A Faithful Man
by Debbie Owczarzak
II Timothy 2:2 (New
American Standard
Version)
2. And the things which you have heard from me in the
presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men,
who will be able to teach others also.
I met Dan in 1989. I was fresh out of college, and I
had just newly re-committed my life to Christ. Dan had
also just recently given his life to Christ. From two
opposite sides of Chicago, we both ended up attending a
church in the middle, 1 hour from each of us. This is
where we met.
Dan was a quiet, unassuming man...he still is. We both
were involved in our church singles ministry, and soon
there was a group of us who regularly hung out together
outside of church services. We went to the beach,
we played on a volleyball league and a softball league, we
went snow tubing and sledding, we just had fun
together....we were all friends. Like all good
Christians do, we also loved to eat. :-) Get a bunch
of young, vibrant Christians together in a restaurant with
food and coffee, and they can talk "The Word" for hours!
And we did.
From the start, Dan impressed me as "a man after God's own
heart" (I Samuel 13:14). When he shared the things God
was speaking to his heart, I always listened intently.
He spoke with such gentleness and grace. He loved the
Lord, he knew he was loved by the Lord, and he wanted others
to know of the Lord's great love for them. He was a
"steady" man, a faithful man. This was my
first impression of Dan.
I was a single young lady at that time. Honestly
though,
I was so in love with Jesus that I had no desire (like many
of my girlfriends) for a husband to "complete me". I
felt complete in Christ. I had God, and I had His
Word, and I had my friends. Dan was my friend. A short time
later, I started thinking thoughts about Dan such as "now
there is someone I could hang out with the rest of my life".
I knew Dan was interested in me, however, I only saw him as
a friend, not as a "boyfriend". While yes Dan is
handsome, I still could not cross that line in my mind to
picture him as my "boyfriend". Then
God spoke to my heart I Samuel 16:7, "For the LORD does not
see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance,
but the LORD looks at the heart.” I was letting
my natural eye cloud the eye of my spirit, which saw a man
of God whom I loved to be with and who loved to be with
me...we did, in fact, "complete" each other in all ways.
We were married 4 months later.
When I married Dan, I knew in my heart that God had big
plans for him. I knew God was moving Dan onward,
calling him into His service. I was ok with this,
however I did tell God that whatever He had in store for
Dan, please let it not be the "Pastoral" ministry. I
am not "Pastor Wife" material at all - I hate dresses and
getting "dolled up", I can't sing, I can't play the piano,
and I really am not the "social butterfly" in a group
of people.
Stereotypes I know, but still, I made my request of God.
Time will tell. ;-)
Over the years, I have watched Dan
continue to grow in the Lord and to prove himself faithful
in study, in discipline, and in service. For some 14+
years, weekend after weekend, Dan visited two nursing homes
and brought church to the residents, preaching sermons and
praying for the people. He worked with the teen
discipleship ministry in our church for several more years, and he
completed a 3 year bible college program offered through our church.
After completing the 3 year bible college study program, Dan
was then asked
to teach year one and now year two of the bible college
classes. Dan
also completed the first year of Andrew Wommack's Charis
Bible College by correspondence study.
This was and is Dan's passion and purpose - to study and to teach and
to share the grace and love and freedom offered through our
Lord Jesus Christ.
I have watched as the Lord has taken Dan through preparation, then
separation, and I believe now, consecration for ministry.
My first impressions of Dan - a man after God's own heart, a
faithful and steady man, a quiet man who simply loved God's
Word and who shared God's truth with grace and gentleness -
are the very virtues that make me love him all the more some
17 years later. As our opening passage II Timothy 2:2
reads, "these commit to faithful men who will be able to
teach others also". The teaching gift God has given
Dan was first built on faithfulness, and this, I believe, is
why the Lord will continue to use him mightily in His service.
Blessings!
Debbie Owczarzak
Debbie@walkinfreedom.com
