Trevor Shaw

How Jesus Changed My Life

“Where will you spend eternity?” It’s a simple, straight-forward, and typical question often asked when presenting the gospel….especially in the south Georgia Christian school I attended during my middle school years. However, this very question would be the one that changed my life forever.

I grew up in a Christian home in Valdosta. My parents modeled what it meant to follow Christ beginning with a faithful commitment to God’s word and His church. We were in church twice on Sunday, every Wednesday, and anytime it gathered in between. I never doubted their love for me until they decided to send my brother and me to a small Christian school. I did not want to leave my friends, so I resisted. Thankfully, the Lord was leading my parents, and I now understand it was God’s hand drawing me to Himself.

Growing up in church allowed me to learn about God and His love for me. I had heard the Gospel many times by the age of 12, but it never captured my attention until the day a high school senior spoke in a chapel service at school. The simple question about eternity caused me to consider God’s word like never before.

After school, I talked with my mother about what I had heard, and she read through the book of Romans with me. By the time we finished reading, I realized my sin separated me from God and, without Christ, I would spend my eternity in hell. God’s word made clear to me Christ became the payment for my sin, and His grace alone rescued me from the hell I deserved. My eternity was settled. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

Following that evening, God gave me peace about eternity and direction for my life. The Holy Spirit now convicted me of sin and spared me from many of the destructive choices I saw others making during my teen years. I left the Christian school to attend Valdosta High School as a freshman because of my desire to play sports. It was a much different environment with constant social pressure to participate in wrong thinking and behaviors not pleasing to the Lord. By God’s grace, I avoided much of the heartache experienced by my friends and, instead, had the opportunity to be a witness to those around me.

After high school, God led me to continue my education at a Christian university. This came about because a lady in my church felt impressed by God to purchase an airplane ticket for me to check out this school I had never before considered. Once enrolled, God directed another man in my church to pay my tuition as long as I maintained good grades. It certainly seemed this was exactly where God wanted me to be until the man paying for my tuition died suddenly.

Without money to pay for the following semester, I returned home to get a job at the end of my junior year. Again, God was directing my steps. During this time home, God brought my future wife, Stacy, into my life through our involvement in a local church. We married in July 1991 and returned to Liberty University in January 1993 to finish my degree in Counseling and Psychology. From there, God led me to Virginia Beach to pursue a Master’s degree in Counseling from Regent University. After graduation, we returned to Valdosta, and I worked as a mental health counselor at the local prison for several years.

In 1998, God moved me from my work in the prison to the pharmaceutical industry. I have been amazed how much the Lord has used my training as a counselor throughout my career path. He has opened many doors to share His Truth and grace with hurting people from all walks of life. I am so grateful for the opportunities He has given me to point others to Jesus in their time of need.

The Lord has blessed Stacy and me with 3 adult children - Savannah (Travis), Meredith, and Tyson who serve together with us at Covenant Baptist Church. In 2012, God moved us to this fellowship of believers, and we are thankful for His continued work of sanctification in our lives here through the faithful teaching of God’s word and the relationships that encourage us to be more like Christ.

My Prayer for Covenant

I pray we at Covenant would grow and mature in Christ as we serve together and others would be drawn to the Savior as we make ourselves available to Him.