you messed up your life...

nehemiah 2.18 (niv), let us start rebuilding.

have you ever been half way through a project and wanted to start over? have you ever been half way through a career and wanted to start over? have you ever been halfway through a marriage? halfway through a life and wanted to start over?

i went though a three year jerk time in my life. i seemed to mess it all up, my relationship with GOD, my relationship with my wife, my opportunity as a minister but i remember the day i turned the corner. i had left the ministry and i was selling insurance in indianapolis, indiana and we went to a church there one sunday and we filled out a welcome card. i was at work on monday and the pastor of that large church called and asked margaret my wife about me. he said, "GOD seemed to let him know that i was hurting and he wanted to know my story." GOD brought that awesome man into my life to help me start over. and here i am today.

listen, your heavenly FATHER wants to say to you. "you messed up your life? ok. you can start over and this time I'm going to help you." GOD wants to help you. that's the good news of easter.

isaiah 43.19 (tev), GOD says, do not dwell on what happened long ago. watch the new thing I'm going to do in your life.

GOD specializes in new beginnings. that's what easter is all about. starting over. HE wants to do something fresh in your life. HE wants to start a new beginning.

there was lady whose husband died. as a widow, she had put on her husband's tombstone, "the light of my life has gone out." five years later she fell in love again and married a fellow and didn't know what to do about the tombstone. she went back and had put underneath it, "i've struck a new match."

it's never too late to start over. failure is never final unless you let it be. you're never a failure until you give up. GOD says, "i didn't bring you up on the front porch for nothing! I brought you hear to say, ‘there is hope!’”

just a thought from the front porch...