THOMASVILLE- The South Georgia Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter held their Fields of Faith event at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Wednesday night, where guest speaker C.L. “Shep” Shepherd led multiple athletes to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
Shepherd began by stating how excited he was to be there and the huge impact FCA had in his life. He then opened up his speech with a word of prayer, asking God to speak through him as he worked to challenge and change the ideas and notions people had when they entered the event.
Shepherd pumped up the crowd by sharing the great news that while everyone deserves to be eternally separated from God; that is not the case, because “Jesus Christ died a death that we deserved to die and in three days, God the Father raised Jesus from the dead, so we can be raised from whatever we are dealing with right now.”
Shepherd said that while he didn’t know everyone in the crowd personally, he knew everyone was in one of three situations: in the middle of a storm, coming out of a storm, or about to go through a storm.
“It’s the way life happens,” he said. “None of us get a get out of life free card.”
Shepherd shared his life story, saying he has been through it.
He was born one of 15 children to a single mother, working two jobs.
“Nine brothers. Six sisters. One mom, working two jobs. No money, never knew my father until I was 12-years old,” he recalled. “I never met anyone on his side of the family. I was the son of a man in prison sentenced for murder. I grew up not having an identity, not knowing who I was or whose I was, most importantly.”
Shepherd reminisced on what he felt during that time, saying he felt like his life didn’t matter and that he was insignificant, especially when he would go days at a time without eating.
“My very first gift was at 9-years old and I was gifted a pillow for Christmas,” he said. “It was the greatest Christmas gift I ever received.”
Shepherd went on to say, despite their poverty, his mother took the family to church all the time. Unfortunately, Shepherd said he experienced some of his most painful memories inside the church, as he was sexually abused by his Sunday school teacher.
“I felt like if this is what Jesus loving the little children looked like, I didn’t want His love,” he said. “I couldn’t wash her hands off of me. I couldn’t wash her hands out of my mind.”
The most hurtful thing about the abuse was it was all done under the guise of Jesus and Christianity.
Shepherd explained that this taught him, anyone can claim to be a Christian, but coming to Fields of Faith, wearing crosses, being a Deacon, helping old ladies cross the street, none of it makes someone a Christian and none of it matters, if the person ins’t saved.
“Jesus wants to come into your heart,” he said. “He doesn’t want to come in and rearrange the furniture; He wants to build a house and make all things new.”
Shepherd said he was in desperate need of something new, and he thought if he met his father everything would change. However, the first time he met his dad, his dad wouldn’t speak to him.
Shepherd said he was convinced that God had let him slip through His fingertips, with all of his suffering and his pain.
“I needed an anchor to sustain me, but I looked for love in all the wrong places,” he said. “I looked for love between the hips of a woman, I looked for love in the bottom of a dime sack, I looked for love in the bottom of a bottle, I looked for love in financial accumulation, I looked for love in academic pedigree, I looked for a love inside of a football and none of those things were satisfying and could bring healing to my heart’s hole.”
Shepherd said the only thing that healed him was realizing he was on the wrong path that led to destruction.
“The only way to salvation was through Jesus,” he told the crowd. “We all need a word from God and a way to God.”
He explained the word from God and way to God was Jesus.
Shepherd shared the heartbreaking tale of the day he considered taking his life.
At 14, Shepherd said he put a pistol inside his mouth after watching his friend die seven days earlier. He said he told Jesus he was tired of fighting, but Jesus met him in the parking lot of the apartment and saved his life.
“Football didn’t save me, Jesus did and changed my life from the inside out,” he exclaimed. “Jesus changed the game.”
Shepherd explained that Jesus can change the game for any athlete, but not if they aren’t willing to let Him in.
Shepherd encouraged everyone to not wait to make that decision, though, because life can be taken in an instant.
“Life isn’t a dress rehearsal,” he said. “We are born, we die, there is judgement and then eternity. What is important is what you do in between the time you are born and you die. There are no grandparents of God, it doesn’t matter how long your mom or dad has walked with God.”
Shepherd questioned if life was over today would everyone be ready, would everyone be going to Heaven.
He then prayed and asked those in attendance if they were ready to experience the greatest form of love and accept Jesus as their Savior.
Students of every age, race and gender flooded the field, sobbing and professing their love for Jesus and asking for forgiveness, before hugging one another and taking the next step in their journey of faith.
Members of FCA and local ministers were on site to witness to these young adults and invite them to learn more and continue to grow in their journey with the Lord.