Instead of your shame, you shall receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace, you shall receive your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours. — Isaiah 61:7.

I have had the honor of driving a football team to FCA camp. At first, I didn’t really think of it as an honor. I was like most teachers and drivers . . . I didn’t really want to go back to work before it was time to go back to work. But, I took the job anyway.

I want you guys to know that FCA is almost single handedly stopping the complete demise of true and Godly men in America. I’ve watched conviction fill the entire room. I’ve seen about 2/3 of all these players walk down in front of all their friends and teammates and either give or rededicate their lives to Jesus Christ. I’ve seen them with open Bibles around campus. I’ve heard teenagers having serious conversations about the Lord.

The reason I chose this verse, is because I have been retroactively convicted from 35 years ago. We went to an FCA camp. I was hanging out with some dudes who told me not to sign up for the devotional meetings. They were putting everyone in groups, and if you never signed up, you didn’t get put into a group, which meant they didn’t know to look for you. I listened to them, and we went off having “fun” instead of hearing about God.

As I’ve been listening to everything this week, my shame and regret for following the crowd back then is through the roof. If they presented half back then of what they’re presenting now . . . my late teens and early twenties could have been so different. I might would have felt the Holy Spirit like many of these guys and built on the sure foundation of Christ so much sooner. As it stands, I didn’t hurt anyone but myself.

I wrote in my prayer notebook “FCA.” When I pray through it, I want to mention those guys to God for the rest of my life. I want to pray for the boys who make decisions for the Lord. I want them to receive the blessings in their teens and early twenties that I forfeited.

Find a way to support FCA, they are doing in a few days what many churches never do . . . place tomorrow’s men on a sure foundation.

Lord, I can’t believe I thought I got away with something all those years ago. Satan had to be laughing me into hell as I walked away from Godly men who would have told me all that You’ve done in their lives and how You changed them, protected them, forgiven them, restored them, and shown them the narrow path mentality that leads to true and everlasting life. I was such a fool. I can’t go back, but I can pray for the rest of my life that You do in these boys what I wish I’d let you do in me from high school through college. Thank You for not giving up on me and helping me figure it out. You used this FCA camp to help me love You and appreciate You even more. Thank You, Lord. Amen.