Steve Norris
Steve Norris's Story
Material Devotion
I thought I had attained it all, a girlfriend, a sweet car I was building, lots of friends and acceptance to Virginia Tech.
I grew up always thinking that life revolved around what you had and what you could get. I always wanted the best toy, coolest clothes, hottest car, biggest house and so on. It never ended. I was never satisfied. I spent my free time working for money and my free thoughts thinking about what I wanted. I thought I had clear goals, but what I was trying to attain was impossible.
All of this time, I had the answer I needed right in front of me. I spent a lot of time at church all through junior high and high school. All I was looking for there were friends and a safe place to have fun. Constantly they were revealing to me something greater to live for and I was not getting it. Instead I wasted all my time for things I couldn't show to you now.
The hardest part was at the end of my senior year. I thought I had attained it all, a girlfriend, a sweet car I was building, lots of friends and acceptance to Virginia Tech. Well as the last month of school went by, my girlfriend and I broke up, my car project turned into a disaster costing me every cent I had to fix, friends deserted me and my college acceptance didn't mean much to me yet. I felt alone and without aim.
If I had dwelt on my problems much longer college would have been a disater. Being away from my parents and friends I had the chance to make a lot of bad decisions that I had thought about making all through high school. Sin could have been served to me on a silver platter at college and I could have started running in the rat race again.
I saw God work more my first week at Virgiia Tech, then he had all through high school. This was all my fault I might add. I finally realized what I'd wanted to be striving for all along in my life, but had been so lost. I no longer dreamed of that perfect job and house and wife and unlimited bank account, but serving the Lord. I now had the path ahead of me to serve the Lord in college and the rest of my life and I took off down it.
Because I know Christ is always here for me and can make me happy, I don't feel lost like I used to. I don't feel like i'm fighting a game I can't win. Now when things go wrong in relationships or I lose hundreds of dollars, I know it is just my chance to let God shine through me.
Since then everything has not just been hunky dory, but I now have the right goals in aim. I am fighting a battle together with God we will win. When hard times are thrown my way I know where to go for help. I know where to go to put my trust and hope.