This week was a great one.  We had the privilege to go to our Northwest Ministry Network’s Annual Conference in Pasco, Wa.  One of the church planters in this nation that I highly regard and love his blog, Mark Batterson, did some teaching and we were able to ask question and interact with him a bit.  A real blessing for our future, to get some keen insights from those who are in the trenches of bringing lost people to Jesus.

Not only did the speakers and breakouts inspire and encourage us, but we were able to connect with many friends and associates in ministry from days gone by.  Late nights and early mornings, plus some kids who lacked sleep, made for a tiring experience.  One of our friends from Valley Assembly gave us our first $200 toward the church plant while others said we should connect and they may be able to support us in some way.

But here is the main reason for this reflection on this week in the life of Thad Huff.  I saw Bobbi (Brohn) Reynolds, and a flood of humble appreciation welled up within me.  Cubby Graham was close and I asked him to snap a photo (the one you see on my blog here).

Bobbi attempted to get me connected to church in my youth.  I was constantly getting farther and farther from the Godly upbringing my parents taught me, but there was this one persistent girl who went to my school that would always invite, even though there were times I was probably quite mean about my view on the whole church deal.  Finally, after years of attempting to get me to go to church, Bobbi said something that stuck, “There will come a day when you reach rock bottom, and when you do, come to Shoreline Community Church and you will find love and forgiveness.”  Those words were deposited as prophetic words from God in my heart and as life took me on a cruel road of partying, addictions, lust, and more, there came a day when I did hit rock bottom.

Saturday, January 16^th 1993 was that day I hit rock bottom.  I had recognized my life was getting out of control and had made many choices that were regretful already, but on this night my ex-girlfriend expressed to me that she had aborted a baby that was mine.  It was in that moment of deep grief, that my life flashed before my eyes.  It was as if all the choices of life were played as a movie and God spoke to me the words Bobbi had in High School years past.  I cried myself to sleep and awoke early the next morning in West Seattle, and made my way to Shoreline Community Church on that Sunday, January 17^th.  The preacher brought a message about how abortion is wrong and so are those who have sex before marriage.  I wept through the service and yet, something felt good about the conviction I was sensing.  Over the next 6 months I came back every week, and it was as if the messages were all directly to me.  I did experience love and forgiveness, which led me to surrender my life to Christ on June 6^th 1993.  That day was the last day I was addicted to alcohol and drugs, everything changed when I stepped out in faith and began life as a Christian.

I am so thankful for all that Bobbi did in my High School years, she is a hero of the faith.  May every students be as faithful as she has been, now a senior pastor’s wife in Colfax, WA.  I was thanking her again this week and she humbly said, “you give me too much credit.”  But she also told me that she would meet with my mom and pray for me during High School.  Wow, how humbling is that.  Jesus, may you raise up so many as faithful, loving and true as Bobbi.