Hunter's Story
Well, guess it's time for me to actually type on this thing. In case you haven't noticed, all of the blogs so far have come from one side of this marriage. Shocking, I know. So here's a bit of my story...
I, Hunter Ray House, was born on November 7, 1988 in Memphis, TN. I don't remember much of that day. I can't thank my parents enough for A: conceiving me and B: teaching me about Jesus from a very early age. Yeap, those are probably the two most important things about my life. I grew up playing basketball, going to church, and spending time with my family. I'll never forget going duck hunting before school with dad, learning to cook in the kitchen with mom, and being a typical annoying little brother to my big sister Mallory. However, my greatest memory from growing up was the day I began a relationship with Jesus Christ. I was 8 years old, and although I didn't understand very many details, I knew that I wanted to meet the guy who gave his life up for me. He must be pretty special.
I attended West Memphis Christian School from Kindergarten to 12th grade, basically with the same people the whole way through. I am forever thankful for the opportunities I experienced there, especially learning basic Bible knowledge and playing lots of sports. I mean seriously, if you've ever seen me, there's no way I should've played football in high school. But when there are only 13 guys on the team, you get more playing time than you even want. I also played golf and track, but my favorite by far was basketball. From the time dad started coaching me, when I could barely walk, until we won a state championship my senior year, basketball played a huge part in my life. At one point or another I played on a basketball team with 4 of my 8 groomsmen.
Back up a little bit, and you'll realize that besides sports, there was another big part of my life: girls. Oh yea, I always wanted to be a ladies man... notice how I worded that last sentence. It seemed that I couldn't go more than a month without a girlfriend. Is there anything wrong with dating? Absolutely not, but I'm pretty sure I took it to the extreme.
One more thing, and then I'll continue with my story. Growing up with parents who set great examples and going to a private school where the Bible is taught every day, you would think that I was set up perfectly to turn out as a great kid. I was. And I knew it. My parents loved and guided me every step of the way. I can't say a single negative thing about them. My big problem was that I prided myself on being the good kid. I avoided all "major" sins and looked down on anyone and everyone who did them. I wanted make sure that if people wanted to see an example of how a kid should act, they should look at me.
Before you hate me, there's a reason why I told you all of that stuff. After graduating high school, I accepted a full scholarship to the University of Arkansas to go to school with my girlfriend at the time. I had everything figured out. College was going to be just like high school. But I found out in my first semester that it wasn't. My girlfriend broke up with me and transferred schools, I obviously wasn't going to be playing any sports for the Hogs except possibly Mathletics, and I wasn't surrounded by the comfort of my loving parents and a loving church body. I felt alone... but I thank God, because it wasn't until that point in my life that it hit me: somewhere between accepting Christ as my savior at age 8 and my freshman year of college at age 18, I missed something. I knew who Jesus was, I was thankful for Him and His sacrifice, I wanted to know Him, and I wanted to do what He commanded. However, I was more a "fan" of Jesus than a "follower". Everything was great in my life... I didn't really need him, or so I thought. I had put my faith in Him, but I was leaning on and finding my identity in a few other things in life.
Ever since that Christmas in 2007, my life has been different. It was then that I realized that Jesus wasn't just a part of my life, but he should be the center of it. Everything I did had a new perspective. I didn't want to be the "good kid", but I wanted to know Christ more and more each day and see others do the same. In a sense, I finally started to know, abide in, and follow him.
I spent the next 3 years of college doing just that. Those years were dedicated to growing as a man of God, ministering to and with other men, and finishing school while trying to figure out what to do with my life. Along the way I met a hot lil Filipino fox (oww oww), graduated with a degree in Mathematics, got a full time fellowship for a 4 year Ph.D. program in Economics, got married, quit graduate school after 3 months to work at Fellowship Bible Church, moved to Rogers, and now wake up every day next to a beautiful woman and a job I couldn't be more thankful for. Are things perfect? Absolutely not. We live in a fallen world, and I'm human (just ask my wife). But waking up each day and walking step by step with the Creator of the universe, knowing He himself lives inside of me, is the greatest gift and most spectacular experience any man could ever have. I was dead, but now I have life. He gave it to me. The same is (or can be) true for you. Do you KNOW Him?
