My name is Eric Smith, but this is nothing to boast about, because I owe my very life to another man. I once was dead in the trespasses and sins in which I once walked and dearly loved, a child of wrath at war with the God who created me. By nature and by action I had made myself God’s enemy. But God, being rich in mercy, by his grace and through no desiring or doing of my own, made me alive together with Christ, and seated me in the Heavenly places with him. I have been born again by the Spirit, so that I no longer have a love for sin and a hatred for God, but a growing love for God and a growing hatred of sin. But even whatever transformation God continues to work in me is not where I make my boast; I can only direct you to the one who saved me. The apostle Paul said it like this: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live. But the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.” My name is Eric Smith, but this is nothing to boast about. I stand now hidden in Christ with God, and it is only here that I long to stay forever.
By the mercies of God, I have been given a wonderful wife, Candace, who miraculously agreed to marry me just over two months ago. We live in rural West Tennessee, where I have the honor of serving as a shepherd to the very flock of my God. It is our desire to see the Gospel of Christ go forward in this region which has always been my home. By God’s grace, I will labor here until the chief Shepherd appears.
Dr. Greg Thornbury once said of a group of young blogging enthusiasts, “they do not know the joy of an unpublished thought.” I hope that I will not be carried away into similar unhelpful or unholy blog addiction; I do not presume to be particularly wise or influential at all. But perhaps the Lord can use this little blog to help this little pastor think clearly about the Church, pastoral ministry, Biblical theology, and other Gospel matters, and hopefully I can point any readers to wiser men and resources that are helpful to me, also. Along the way, a few other loves of this life-long West Tennessean may emerge, including local high school football, the Memphis Tigers, and a certain bird-logo’d baseball team in Misourri.
Glad to see you blogging, Eric.
And trust me, you are wise beyond your years. You have already been a great encouragement and a great blessing to me, someone much older than you. I pray the Lord will bless your ministry.
Thank you Tim! You are very kind to encourage me this way. As a Cardinal expert and a blogging specialist in your own right, I consider your remarks a double-honor. I thank you so much again for your encouragement.