Daniel Broaddus: Serving God and Country
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Daniel Broaddus |
Published in The Herald 9/26/08
Freshman Daniel Broaddus has always had a patriotic zeal for America, which is part of the reason he went to New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI) through his high school years. But even though he still desires to serve the American people, it is now more through ministry projects than it is through the military.
Broaddus hasn’t always had such a strong desire to serve God and his fellow man. Although a Christian for most of his life, when he started attending NMMI in high school he picked up smoking, drinking, and other bad habits. Finally, finding himself in the infirmary on an Easter Sunday, Broaddus took a good, clear look at his life.
“I remember standing in the shower later not knowing what to pray for. I just called on the name of the Lord. It was going to take him to work in me. I didn’t even want him to get rid of the situation, I just wanted him to forgive me.”
Broaddus spent the next summer in the Canary Islands, with his brother, Parker. During his time there he was able to grow stronger in the Lord, forming habits of praying and reading the Bible.
Through this change in his life, Broaddus has seen where he needs to focus his attention. “I’ve always seen a need for social change, but since I’ve been walking in the Lord I’ve seen where it needs to come from. It needs to come from a change of heart through the Holy Spirit.”
Broaddus would like to use his political degree (probably American Politics) to help bring about social change in the country.
“The American government is pretty worthless sometimes, but at the same time the American people don’t help at all,” Broaddus said. In order to change the government, he added, you have to change the attitudes and minds of the people.
“America is considered to be a ‘Christian nation’, but from what I’ve seen its deteriorating pretty fast into a godless nation.” Even so, Broaddus doesn’t feel that Christians should write this time period as America’s downfall.
He quotes 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then Iwill hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land.” “Isincerely believe this for America,” he said.
