About

My name is Bill Erickson. I am a retired mechanical designer and have chosen to start this blog as an outlet for devotionals that I have started to write.

I grew up under the influence of the Gospel. My pedigree goes all the way back to the Mayflower. In one of the chambers of our nation’s Capital hangs a painted image of William Brewster. He was my Great Grandfather nine generations back. From that line on down to me there are many generations of ministers and missionaries.

However, the heritage of my birth did not save me. I had no birthright to salvation because of the family into which I was born. I had to come to Jesus Christ on my own. The scripture says in John 6:44 that no one comes to the Father except the Father draws him. God drew me, and I realized that I was a sinner (Romans 3:23) and needed a Saviour.

I attended a Christian college for a time, but still walked a winding road making my own choices. That resulted in my spending 4 years in the military. During those years I had no testimony to my faith in Christ. But God is good, and He kept His hand on me during that time, even though I was not in fellowship with Him.

When I returned home from Viet Nam I was stationed in Arizona. My wife and I started attending church regularly – just like back home. Still the joy of my salvation seemed distant.

As I studied my Bible, I came across I John 1:9. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. That means that once I repent, I can experience His forgiveness, and be restored to fellowship with Him.

While coming to faith is an event by believing in Jesus Christ (Rom. 10:9-10) and accepting His sacrifice for our sins, conversion is a process. And I am daily in that process. I have committed my life to following Jesus Christ and He is the Lord of my life. However, it doesn’t mean it’s an easy road.

My life verse comes from Joshua 17:18:

“But the hill country shall be yours, for though it is a forest, you shall clear it and possess it to its farthest borders. For you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron, and though they are strong. “

The context of this verse is the dividing of the Promised Land among the 12 tribes of Israel. This verse applies specifically to the inheritance of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. And I also claimed it as my own.

For it was on March 30, over 40 years ago, that God gave me that verse. It was the day after our youngest son was born – the day we found out he has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Hmmm…forests…chariots of iron…

Just a few months prior we had found out about our older son. He, too, had Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Wow…thicker forests…more Canaanites to drive out…more chariots of iron…that are strong…

I didn’t ask God for the hill country – it was a place I did not wish to go. I didn’t want to clear forests…battle the Canaanites, or their chariots of iron! But I chose to follow Jesus – and, as I continue to yield more and more of my life to Him, I grow to love the hill country because He is there. It is the life He chose for me, and I hope to finish it well.