My First Wedding, The Naval Academy Chapel, The Gospel, Answered Prayer, And A Faithful God

 

Photos by Karen Santilli Photography

This picture is a testimony to God's faithfulness in answering prayer - me preaching the Gospel at my first wedding ever in the Naval Academy Chapel. Thank You LORD! 

Christ is all!

In 2011, before I came to the first and only church God has called me to pastor (Olney Baptist Church), I visited the college I attended (a small trade school on the Severn River I sometimes tell people): The United States Naval Academy. During my visit, I walked through the chapel again. I remember sitting there on the first Sunday of Plebe Summer: that's the summer when the upperclassmen leaders treat the freshmen really harshly for 6 weeks like a military boot camp. I was crying my eyes out and asking God to please help me through this military indoctrination! 

As I walked through the chapel again in 2011, I was moved by God to pray and plead with Him to allow me to preach the Gospel in this place someday to the multitudes of people who could fit in this humongous building. I really thought this actually happening would be impossible, but you pray it because our God can do the impossible! As John Newton wrote:

Thou art coming to a King

Large petitions with thee bring

For His grace and power are such

None can ever ask too much!

It's also always good to keep praying, no matter how long it takes, and do not lose heart.

Photos by Karen Santilli Photography

After my visit, I moved up to Philadelphia and began my pastorate in Olney. A year or so later, I got a message from a friend I went to college with, Greg Chestnut. He told me that he and his fiancée, Anastasia, had been listening to my sermons, and they would love for me to officiate their wedding and preach the message. They drove up to Philadelphia so we could meet and discuss the details. 

Get this: they were going to be married at the Naval Academy Chapel! And, they told me they would love for me, in my wedding message, to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ because that's the message they wanted all of their friends and family to hear. I was amazed at God's kindness to me! God had answered my prayers! I was going to get to preach the Gospel in the Naval Academy Chapel - and it would be my first wedding ever! My parents even came for the occasion.

God is good!

God is faithful!

God answers prayers!

God knows best!

And He answers our prayers even better than we ask!

Trust Him. Trust Him. Trust Him. 

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

On April 20, 2013, (as you can see in the first photo above) God answered my prayer and allowed me to preach the Gospel (a message like this one) to many souls in the Naval Academy Chapel. May He continue to bear fruit from the preaching of the Gospel and through the faithful prayers of His people. Oh Father, please let me preach the Gospel there again someday soon! For Jesus' sake, Amen!

Please hear the amazing Gospel message in this documentary: American Gospel: Christ Alone.

You can also watch the full version of this documentary here with a free, 3 day trial. 

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