John Newton’s Mom died suddenly when he was 6 years old. His dad was constantly at sea – absent. He would attend Boarding school from age 8-10 before running away. By age 11 he was off sailing the high seas. Age 20 – his hard life took a turn further off course. He was forced off his ship on some small island just southeast of Sierra Leone, West Africa where he was enslaved for 18 months. Once he attained his freedom he decided to practice being as wicked as possible, as he wrote in his journal. He would eventually become captain of a slave-trading ship and transport slaves from Africa to England, his home country.
John did not start well. Maybe, as you look back at your journey, you’re thinking you didn’t either. Keep reading, friend.
During a rough night at sea, John’s life took a turn as he found comfort in the Bible and in the message of God’s saving grace. John would trade the captains seat for the pulpit. He would serve his small congregation with “toughness and habitual tenderness.” He would pastor two churches for 43 years, teach himself Greek, Hebrew, and Syriac. And, he read the best there was in Latin, English, and French. Like you and me, John was a perpetual work in process…
John also wrote hymns.
During one stretch he wrote a new hymn, each week, for over 300 consecutive weeks. He developed quite a “talent” for putting words into poetry that brought a concreteness to the very abstract. One of those songs was my Dad’s favorite.
As a young boy, I can recall my Dad trying to tell me the story behind the song. I hardly heard a word and am certain my Dad felt my shortness, lack of attention, and general disdain for his words. I was certain my Dad was weak and what could I possibly learn from a weakling. I turned my back literally and figuratively. I was beyond a dumbASS! Amazingly, I never felt anything from my Dad but his tenderness toward me. The song, you ask?
Amazing Grace.
Thanks again, Dad, for your tender heart. Thanks Heavenly Father for your Amazing Grace.
Live hard. Love harder. Grace…
BUILT TO LEAD 
If you are a modern Jew open/wondering what original messianic Jews believed read the NT book of Hebrews likely written by a Rabbi in Aramaic to Jewish readers who understood the context translated into Greek for those who didnt