In December, 2004 I was at my desk in the offices of KMOX CBS Radio on one of those typical early evening, early sunset, cold, dark, rainy days in St. Louis. Happy Hours were underway everywhere I liked to go and yet at this time I was stuck in a moment of despair. I had a day of losses, two major annual sponsors had both announced to me that they were not renewing their advertising plan for the next year. I wondered what I was doing with my skills and how I wasn’t using them for the benefit of God’s kingdom.
Instead of paying attention to that feeling and seeking an answer to that question, I packed up and headed to the bar for whatever happy hour meant to me then. Beer, cigarettes and late for dinner, dead ahead.
Forwarding to December, 2005 it was the same cold, dark, rainy evening as a year earlies and I realized that a full year had gone by without me doing anything for God’s kingdom. This time I took action, arranging a meeting with Ed Odom, a prodigious fundraiser and former executive director of Epworth Children and Family Services. (In time I would come to know Ed as more like Christ than any human ever.) At our meeting I learned about Epworth Children and Family Services and that they had an open board seat, and we agreed Ed would nominate me to serve Epworth. At the end of our meeting, we prayed and he asked me if I could feel the Holy Spirit moving within and around us? I’m not sure how I answered him but I am sure that was the first time anyone had mentioned the Holy Spirit outside of a church service to me.
Serving Epworth for six years, I found success in raising money for the capital campaign and made some great friendships that endure today. In addition, I found that my business had begun to flourish in ways I’d not known before. Truth be told, this thought occurred often and made me double-down on the career and benefits of being a sort of big shot in St. Lous media sales, member of my own Ad Club, entertaining and picking up tabs in all the nice places and in suites in every sports stadium. . Fact is I was just another self-righteous Baby Boomer and was all about me. In my time, I’ve been to enough funerals of my cohorts I know death by alcohol, drugs and suicide and since I’m on it, death by tragic murder, and back then if you had a problem I’ve had worse, lets get another drink and discuss.
Soon enough the inevitable crash would come. I swear I could see it coming though it was no longer in my hands, mind or soul to resist, control or avoid. My constant questions of what I was doing and how I would reverse the actions I was taking were mind boggling and unanswerable. . This confused state is something I make myself remember, to this day. It motivates me. It sustains my sobriety.
So in 2012, I filed for divorce and walked out of the house in which I helped raise three kids. I had to get it right, I thought, but where will my help come from?
It comes from the Lord.
In October 2014 I quit drinking cold turkey. Done! There’s been no turning back.
By October 2016 I was ready to leave St. Louis. I had to, in order to repent. To show my family I was committed to changing my life by turning away from sin and going in a new direction. I
made a deal with a large media outlet in Denver, and would theoretically begin over. I had been journaling and asking God for direction, and I felt the Spirit moving in me.
In late January 2017 the week I was to leave for Denver, Ed Odom and I were at The Gathering and after worship, Ed asked Rev. Matt Miofksy to pray for me and my journey ahead. I remember so well, Matt prayed, “Keep Chris in the palm of your hand…”. The next day, I pointed my fully-loaded car (and trailer) west. Late that night, my car broke down in the middle of Kansas, but I didn’t worry. The Lord had me in His hands.
It’s now a beautiful day in April, the sun is out and the promise of April showers bringing May flowers has been kept and it’s not even May! As I type this I’m in awe of the grace I’ve been shown by God, all the blessings, the pointers into the right direction, the answered prayer through the outright demonstrations of His faithfulness to ME, as if to prove Himself, to ME! I’ve learned to participate in the Divine, and escape the corruption of the world, 2Peter again. .
You see, in 2023 the Spirit directed me to attend a service at Manchester UMC. On that day, my true transformation began. I heard about the new fall season of adult classes, and enrolled in a Bible Study. I joined the church. I was emboldened to resign my broadcast sales job and did so in June, 2024. By December, 2024, I volunteered to be a delivery driver for Bridge Bread bakery.
In January, I signed up to be Director of Development.
God at work! Talk about Joy!
Now my life is filled with Goodness, and, to my friends who love reading 2Peter like I do, this is for you, (and to everyone else, who doesn’t like a good motivational quote?) “…to goodness, add knowledge, to knowledge add self-control, to self-control add perseverance, to perseverance add godliness, to godliness add mutual affection and to mutual affection, add Love.”
This is the Why I serve Bridge Bread. And distinction: I serve and don’t work for Bridge Bread. This is honoring God. This is worship as boots on the ground. This is that we are feeding, housing and giving the least of these brothers and sisters a drink. And I find redemption in the bread. I see my previous confused state of not knowing where to turn for help and I see now how I can help others choose the path that leads to life. Take the job, and do it well. Take the apartment, there are two bedrooms, and we’ve found volunteers who will bring you furniture. Take the bus, work the job, take the bus home. Wash, rinse, repeat. Find a better job. Commercial kitchens need leaders like you. We have more who want the job you’re leaving. We have more jobs to come with new locations. God will provide! Seek, and you’ll find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. Ask, and you shall be given. (Those christian exhortations are my words and are not part of Bridge Bread’s job requirements, by the way.)
I know this to be true. This is my life, and what I’m doing is serving the least of these. At Bridge Bread.
Hope in the Baking