august; ups and downs

Have you ever noticed that different times remind you of different things? The month of August is one of those times. August has great significance in my life for many reasons. Here are just a few.

August 15, 1989. I turned 15½ and my dad took me to the Skiatook tag office and I got my driver’s permit. This meant freedom on the road ...... (as long as I had a licensed driver of 18 years or older with me). Great day!

August 28, 1990. This was the MOST IMPORTANT day of my life. This was the day I accepted Christ into my life to be my Lord and Savior. Sitting in a baseball stadium in Bartlesville, OK, at a Jay Strack Crusade I realized that I had never placed my faith in Christ. I gave my life to Christ that night and I praise Him for His wonderful salvation.

August 10, 1997. It was on this day that I became the Minister of Youth at Calvary Baptist Church in Tulsa, OK. I was 23 years old and elated to be serving the Lord in this wonderful church. It was in this church that I met my wonderful wife Shelly. We were married in this church on September 18, 1999 (almost 10 years of marriage). Our first two children were born while we served at Calvary, and I fell in love with overseas missions at Calvary, leading teams into Eastern Europe and twice into Peru. God blessed me allowing me to serve there for almost 8 years.

August 29, 2007. This was a day that at first glance is not a blessing. I was asked to step down from a ministry position and find employment somewhere else. It was a devastating blow, but one I can look back on and praise God for what He has done. My family was hurt but God has healed us and made us stronger for it. I praise God for what He allowed to happen on August 29, 2007, now over two years ago.


Our lives are filled with ups and downs. Anyone who knows anything will testify to this. But how you respond to the downs is what builds your character. Yes, great things happened to me and my family in August, but quite possibly the most difficult situation I have ever had to face happened in August as well. But because of what happened God is being glorified because no matter what problem or obstacle I face, God is there and will always give the strength we need to praise Him. Always remember John 16:33 which reads, “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You WILL have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”

In Christ,
Scott