“Today, I am here to be the best that I can be. To lift up our community, to be the best that we can be. To make each second count. To make new mistakes and learn from them. To support my teammates in our mission to make the world a better place. I am proud of my hard work, but I am humble. I still have a lot of work to do. Above all, I am grateful for those who have made my life better. I am ready to get to work.”
Yesterday, my school welcomed our 5th grade scholars for new student orientation. I’m always excited to meet these students. The beginning of the year, especially at for students attending a new school creates such positive feelings and I love the excitement and anticipation of things to come. The “Back to School” time is one of my favorite times of the year.
We did a small group activity with students to help them understand the meaning of our school pledge. As we worked on the second half of the pledge, my group began to discuss people who have made their life better and I heard a sweet voice say this:
“I’m grateful to God because He has made my life better.”
This simple, reflective testimony made my heart smile. It’s going to be a great year.
“Now death where is your sting Our resurrected King has rendered you defeated
Forever, He is glorified Forever, He is lifted high Forever, He is risen He is alive He is alive”
I talk to him frequently now. That wasn’t always the case. After years of being caught in the crossfire as he battled addictions of various kinds, I made the decision to let go of the weight prior to getting married. As I was on the brink of beginning my new life, I knew that it was important to deal with the issues that plagued me and to make clean breaks where necessary.
It was a tough decision, but when you watch someone you know struggle and wallow in the depths of addiction for years, I knew that my behavior had to change. I could no longer be a partial enabler to destructive behavior.
So, I made my break.
It hurt.
I cried. I prayed. I believed.
I cried. I prayed. I believed.
I had gotten to the point where my prayer was not for our relationship to be reconciled, but for him to be delivered and come to know Jesus. What good is reconciliation on this end, if we spend eternity apart?
And then, last November just days prior to leaving on an anniversary getaway with Preacherman, I got a phone call. The phone call that you don’t want to get. The phone call that changes everything.
Something had happened to him. There wasn’t a definitive answer as to what. But after a few more phone calls, it became clear that we needed to be there.
And so we went. Uncertain of what we might see. Unsure of what we might hear. We went in faith, believing that this would be the point of no return; from whence his life would be changed.
When you hit bottom, it’s a long way up.
But he’s climbing. God answered our prayers that this time would be different. And when I spoke to him a couple of weeks ago, a few days shy of his birthday, he told me that he’s been clean for 8 months.
8 months and counting. After battling some form of addiction for the last 17 years, 8 months clean is amazing. God has done a wonderful, transformative work; not just in his life, but in our relationship.
I included Kari Jobe’s “Forever” lyrics at the top because I have yet to identify a better description of what has taken place in his life. Through the power of God, death has been defeated in his life.
I have enjoyed many things in this life, but nothing compares to watching someone go from death to life. To God be the glory for the things He has done.
life beyond the well... 