What the Devil Meant For Evil

I know, that is a strange title. I wanted to just drop some personal thoughts about an experience that I had this past weekend. Perhaps, many who read this blog only know me as the pastor guy who is planting a church. That has not always been the case. Between my 17th and 19th birthdays I hit what I like to call my wild streak. During that time in my life I was not exactly a nice guy and I had plenty of bad habits...

It was during that time that I met my now wife of almost ten years. We were not married when she became pregnant with our first child. I remember the night when she told me that she was indeed pregnant. The feeling of failure, of having ruined my life, of having made an irrevocable mistake. It was a shock to my family and I felt that I had let them down...

Cindy and I married, the first year was a real struggle and our oldest daughter was born. It was in that delivery room that I met God. I know that sounds strange but it was in that room that I heard from God for the first time in a long time. He reminded me that he still, despite all of my mistakes, loved me as much as I loved my daughter. That altered life. That moment changed forever the course of my life and started me on the path that I now find myself...

This weekend, my oldest child was baptized. I had the opportunity to do it. That is a rare thing and as I listened to her make a public declaration of her faith and intent to live a life centered on Christ, I was reminded that God can take a bad circumstance and do something beautiful. Now, that does not give us the licence to go and and mess up, rather, God can take our broken lives and do something amazing.

I had a front row seat this weekend and wanted to share it. I trust that it is a blessing.

PJ