I, Hunter Ray House, was born on November 7, 1988 in Memphis, TN. I don't remember much of that day. I can't thank my parents enough for A: conceiving me and B: teaching me about Jesus from a very early age. Yeap, those are probably the two most important things about my life. I grew up playing basketball, going to church, and spending time with my family. I'll never forget going duck hunting before school with dad, learning to cook in the kitchen with mom, and being a typical annoying little brother to my big sister Mallory. However, my greatest memory from growing up was the day I began a relationship with Jesus Christ. I was 8 years old, and although I didn't understand very many details, I knew that I wanted to meet the guy who gave his life up for me. He must be pretty special.
I attended West Memphis Christian School from Kindergarten to 12th grade, basically with the same people the whole way through. I am forever thankful for the opportunities I experienced there, especially learning basic Bible knowledge and playing lots of sports. I mean seriously, if you've ever seen me, there's no way I should've played football in high school. But when there are only 13 guys on the team, you get more playing time than you even want. I also played golf and track, but my favorite by far was basketball. From the time dad started coaching me, when I could barely walk, until we won a state championship my senior year, basketball played a huge part in my life. At one point or another I played on a basketball team with 4 of my 8 groomsmen.
Back up a little bit, and you'll realize that besides sports, there was another big part of my life: girls. Oh yea, I always wanted to be a ladies man... notice how I worded that last sentence. It seemed that I couldn't go more than a month without a girlfriend. Is there anything wrong with dating? Absolutely not, but I'm pretty sure I took it to the extreme.
One more thing, and then I'll continue with my story. Growing up with parents who set great examples and going to a private school where the Bible is taught every day, you would think that I was set up perfectly to turn out as a great kid. I was. And I knew it. My parents loved and guided me every step of the way. I can't say a single negative thing about them. My big problem was that I prided myself on being the good kid. I avoided all "major" sins and looked down on anyone and everyone who did them. I wanted make sure that if people wanted to see an example of how a kid should act, they should look at me.
Before you hate me, there's a reason why I told you all of that stuff. After graduating high school, I accepted a full scholarship to the University of Arkansas to go to school with my girlfriend at the time. I had everything figured out. College was going to be just like high school. But I found out in my first semester that it wasn't. My girlfriend broke up with me and transferred schools, I obviously wasn't going to be playing any sports for the Hogs except possibly Mathletics, and I wasn't surrounded by the comfort of my loving parents and a loving church body. I felt alone... but I thank God, because it wasn't until that point in my life that it hit me: somewhere between accepting Christ as my savior at age 8 and my freshman year of college at age 18, I missed something. I knew who Jesus was, I was thankful for Him and His sacrifice, I wanted to know Him, and I wanted to do what He commanded. However, I was more a "fan" of Jesus than a "follower". Everything was great in my life... I didn't really need him, or so I thought. I had put my faith in Him, but I was leaning on and finding my identity in a few other things in life.
Ever since that Christmas in 2007, my life has been different. It was then that I realized that Jesus wasn't just a part of my life, but he should be the center of it. Everything I did had a new perspective. I didn't want to be the "good kid", but I wanted to know Christ more and more each day and see others do the same. In a sense, I finally started to know, abide in, and follow him.
I spent the next 3 years of college doing just that. Those years were dedicated to growing as a man of God, ministering to and with other men, and finishing school while trying to figure out what to do with my life. Along the way I met a hot lil Filipino fox (oww oww), graduated with a degree in Mathematics, got a full time fellowship for a 4 year Ph.D. program in Economics, got married, quit graduate school after 3 months to work at Fellowship Bible Church, moved to Rogers, and now wake up every day next to a beautiful woman and a job I couldn't be more thankful for. Are things perfect? Absolutely not. We live in a fallen world, and I'm human (just ask my wife). But waking up each day and walking step by step with the Creator of the universe, knowing He himself lives inside of me, is the greatest gift and most spectacular experience any man could ever have. I was dead, but now I have life. He gave it to me. The same is (or can be) true for you. Do you KNOW Him?
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