Author: P. Grant Gartrell
Located in: Hanover, PA
Submitted: February 29, 2024
Tell us a little about yourself. I am a former U.S Marine Vietnam Veteran, Married for 52 years with four children and eleven grand children. I gave my life to The Lord more than thiry years ago. I have lived the "American Dream"
What was your motivation behind this project? From the very day that I gave my life to The Lord, I felt that He had chosen me to make a significant contribution to today's society for His glory. While I have shared my testimony with several people, I had a strong desire to "enlarge my territory" by reaching a multitude of people with the message of salvation. Inspired by God, I felt I could attract more people to that message by writing about football and family.
What do you hope folks will gain from this project? It is my hope that those who read this story will see their need to give their lives to the Lord. Accept Him as their Savior and look forward to spending eternity in His presence.
How were you personally impacted by working on this project? I have never felt closer to God than I did while I was writing this. It was God that gave me the concept, the words, the theme , the vivid scenes in my mind and the sequence of the story. There were times when I literally cried when He gave me a new impactful thought to add to the story. What an experience it was for me.
Who are your influences, sources of inspiration or favorite authors / artists? Dr. David Jeremiah is certainly an inspiration. He is one of the best Bible teachers I have ever heard.
In Billy Graham's devotional "Hope for each Day" , he gives the following illustration ...."Suppose you had a deadly form of cancer and one day you discovered a cure for it. Wouldn't you want other people who had the same disease to know what you had learned? We all have a spirtual cancer - a deadly disease called sin. The cure for Spiritual cancer is Christ. We are to show others that we have found the cure for our spirtual cancer. This message inspired me to write this story so I can share the Good News with others in a non intimidating and loving way.
Anything else you'd like readers / listeners to know: I am deeply touched by those who have sent their thanks to me. I heard from a lady whose father was on his death bed and read the book.
She reported to me that before he passed, he gave his life to the Lord and was at peace with his destiny. Another lady wrote me a note that her terminally ill husband kept my book by his chair till the day he passed. She told me that thanks to the message in the story, he no longer feared death. These are just a few examples of folks who I have heard from.
Do you have any idea of how that makes you feel when you hear responses like this? I am so honored that God chose me as His messenger. To God be The Glory.
