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WARNING: THIS IS A STORY. THIS WILL BE A LONGER POST THAN NORMAL, BUT IT WILL BE WELL WORTH YOUR TIME. TRUST ME, I WOULDN’T PUT IT ON MY BLOG IF IT WASN’T. I AM NOT IN TO WASTING TIME.

Eric Seguin is one of my best friends on this planet. He is currently living and teaching English in Isla Baru, Columbia – a community of about 5000 people who are all classification 0 or 1 (out of 6) poverty level (super poor). I asked him to share his journey with the REVOLUTION students. What he wrote absolutely blew me away.

Here is Eric’s story in his own words…

READ PART 1 HERE

PART 2 OF 3:

I went to Lipscomb and through my love for basketball met Brian and a bunch of amazing people who have truly helped me see firsthand what God can do to us when we give everything to Him. I participated in homeless ministries and a youth mentoring program that began to show me I had a heart for relationships and those less fortunate.

I graduated college and began work in the realm of Childhood Obesity where I learned so many professional and intrapersonal skills that I know will be used for His glory today. However, like many college graduates here in the states, I began to feel the pressure that is corporate America. What can I do to advance my career? Should I work for this organization or go to graduate school?

I also remember feeling utterly broken when my best friend left to do overseas missions. She was someone so important to me and such an encouragement. But what began to hurt the most was the pure fact that my true identity was in everything but Him!

I remember a tough conversation with your youth minister where God used him to reveal all of this to me! Even though I was faithful follower of Christ, each day I woke up I walked my own path on my own strength and desire. I remember the moment that Brian broke down what being “refined by fire” truly means and how much it can hurt. And in that moment, I began to seek the true heart of God and began to let the Holy Spirit “burn up” all the impurities that were present in my life as I knew it.

What does impurity mean to you? Through Gods amazing grace and redeeming power, we are made clean. I love how Paul says in Colossians 1:21 that we were once “alienated from God” but in verse 22 by belief in Jesus we are reconciled and now viewed as “without blemish” and “free from accusation.” Yet, the verse continues when Paul says “if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.”

I say this not for you to think we live by “works” or that God’s love is conditional, but for you to remember that the devil does everything he can to steer us away from all that God wants to give us.

My impurities were many, ranging from sexual sins to prideful worldly ideals. For many years, though I felt such a calling, my past and current struggles were something the devil hung over my head so that I might feel “disqualified” and “unfit” for such a service as missions. While the devils attacks are just as prevalent and even more creative today than before, I know if I rest in Him, that the Lord can and will deliver me each and every time!

So as I began to drop these desires to “control” my own life, by His power, I began to see things in a different light. My very rewarding job that was improving the well being of children through community initiative and clinical interventions was now leaving an empty place in my heart. God began to press on me that these overweight children needed Jesus more than anything else I was asked to provide them in the way of lifestyle modification!

Another moment where God began to reveal this calling to me was through a trip to Guatemala. As I walked through this immensely poor community in San Juan del Obispo, I saw some kids playing soccer. In a moment that I have had a few times before, God reminded me of where I came from, how much He blessed me through my upbringing in the States, and my responsibility to be His hands in feet to these people!

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Check out briancromer.com later to read part 3 of this incredible story.