last...but GOD had a Plan!
Into the Mouth of Hell
1975-82...The Clarks had decided to adopt me and I thought my dream was finally to become reality. My biological mother still had parental rights and when she discovered the Clark's plans, she pulled me out of their home. I moved in with my biological mother and stepfather. My mother worked nights and I spent many hours after school alone. My half brother watched me and just happened to be a drug addict and dealer. I was introduced to drugs at 12 yrs. old. I ended up having 3 step dads and living in 14 different locations. The highlight of this period was the season I slept outside with my dogs (the house was so small my twin bed was placed in the backyard).
1982-86...My biological mother and I then moved to Hollywood to live with her new boyfriend. I spent that year in Hollywood hitchhiking to school each day. My new best friend was Chris Weber, founding guitarist of the rock band Guns n' Roses (GnR). I then moved out of Hollywood for 11th and 12th grade. After graduating from high school, I called my old friend Chris and he invited me back to Hollywood. I moved sight unseen into the GnR party house. Over the next few years, our house had a constantly changing cast of GnR band members, groupies and weirdos of every kind...thankfully, GOD still had a Plan.
Discovered at Hollywood & Vine
1986...During this time I worked at a luggage store at the corner of Hollywood & Vine. One Saturday, God sent a guy named Rob Langer into my luggage store looking for a briefcase. Rob mentioned that he had just placed an ad for a runner at the CSUN Career Center. I boldly (stupidly?) told him to cancel his ad because he just found his guy! My bravado got me hired on the spot even though I still had no idea what the job was..."runner?!" My first day on the job was spent in a suit shop with Rob buying me my first (and only) suit and tie. He then put me to work as a Commercial Leasing agent for the two high rise buildings at the corner of Hollywood & Vine. In 2 short weeks I went from funky black clothes and a spiked hairdo in a luggage store, to a suit and tie guy in an office with a secretary!
1987...God used my new found conservative appearance to save my life from drugs and eventually my soul. I decided it was time to come clean from my cigarette, cocaine, pot and beer habits and lamely announced my new life direction to my friends during one of our beer bashes. A month or so later, I came home from work to find my roommate Mike moving out and the entire apartment empty (he owned everything). God knew I was not strong enough to stay clean on my own and used this incident to remove the temptation to party. I had no bed or furniture...but GOD had a Plan!
Out of the blue, a friend from my early childhood called and asked if I knew of a room for rent...he was having trouble finding something because.....he had a whole house full of furniture! My new roommate Brooks turned out to be the positive peer pressure I needed to stay clean and he eventually introduced me to the person that took me to church. (Update...Brooks came to the Lord in the last few years!)
God Makes His Move...
1988 - Mother's Day...I attended Church on the Way in the S. F. Valley and was shocked to see normal and even "cool" people there (and not a "church lady" in sight!). Several key things hit me during that first exposure to church as an adult: I had achieved much of the success (through real estate) that the world said would fulfill me, but in that service I was aware how truly empty and unhappy I was. I appeared clean on the outside, but I finally realized I was a sinner in need of a savior. What amazed me was that in a huge service of 3000 people, Pastor Jack Hayford (and God's Word) were speaking specifically to me. After 4 sundays I went to a back room to pray with one of their counselors. I thought that God couldn't forgive me due to my dark past. The guy responded that God rescued him from serious sexual addiction and the Lord could forgive my past as well. I prayed and proclaimed my belief that Christ died for my sins and rose again. I admitted that I was a sinner and accepted Christ's forgiveness. I then asked Jesus to come into my heart and be my Savior and Lord (meaning I would live for Him and seek His will for my life through His Word: the Bible). The Lord answered my prayer that day and my life began at that moment...but GOD still had Plans for me.
1989...God even managed to use my Guns n' Roses past for His Plan. In 1989, GnR was the biggest band in the world, I offered to share my story about the dangers of rock and roll with the youth group at church. I unknowingly launched a 3 year stint in youth ministry.
1990...I was a committed Christian and working in ministry, but yet was continually haunted by the bad choices I had made. I feared being found out and mistakenly thought that Christians didn't continue to struggle like I was. I finally talked to the youth pastor, half expecting him to fire me on the spot. Instead, he shared a verse that changed my life:
Romans 8:1 - Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
The Lord opened my eyes to the fact that my past, present and future sin were covered (forgiven) by Christ's death and resurrection. I finally began to heal and several months later, after 2 years of no dating, my future wife entered my life. I feel the Lord waited for me to deal with these issues before putting me into a dating situation.
1991-07...These last 16 years have been the highlight of my life. The Lord has blessed me with a wonderful wife and two very active and amazing boys. As any parent knows, the challenge of raising children in a troubled world makes our previous life experiences seem trivial by comparison.
1996...Our move to Santa Clarita has been an incredible blessing. Our family has found an awesome home at Faith Community Church in Newhall. We are seriously studying God's Word and are challenged by the lives of many godly friends.
9/11/2001...The foundations we Americans place our hope in were rocked by the tragedies in New York and Washington D.C.. America's security and prosperity were threatened as we saw our major institutions crumble. We witnessed firsthand the vulnerability of our jobs, finances and government. We in California know a little about shaky foundations from our many earthquakes. I now have a foundation (my faith in Christ) that can not be shaken even though the world around me crashes and burns. My faith has been strengthened by the fruit (results) I see in my life. My life before Christ was one of fear, self loathing, greed, jealousy and gossip. I still struggle in many areas but now I can see love, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self control. Life in Christ is not easy or always happy (kids can make you nuts!)...but I now have a inner hope, peace and joy that comes from a personal relationship with God.
2007...When I wrote this story originally in 2001, I had no idea all the changes it would bring. Chris Weber and I renewed our friendship. Chris is now married to a wonderful wife and works as a drug councelor. During our visit I rediscovered photos of GnR I took back in 1983. Then in June 2004 the photos I took were used in a new GnR/Hollywood Rose CD and Rolling Stone Magazine...who knew? I have been sharing this story (and now photos) for 18 years and have seen God open amazing doors and opportunities, culiminating in the launch of Mission Possible Cards.
I want to challenge those reading this to pray for an openness in their hearts to recognize God's Plan for them, their family and their work.
Do you have questions about God, the Bible, Church, Faith or Sin? Are you hurt, angry, indifferent or confused about God due to earlier life experiences? Please email me at Dean@AllAboutGod.com, visit www.AllAboutGod.com or visit a local bible-teaching church to help you sort out your questions or direct you to the answers you seek...GOD has a Plan for YOU!
Thank you for reading....
Dean Clark
Return to http://www.ministryplanet.net/sites/deanclark
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