I am Todd Bowman, a child of the living God by faith through grace in my Lord, Jesus Christ. I grew up in a home not without its trials, but full of love. When trials came, my parents were over-flowing with God’s love and grace. I also grew up with a psychologist mother and a Presbyterian pastor as a father. No pressure there to be on my best behavior. 🙂 Needless to say, I had my share of rebellion. Providentially, I never strayed so far as to end up in a pig sty feeding pigs. I always returned to parents with open arms.
As far as my faith goes, it is honestly difficult for me to say the exact date I trusted Christ for my salvation. Growing up in a pastor’s home, God was always seated at the table with us and included in all of our activities. I remember thinking it very odd as an elementary school student that the school suddenly stopped saying the Lord’s prayer when we said the pledge of allegiance.
I do remember as a four-year old, taking the Lords name in vain, my father reprimanding me for it, me feeling a huge blanket of guilt over it, and my father explaining that Christ died so that we can be forgiven of all our sins. I know I accepted Christ that day. But, back then, the Presbyterian church didn’t officially recognize salvation until you went through catechism and made a public profession (written out) of faith (I was 12 or 13). Without meaning to offend a church dear to my heart, I affectionately call the Presbyterian church “God’s frozen chosen,” a term I used when I was an active member in that denomination. These days, my worship style is a bit more lively.
Throughout my youth, while very active in church, I have to say I only played at church and cannot profess to have walked out a faith that Jesus would have been proud of. Then one evening, sitting alone by a campfire, at a church-camp, I asked God for him to be REAL to me. (I now know that what I was really praying was “let me see how REAL You are.”) Sitting there alone with God, I was baptized by the Holy Spirit. What a difference His presence makes in a Christian walk!
There was a lot of life in-between then and now… almost married, married, four beautiful kids, divorced, never wanting anything to do with women again, God showing me that hearts can be mended, the gift of a godly woman, married, three beautiful (step-) kids, seven beautiful kids (young men and women now), two horses, three dogs…. You get the idea.
Today, I am a teaching youth pastor at Christ Fellowship (a Four Square church) in New Port Richey, Florida. If you had asked me three years ago if I saw my self ever going into the ministry (other than lay ministry), let alone the YOUTH ministry, you probably would have gotten a “What! Are you nuts?!” reply. If you asked me today if I ever saw myself as leaving the ministry, you would get the same reaction.
I am wildly in love with an incredible, indescribable, almighty God who loves me more than I could ever imagine and more than I can begin to describe in these blog entries. But, besides Sunday evening messages and bible studies with my own children (when they are here), this is as good a place as any to try.
I’ve never read this…it is beautiful! Love you!
Todd….help! 😉 Back up? Please? I’m getting hammered and nailed! LOL
http://joequatronejr.wordpress.com/2012/12/18/rationalizing-sin/ People need to know the truth..time is short… I am talking about LIVING in unrepentance…. and they are really misleading people. This is a lie of the enemy. We don’t have to be perfect and we will make mistakes..but I’m talking about living in sin and disobedience.
Wow! Didn’t know that was going on. Heading over there now.