John was the last person you would have expected God to use. But powerfully use him, He did. Growing up in eighteenth century England, from age 11 on John worked on slave ships; the family business. When he wasn’t sailing he was “collecting” slaves on the islands and mainland of the West African coast for sale to visiting traders. Eventually Newton became the captain of his own slave ship. His was a cruel and harsh experience. His skin was roughened by the harsh sea winds and his heart hardened by the life that went with it. Somewhere, somehow, something changed within John Newton. In … [Read more...]