They took the step together

Taking the first step together.

Max Carter is a long time friend of mine (if forty years is a long time). We both lived in England.

Like myself, Max was expelled from School: (he from Ormskirk Grammar and me from Nelson Grammar School) Ah, what troves of untapped brilliance were wasted!

At the age of twenty three Max was persuaded by his praying mother to attend a special outreach meeting put on by the Ormskirk Anglican Church.

Max knew he was in the danger zone and succeeded in blocking out the message preached by a fervent Church Army evangelist.
When the last "Amen" had been said, Max took his young wife by the hand and bolted for the door. However, Ken the preacher overtook him and was waiting to shake his hand.

There were no preliminaries. "Max" said Ken "Have you ever considered  accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour?"
"Many times" came the glib reply. "Then why not tonight? pressed Ken.

Many years later Max told me it was like a tiny filament of hair, so light yet so strong, preventing him from making that step. Ken asked the same question a second time, and suddenly Max blurted out "O.K. Ken. Let's do it."

That night Max made his first step. Joan, his wife, made it with him. That two step has lasted nearly fifty years.

 In a few weeks time Max will be doing a few breakfasts on this site. Stay tuned.