God made us. He created us to belong to Christ Jesus. Now we can do good things. Long ago God prepared them for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)
A wasted life . . . . It's what it is if one lives without knowing God and serving God. Not ever knowing real love . . . the agape love of Jesus and sacrificial love of fellow believers.
Growing up I was loved, but it was a love based upon feelings and emotion. It changed from day-to-day. Love came and love left, despite what I felt. Yet when I met real LOVE in the summer of 1992, I felt a weight being removed from my very soul. I began to receive real vision and real goals for my life, not simply to make money, or to provide things for my family. Jesus rescued me with a few simple words:
Say with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord.” Believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead. Then you will be saved. With your heart you believe and are made right with God. With your mouth you say what you believe. And so you are saved. (Romans 10:9-10)
From that day forward, my life began to change. Thanks to my new family of God, I began to learn of my spiritual gifts and was able to match them with my physical gifts and personality. I was taught, disciplined, and encouraged and still being taught by that same Pastor . . . that same Church home! I was gracefully and mercifully allowed a beautiful help-meet by the Lord to walk beside me. My family life changed for the best, my life plans began to come into focus, and my desires were now for Him and others, not me!
It's been sixty-one years of life today, but really only twenty-eight years of living! From that day in 1992, I began coaching for His glory, parenting for His glory, and eventually living a married life for His glory. My bride has given me over twenty-three years of unconditional love as well, even though I do not deserve it. God gave us a family ministry and called us to serve Him. He gave me the opportunities to teach young people His ways and His Words. My work is not a job anymore, but a ministry, a labor in love, and a love to labor for Him.
He has provided all we ever need and more. I began to realize that this life is for God and for pointing people toward Him. Now that is my goal! I am so grateful to my wife, children, grandchildren and so many others who never gave up on me, but saw His potential in me. If angels were people, my wife would be God's best.
So celebrate with me and pray that He keeps me living for Him and that my life may point people to the cross. The gift I desire? I desire for everyone I come in contact with to be connected to Jesus . . . the LOVE of my life.
Do YOU have life today? Are you living?
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