Jesus Christ is Lord, and the Lord's law is written on the heart
I live in Houston, Texas, with my wife, Laurie, and our dog. We have two children, a son and a daughter. Both of them are married to people we love, and they have brought much joy into our lives. We have three wonderful grandchildren, who have also given us much joy. Our son is a medical doctor, and our daughter is a teacher, although caring for her new baby has interrupted her work in that field for awhile. I couldn't be more proud of them than I am today. They have truly blessed us.
After I graduated from law school in 1967, Humble Oil & Refining Co. (later merged into Exxon Corporation) employed me in its Law Department for many years. After that, I was employed as General Counsel and later VP-Legal of a company named Natomas North America, Inc. In 1983, the heavenly Father guided me into a private law practice, and in time, I realized that was going to be his way of supporting my service to him (much like Paul's tent-making).
Although I had been raised from childhood to attend church and participate in church activities, what I read in the Bible showed me that I wasn't a real Christian. But it did make me want to know the truth about Jesus. Over the years, the intellectual barriers I'd constructed began crumbling as my lawyer's mind challenged them, and on April 9, 1983, Jesus Christ became real to me, I accepted him as my Lord and savior, and I was reborn through the work of the Holy Spirit. I answered his call to become a full-time servant (minister) almost immediately after that and have continued ever since. Despite the sins my old nature produces and despite my clumsy and even offensive performance at times, YHWH* has shown incredible patience with me and lets me continue to serve him. To help keep my focus on him and keep myself under his kingship, each day starts with Bible study and communion with YHWH. During that time, I receive instruction, knowledge, understanding and wisdom from the Holy Spirit as well as the reference books on my shelves, and more importantly, I receive his guidance and direction and help in continuing to grow toward the man he created me to be.
Serving YHWH has been the source of more lasting joy in my life than anything other than my family. The heavenly Father has used the law practice to put me in touch with thousands of people that I could serve by sharing Jesus Christ and the wisdom and words the Holy Spirit put into my mind-- and sometimes on my lips before I realized what they were saying. Many of the folks who have contacted me thought they had legal problems or issues, but they were really dealing with spiritual problems or conditions, most often with spiritual warfare. Those who received what YHWH guided me to tell them or pray for them have seen how gracious our heavenly father is. Some have reported remarkable things, praising YHWH's lovingkindness.
In about 1983, Laurie and I also began praying with folks for their healing, beginning with physical healing and eventually adding healing from past hurts. Some of those were people who called the office; some were people we'd met at church or in other meetings. We have seen folks healed, delivered, and released from bondage. Praying as a team, we have found that each has gifts that complement those of the other and make us more effective.
I have done some teaching, but most of what I do in that area consists of writing and publishing the lessons you'll find at this website. Many more are planned or in the works, but none will be published until I'm satisfied with what they say. Then Laurie has to approve them.
The writings on this website include more information about my life in Jesus. In them, I also share some of what YHWH has taught me, some of the work he's given me, and some of what I've witnessed and referred to generally above.
For weekly services, I attend the Church of St. John The Divine, a conservative Episcopal church, where I have been a layreader and lector (someone who reads scriptures during the service), a small group leader, a marriage mentor, a marriage intimacy group leader, and a prayer team member and leader. I also get together on a weekly basis with a small group of other men to encourage one another as Christians.
Before my wife and I finally settled in Houston, Exxon had moved me to Corpus Christi, then back to Houston, then very briefly to New Orleans, then to the Los Angeles area. I was on the board of directors of St. Patrick's School and a Sunday school teacher at St. Patrick's Episcopal Church (California); a youth group leader and adult discussion group leader at St. Mark's Episcopal Church (Houston) and a vestryman, Sunday school director and choir member at All Saints Episcopal Church (Corpus Christi).
I am also a lifetime member of Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship and was active in the Downtown Houston Chapter, which closed several years ago.
*YHWH or YHVH is the English representation of the four Hebrew letters that spell the name of the God of the Bible, the one true, living God worshipped by Jews and Christians. YHWH was the name by which he identified himself to Moses in Ex. 3:14. According to references that I've read, the exact pronunciation of YHWH's name was lost in antiquity, but the generally accepted pronounciation in common English is "Yah-weh" or "Yah-way". Some translations of the Bible, such as the KJV and NASB, substitute "the LORD" for his name, following a practice begun before Jesus' birth.
YHWH revealed himself in various ways to the children of Israel in the Hebrew Bible, which Christians call the Old Testament. He also revealed himself in and through his son Jesus Christ and acts, among other ways, in and through Christians by the Holy Spirit. Because the word "God" is being used today to designate all kinds of human inventions, although accepted for centuries in English as a name for YHWH, I prefer to use the name that YHWH chose for himself rather than "God" or "the LORD" as I did in early versions of my writings. Please read The Name of the One True, Living God for a fuller discussion.
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