|
|
|
Reflections
: changes
Un-forgettable
best describes the night that I found peace with God. I
had been invited to a Thanksgiving Dinner by a friend from
work given at his church. The afternoon was gray and cool.
I arrived at the church to find a large number of people
in the Gymnasium, a stage was set up, instruments and microphones
in place. I anticipated a big event.
A female vocalist
opened the affair with songs from her heart about Jesus.
She sang beautifully. She was a DJ from a local radio station.
Following her was a man who had been an NBC Sports caster.
He told a story of how he had been addicted to fame, alcohol
and drugs. He eventually lost his job, wife and family.
Then he explained that someone told him about Jesus laying
down his life to rescue him from death and despair. Hearing
this, the sports caster decided to ask Jesus to come into
his life. The man was changed and his desire to do drugs
and drink was gone! His life turned around and he began
a new job. His wife and family were restored to him!
The pastor of the church closed the event with a message
that peace, hope and everlasting life is available to anyone
who calls on the name of the Lord and believes in their
heart that He is alive and ready to accept anyone who comes
to Him, no matter what has been in their past. Then my friend
and his wife gave me a video tape to keep and a little booklet
called, "The Great Adventure". I was strangely moved by
the performance and the stories and the outpouring of love
from the people who were there. There was excitement in
my heart about what was on the video.
This surprised
me. There was a lot of baggage that I carried. Growing up
in a churched family, I thought I knew all about Jesus.
I felt that I was abandoned at 13 because a drunk driver
had killed my Mom. My heart seemed broken beyond repair.
I was angry and had denied that there was a God, after all,
how could He let something like that happen. I felt robbed.
Mom wasn't there for my High School graduation, my first
job, my first apartment. What was the use? She'd never see
me get married and raise a family. I just gave up all those
dreams. It was approaching thirty years since the tragedy,
and I was still hurting and broken. There was a lot of loss
since then, too. My Dad had recently died and my best friend,
my landlady, had passed away. Now I wasn't even sure of
where I would be living. I felt so alone.
What happened
next still amazes me. Something I never expected. I found
out what I had all wrong all those years. [ Back ] [ Next ]
|
|
|
|