Winds of Praise POST: Jeremy, give the readers a quick sketch of your life before you met the Lord.
I was born and raised in Eugene. I went to South Eugene High School and I attended St. Marks CME Church, a church my grandparents helped establish. One of the oldest black churches in Oregon. I always say I went but I just didn’t pay attention and I fell away at a point in my teens. I was deep in the world and my heart was far away from God. I met my wife and we were married for 13 years before we gave our lives to the Lord in 2015.
Winds of Praise POST: What drew you to the Lord?
In 2013, I failed a drug test at work. I had been hiding the fact that I smoked marijuana from my wife and an adoption we were in the process of fell through. The Holy Spirit did a great work for my wife to allow her to forgive me. Two years later, after moving from one temp job to the next (not realizing the Lord was actually increasing my wages even though I was depressed and directionless) we found ourselves at Anthem Church in Fairview, OR. The analogy of a church being like an ER was so true for us; we both found a Jesus that we had never thought possible to experience. Our lives were changed and here we are today.
Winds of Praise POST: What is your favorite Scripture verse (or briefly, Bible story) that you relate to?
Two Scriptures which have helped me over and over again are 1 Corinthians 10:13: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (NKJV). When I was taking my first steps as a baby Christian, Pastor Brad Majikowski at Anthem Church used this passage to help me understand the importance of relying on scripture in my everyday life. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18: “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” When I was dealing with serious health issues, a trusted friend and mentor gave me this Scripture and I know when I cry out to God he hears my plea and he comforts me.
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