My Birthday - No April Fool's Joke!

10 years ago, a punk college student was wasting his life and his brain cells engaging in some serious tomfoolery. On April Fool's Day night after returning from some crazy partying, a friend sat him down and talked about the One who came to rescue him from sin and exchange the fool's filth for the Savior's righteousness. That night, a fool who was throwing away his life became a fool for Christ!

I praise God for these last 10 years and for all that he has done in my life. I have an amazing family that I don't deserve and a life that I wouldn't trade for anything.

When I got home today I had some great surprises waiting for me! Lily wrapped up a bunch of things, mostly from her kitchen set and gave them to me. This cake was also waiting for me, though the everyone was little too excited to be able to keep it a surprise. Lindsey accidentally let it slip, but her slip wasn't as funny as Lily's. Lily said to me, "Dad, when we say close your eyes you have to because we're going to surprise you with a cake!" Ha! Kids :).

On another note, this morning before class I was reading through Deuteronomy and came across three reminders that Moses wrote to the people of Israel, reminding them of their slavery in Egypt (15:15; 16:3, 12). While I don't want to dwell on past sins and stumble by thinking too much about that time in my life, I would do well to "remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God has redeemed you" (15:15). Obviously I was not a slave in Egypt. But I was a slave to sin, bound up and held captive by my own wickedness and fleshly desires.

With Easter Sunday a few days away, what better reminder that I have been redeemed from a life of slavery to sin! In Romans 6:17-18 the Apostle Paul writes:

But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

It is certainly a battle to daily kill sin and to live as a slave of righteousness. Praise be to God for His redemption and His Spirit that dwells in us, giving us the power to press on and fight the good fight of faith!