Do you want to know a secret? The fact that you are about to see a dynamically innovative, exciting and professional quality production put on by the League of Christian Actors means almost nothing to me. The truth is, that is just the “what.” I’m in it for the “why.”
Eleven years ago, my family and I came to Visalia when Christ Lutheran called us into music ministry. It has been a transforming eleven years. At that time I only had two of my three beautiful kids, I was naive in my faith and I weighed about 430 pounds. I was engulfed in a painful past and unsure about what it all meant. I could not see a clear, healthy future in store for me.
In time, Pastor Brian Malison mentored my faith life, challenged my beliefs, chipped away at my past, broke down some of my self-centeredness, and taught me that I am here for a greater purpose. He was instrumental in the loss of 200 pounds and has cared for me as a brother in faith through thick and thin. I have been challenged and changed by relationships and connections to Christ Lutheran, and by our connection to Christ. Little by little, bit by bit, I have been transformed both inside and out for and through Jesus. Am I perfect?…I am told I am not (though I usually don’t believe it). Am I whole and complete and unbroken? No way. Do I have all the answers about my faith journey, why God does what he does and how my life will unfold in all of it? No. But I know that God loves us and I have a better and more abundant life because I want to know him more. Sometimes that life seems very far away…the way Jesus is and the way I am. But that hasn’t stopped my church from loving my family, and me, from helping us be greater than we would be alone. Christ Lutheran is a powerful and awesome loving community of Christ and I in turn turly love my church. I do. That’s what I hope for you all. That’s the why…I hope you can connect to God and grow in your faith and that this show will serve as a gentle invitation to going even deeper (if you are already deep), and try out a life of faith (if you aren’t in the waters at all yet). There is a better life for us. A better love for us. A greater purpose for us. His name is Jesus.
Thanks to my amazing and beautiful wife Chava and my kids. My dear friends Candee, Dan and their beautiful kids. Thanks to the entire Hartman clan—we are blessed to love you guys and have you in our lives. Rachael, Noel, you guys are the best! Dawn, Steven, Chris, Gail, Darleen, Leslie, thank you soooo much. Sydney L…we love you soooo much you are with us every moment! But especially, to Brian, thanks for changing the trajectory of my life, degree by degree and showing me that there is something even better in store for for us in Jesus and in a community of faith. It’s all about the ‘why.”
