May I introduce to you Saul of Tarsus

Greetings one and all! I hope and pray all is well with each of you. I found out yesterday that Jake and Angie are writing a blog about Madelyn. I think it's website is mynameismadelyn.blogspot.com. If that's incorrect, then please put a note on this blog and I'll make sure to tell you the correct blog address.
Now, on to another blog series. This one will be over the life of the Apostle Paul studying Charles Swindoll's book Paul: A Man of Grace and Grit. We all know what a great influence Paul had on Christianity in it's early stages. We're all familiar with his letters which are in the Bible. His words of wisdom all throughout those letters are inspiring to me and to many others as well. Knowing what we know about the Apostle Paul from his letters we might be tempted to think he loved Jesus since birth. But if we look closer at the Scriptures we will see otherwise.
In Acts 6 we read about the passionate young Christian named Stephen, whom Scripture says was "full of grace and power" (v 8), and his face shined like the face of an angel (v 15). Stephen talked about his faith in God and His Son Jesus Christ, and at the end of his speech the whole Jewish Council dragged him out of the city and stoned him to death. Now notice what the killers did. They gave their coats to one who the Bible calls "a young man named Saul". He was their and was very glad they murdered him in cold blood. That was the start of his murdering other Christians as well. It is very important that we know all of that to understand why he was so grateful for grace.
No dought he was there when the Jewish Council met with the Apostles in Acts 5 and he heard the speech that Gamaliel gave them, which might possibly saved their lives at that moment.
Everyone has a dark side in their lives. No matter how great someone is, there is a troubled past. That leads us to three final points here. 1.No matter how you appear to others today, everyone has a dark side. 2. Regardless of what you've done, no one is beyond hope. And 3. Even though your past is soiled, anyone can find a new beginning with God.
The Apostle Paul is another fascinating story. I hope you'll stay with this study.
I have decided to take Sunset's Bible courses by correspondence and stay home. I want to stay in contact with Charles Cook, the director of the Focus Northeast/ Northwest Program, and with some of those who plan to move to either of those two regions after graduation. I hope to join with an individual, family, or a team to plant churches in one of those two regions of the USA. This country is indeed a mission field. I desire to stay here and join a family, or an individual, or a group on a church planting effort
God bless you all in Jesus name!
Zack