The Crosswinds Effect on Me

I like the military. I joined in 1972. I just graduated from High School and 12 days later I was at Ft. Dix New Jersey. There I learned what it meant to be a soldier. I was in during the Vietnam Era. I didn't go. I was sent to White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) in New Mexico. It was here I ran into the Crosswinds of spirituality. I was interested in a girl. She was a Christian. At the time I really had no idea what a Christian was. I was raised a nominal Catholic from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. One day I asked her for her phone number and she asked me what my intentions were. I told her "honorable" of course. She told me I could take her to church. I was excited. When I picked her up she was living with four other girls. They were a college/military ministry called Navigators. I enjoyed spending the day with these ladies and other Christians. The church we went to was the First Evangelical Free Church in Las Cruces New Mexico. The Pastor preached on I Corinthians 15: 3,4. "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, That Christ died for our sins according to the Scripture and that He was buried and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures."
It wasn't at that time but a few days later I kneeled down in my room and asked Jesus to forgive me and make me new. He did just as He promised. It was quiet but I know something happened.

First, I continued to go to the church that the girl I was interested attended even when I knew she wasn't going to be there. See, this church, the First Evangelical Free Church of Las Cruces or E Free for short, was 35 miles away from WSMR. I had to leave early enough to get to Sunday School and Church.

Second, I carried a Bible with me where ever I went. I took it with me to work and others would come up to me and talk about it. I developed this friendship with a Chaplain on base. He and his family were very friendly and hospitable. I got to know them very well. Eventually they were sent to Germany. After I got out of the service I started New Mexico State University(NMSU). I received a letter from the Chaplain who informed me that his son died. I knew the family. I knew their son. He was born with a heart defect. I cried. I cried because I knew them. I knew the author of the letter. I showed this to my roommate. He was sad but not emotional like I was. The difference was in knowing the author. The same with the Bible or God's Word. I know the author. I see the Bible differently than I did before I became a Christian.

Third, I liked reading/studying the Bible. Before I became a Believer I tried to read the scripture but found it boring. I tried to read the four gospels, and I found they were all about the same man. I stopped after that. Now that I've been born again I see that the four gospels are four different views of Jesus. All four fit together to give a complete portrait of Him.

Fourth, I became involved with the Chapel program. I co taught Sunday School and led the Protestant Youth of the Chapel or PYOC. I was involved in the Navigator Bible study Design for Discipleship.

Fifth, I developed an interest in being a Chaplain. I started NMSU and majored in Philosophy. This is a good pre seminary degree. Also, I developed an interest in religions and apologetics. Philosophy was a great foundation. I ended up being apart of Watchman Fellowship at one time. Watchman's goals are to Educate the community about Cults/Occult and Equip Christians to respond to the cults as well as Evangelize them.

Sixth, I am now a Chaplain in the Mississippi Army National Guard. I have been deployed to Iraq for one year. I was mobilized for Katrina duty on the coast in 2005 and for Gustaf duty. I am being prepared for Afghanistan in the near future. The crosswinds in New Mexico have effects in my life and the lives of others even now. We don't see the crosswinds but I am a result an example of the Winds life altering power.