Starting Over!

 Have you ever had to start over, ever, at something? I've had to, many times. Was laid off from a job that I had worked at for ten years. Was off work for two years before I was offered a position at a new company. I had to start over with pay, vacation time and seniority! I was at the bottom again, of everything! Was not any fun at all. Has taken me twelve years to get ahead of where I was when I was laid off.

Got divorced. Had to start my life over again, only this time as a single dad. Had to find a different place to live. Get separate everything. Car insurance, cell phone plans. Started having to go to the laundry mat. Again, not much fun.

Had a car loan for a number of years, only to get it paid off when something happens and you have to purchase another car. Had to start over with a car payment. Ugh!

It's not fun having to start over. Would much rather stay the course, but unfortunately things happen.

But...........

One day in July, 2007, my life started over. On July 22nd, 2007 I accepted Jesus as my Lord & Savior. My life forever changed. My slate was wiped clean!

2 Corinthians 5:17 New Living Translation

17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

A few years later a friend of mine urged me to take some ministry classes, because he knew I was hungry for more of God! I hadn't taken any kind of class since I graduated high school several years before.

I started over at schooling, taking ISOM classes. To my astonishment, I did very well. I passed all of my testing and interviews and became a pastor. Starting over!

Isaiah 6:8 New Living Translation

8 Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.”

Not going to lie. I was very nervous/scared to start over at everything listed here. Like I said, it's not very fun to do. But, God was with me, even if I couldn't feel it.

Isaiah 41:10 New Living Translation

10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God, I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

So I encourage you tonight. If you are at a starting over stage in your life. Trust in God. He has the best plan for your life. Even if you don't see it at the moment.

God bless.

Rev. Kev.

Enter The Story, Change The Narrative.

 We had a missionary at church the other day. I stopped at her table to talk about something that she said that intrigued me. As we were talking, she handed me a wrist band. This one is nice. It feels like some kind of fabric, instead of the usual rubber ones. It is reversible. On one side it says "Enter The Story". On the other side it says "Change The Narrative".

I knew what she meant with these sayings on the wrist band. She was looking at it from a Missionaries mind. I get that. I how ever looked at it from a different view.

I started thinking about how to enter someone's story. 

So I look for things that I can do for someone. 

A friend of mine mom passed away recently. It was a complete shock and totally unexpected. I have experienced that first hand, so I entered his story about his mom passing. I offered condolences, prayer, whatever else I could do to let him know that I supported him and his family during this time. By doing this, I believe I changed the narrative. I let him know that he was not alone in dealing with this. He has other people that he could lean on, for comfort and support.

John 15:13 New Living Translation

13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

Close family friends were involved in a serious car accident the other day. Very serious injuries were incurred by both husband and wife. Air lifted to the hospital. Surgeries, a long road to recovery. Enter their story by praying for them, visit them in the hospital. Offering help with anything that they might need. Once again, by entering their story at that time, it could change the narrative. They will not face the road to recovery alone. Plenty of family and friends who love them are available to help out.

I could go on and on about this. Co-workers having a bad day. Everything really seems to be going wrong for them. Enter their story and change their narrative by offering up some encouragement. Lift them up. Watch them light up with just a little affirmation.

I think that Jesus had done this Himself on several occasions.

He entered the fisherman's story when they weren't catching any fish. He told them to cast their nets on the other side of the boat. Guess what? He changed their narrative. They caught so many fish that they couldn't haul them all in.

John 21:5-6 New Living Translation

5 He called out, “Fellows, have you caught any fish?” “No,” they replied. 6 Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.

How about the woman at the well? Jesus encountered her while she was out getting water. What is remarkable is that Jesus a Jew was talking to a Samaritan  woman. Jews despised Samaritan people. He entered her story at the well.

John 4:25-30

25 The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus told her, “I Am the Messiah!”

27 Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, “What do you want with her?” or “Why are you talking to her?” 28 The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, 29 “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” 30 So the people came streaming from the village to see him.

Do you think that He changed her narrative? I think that He might have.

So I encourage you. Enter someone's story at some point along the way. You never know, you might just change their narrative.

Like a line from a Toby Mac song goes, "Real Friends Are Willing To Intrude."

God Bless.

Rev. Kev.