In the summer of 1995 I had just finished elementary school and my life was not looking in a Christian direction at all, and God was the last thing on my mind. I went on an adventure camp trip, most likely because my parents told me to. The trip was overall disappointing, but only becuase it wasn't my kind of adventure, with one exception.

Before meals there was always music playing, and on several occasions there was a certain CD playing that sounded like nothing that I'd ever heard before. I knew it was Christian, but never really knew who it was. That was the first point in my life it ever dawned on me that Christianity could be cool.

Never being able to find out just who the artist was on the CD, I went home and thought little of it until a few weeks later when my father put the SAME CD on the CD player at home. Naturally, I was quite surprised and I stopped my dad and asked him, "Who is this?". My dad told me it was Jars of Clay. My initial reaction was, "That's a dumb name..." (how funny), but that didn't stop me from quickly taking sole possession of the CD and learning all the words, and so on.

The next couple years were hard on me, as I fell deeper into the darker side of life. My faith WAS growing, but the devil's influences were equally strong on me. Jars, along with God, had slipped a little in my life.

In the summer of '97, a friend played the Crazy Times single for me, and I was impressed. I soon after found out Jars were coming to down on Halloween night, and were going to be signing autographs that day at the local Christian bookstore. I was very excited about the opportunity despite them not even being THAT big a part of my life. Looking back on it, I see it now as a calling from God to take his hand in the form of this group.

Meeting them was very exciting, and the show was even greater. That night, as "Flood" played, I asked Jesus into my heart, where he has been present ever since.

Jars have been so great to me in so many ways. I was fortunate enough to be able to thank them on multiple occasions, and have become a full-fledged fan, devoted to groupie-like levels, sometimes even beyond. Some people say I'm obsessed, and that being so is bad. But whether I am obsessed or not, whether i'm a groupie or not, nothing can take away what Jars has done in my life. If it weren't for what God gave them the ability to do with me, I would most likely not be alive today.

erik nelson
roseville, mn
age 17