Bob's Story
As a young boy, I always had a love of singing. Singing became a refuge for me. I could not stop the world I lived in from crashing down around us, but I could sing songs – songs of hope that would bring a better day – songs of love. By age eleven I was the lead singer in a neighborhood vocal group, “The Four Regents.” We sang at parties and sang at a radio talent search. It seems we were always singing. All the people I knew told me that singing was going to be my ticket in life. When I was twelve years old, my family went through a series of tragedies that had me reeling until I was in my mid-twenties. By the age of fifteen, my eleven year old sister became critically ill, my mother entered the last stages of irreversible schizophrenia, my father came out as a homosexual and my little brother was running the street with gangs. I gave up. I cried out to God with all I had in me – first to save my sister, who we found out had diabetes. We got my mom in an institution, but my father and brother were on a wide course to destruction. It was too much for me as a young teenager to fight all these battles alone, but I really tried to keep my family afloat. My grandparents, God bless them, always gave me a place to run to when the storms of life were more than I could bear. But even their love could not save me from the destructive lifestyle of my father. He brought much evil into my life.
These experiences are thorns that still prick, even to this day. But thanks be to God, He knew the plans He had for my life – plans for a hope and a future. I had been going to church all my life as a child and preteen, but it was because someone said I ought to, not because it was my desire to serve God. Little by little, one step at a time, the Lord Himself, Faithful Friend, brought me out and remade my life new. He never forsook me and daily empowered me to be the “new creature” He intended me to be. On September 20th, 1980, in Pasadena, California, my life changed forever. On that night, after attending my first contemporary Christian concert, I knew in my heart I needed Jesus Christ to be Lord of my life on His terms and I surrendered my life to Him. Not that everything came together all at once. There have been many tragedies since that September night in 1980. I’ve lost many friends and relatives in death, many more have just walked away. I’ve been through a tragic divorce and child custody battle and have experienced financial ruin. But Jesus has never forsaken me. He has empowered me to continue this race and by His strength I shall go on.
The Lord truly is able to bring beauty from ashes. In January of 1999, He reunited me with a long lost love – a love I walked away from twenty-nine years ago due to the negative attitudes concerning interracial marriage back in the early 80’s. Through a series of miracles, our paths crossed once again and we were married in August of 1999. We now share a wonderful life together. God is so good!
My prayer is that, after thirty plus years of being on this journey, some of you out there may be able to identify with me and will come alongside to run this race with me. Together, we will lift Him up – the author and finisher of our faith. May the Lord richly bless each and every one of you. May He empower you to keep fighting the good fight. May the music the Lord has given me to share encourage you and give you great hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
God bless you all,
Bob
Bob and his wife, Kathy, serve as worship leaders for Pollock Pines Community Church in Pollock Pines, California and continue to share their music ministry with churches throughout the United States. They have two children - Briana and Brandon.