“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” Galatians 2:20

John Audia is my Italian buddy. He’s a roofer by trade and a Spirit-filled believer by night and day. He’s a man of abundant joy, exceptional generosity, scrupulous integrity, and exercises an extraordinary gift of mercy. He’s one of the biggest hearted men I know. He’s also very quotable. On one occasion he said, “If God gives me the work He will also give me the weather, and if He gives me the weather, He will give me the strength and everything else I need.” Another time, after asking me how my week was going, he said, “My happiest day as a non-Christian doesn’t even compare to my lowest day as a Christian.” And then there was the day he said, “Now I know you know this stuff but let’s never forget that it behooves us Christians to show God off to an on-looking world in a real way. In your life and my life we have to do that . . .”

But I think the most memorable thing John has ever said was, “I’m a Faither.” When he first said it I thought he had said, “I’m a Father.” Which didn’t make much sense seeing as he had that look in his eyes that clued me in to the realisation that he was about to proclaim his love for the Lord Jesus Christ (which he does at every conceivable opportunity). So I said, “What do you mean?” “Well it’s like this. I’m a ‘Faither’ because I believe that faith is action based upon belief and sustained by confidence. As it says in Psalm 119:89, ‘For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.’ So if it’s settled in heaven it’s good enough for me … Of course with faith, it does away with self righteousness and gets us stuck on Him … And here’s a little something else: With faith God will send circumstances to stretch your faith. That’s what the Christian life is all about …”