I am not the man I ought to be, I am not the man I wish to be and I am not the man I hope to be, but, by the grace of God, I am not the man I used to be.
From 1 Corinthians 15:10: “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I but the grace of God that is with me.”
John Newton (1725-1807) was an English pastor who also was a writer of several hymns, including the beloved “Amazing Grace.” His early life is filled with contrasts, when compared to his later life. He served as a ship’s captain during the slave trade, but later renounced his work after his conversion to Christianity. He became an outspoken opponent of the slave trade later in his life.
Big Sky Buckeye 