Have you ever had that experience in life when you feel you’re just going through the regular routine and not really focussed, not fully present in your own life? A bit confused maybe? A bit lost?
I don’t suffer from sleepwalking but I was interested to read that when people sleepwalk, their eyes are usually open, but they will look straight through others and not recognise them. Strangely, they can often manoeuvre quite well around familiar objects!
Sleepwalking can happen in our spiritual life too. We might find ourselves going through the motions, not really focussed, head all over the shop. It might manifest itself as a lack of motivation, or no clear idea of purpose in life, and we end up drifting through life. It’s possible to spend years like that, sub-consciously manoeuvring around responsibility or looking straight through someone, not really engaged in the conversation. Many a time I’ve found myself listening to an inspiring message, which at the time seemed to connect on some deep level with me. It felt like a significant, life changing moment. But by the next day the impact had faded and it no longer seemed that important. I didn’t run with the new line of thinking and got distracted by something else.
Or maybe we experience moments of wonder or beauty – birdsong in a forest; the ebb and flow of waves crashing on the beach; a breathtaking view; an historic building; a wonderful piece of art; but we quickly move on. It’s as if we look straight through it and don’t recognise it for what it is. We don’t let the wonder and beauty change our hearts. We manoeuvre around it. It’s like sleepwalking.
When I was younger, certain professions were given the label ‘a calling’. It might be full time clergy, doctors, or teachers. In my mind it was as if these roles in life were of some higher purpose than others. I don’t remember the word calling being applied to creative people – artists, writers, songsmiths, musicians, dancers or actors. Creatives were lesser beings.
It wasn’t until after his death that Leonardo da Vinci became known for more than just his painting skill, and people discovered that he was also a very prolific thinker in anatomy, astronomy, botany, cartography, palaeontology, science and technology. So how would we classify his calling?
He is famously quoted as saying, “There are three classes of people: Those who see. Those who see when they are shown. Those who do not see.”
All the more interesting then to find these words in the letter Paul wrote to the early church: I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you. Ephesians 1:18.
Who’d have thought it? Our heart has eyes enabling us to know what it is we’re called to do; who we’re called to be, where we fit in the grand scheme of things. Maybe we could ask God to open the eyes of our heart, see things afresh and avoid sleepwalking.
Each year around the time of the Summer Solstice, another significant event occurs. The Gathering is an annual men’s festival which has been run for over ten years by CVM – Christian Vision for Men. So why did 1500 men gather in a field near Swindon? Bob Fraser was one of them, he reports for Sorted Magazine:
Bob writes:The Gathering is an annual men’s festival which has been run for over ten years by CVM – Christian Vision for Men. It always takes place in a field near Swindon. This year we saw an eclectic mix of activities like five-a-side football, sword fighting, wrestling, archery, axe throwing, climbing wall, Zorb football etc. and some indoor stuff like Scalextrix, board games, darts, and chess. There was an array of classic and high performance cars on display and a bar.
Carl Beech (on stage) addresses the crowd in the main tent.
It was something quite unique, and this year 1500 men booked in, many between the ages of 20 and 40. Free tea and coffee was available for the duration of the event. There was a doctor’s surgery, some inspirational stories, various seminars, some very silly moments, and a bag piper. Many of the men attending were from CVM groups located around the UK. Many others were invited along by a mate. I met several fathers who had brought their sons along. (you have to be over 18 to attend).
A number of those I chatted to were part of an army of stewards. These are the guys who work behind the scenes looking after car parking, marshalling events, providing catering for the team and guests, keeping the toilets clean and helping set up and dismantle the site.
Main sessions started off with Steve Legg (Founder of Sorted Magazine and all-round funny man) leading a sing-along and then hosting a darts competition. The Saturday evening main session included an international tug-of war competition, which England won, and a fancy dress theme, which this year was ‘Christmas’. There were some bizarre entries but the winning outfit was a close run thing between Bruce Willis and Baby Jesus, but Bruce Willis inevitably triumphed against overwhelming odds!
But alongside all the fun and nonsense there was some more serious stuff about life, faith and hope. With his inimitable humorous style Carl Beech, CVM President, gave a clear and heartfelt call for men to respond to the Gospel. Nathan Blackaby, CEO of Christian Vision for men said: “This year was incredible. We saw about 120 guys come forward in response to the Gospel appeal from Carl, through the worship, the seminars, and the powerful testimonies.”
There was live music, of course, and later on the Saturday night, a Madness tribute band performed, before the evening concluded with a huge fire pit to gather round. Main sessions saw worship from Graham Kendrick and the band, which this year included a pedal steel guitar player and a brass backline. Their version of Chain Breaker became a solid favourite of the weekend.
John from Bolton was at The Gathering for the first time and had been really moved by the testimonies and all that Carl Beech had said. He also attended a seminar given by Tania Bright and Bekah Legg entitled What women want men to know. I attended that seminar along with about 400 others and afterwards John said: “I wish I’d known before I got married what I now know from attending that seminar!”
Inside the mess tent at The Gathering 2024.
Jonathan came for the first time with a group from Leyland near Preston. He compared The Gathering to other Christian festivals he’d been to and said: “There’s often an expectation to come as a model Christian man, whereas at The Gathering, it feels very open, very welcoming, and you can come just as you are.”
Matt was another first-timer who enjoyed banter and conversation with other blokes: “I loved all the activities, the humour, the testimonies and all the activities on offer.”
Many men don’t have much experience of worshipping with 1500 blokes. Neil from Leyland commented: “Worshipping with 1500 brothers in Christ was just amazing”. Andy from North Wales said: ”I’ve loved seeing Christian men coming together and being men! I’ve just had a go at the axe throwing and was rubbish at it! But we’ve come together and worshipped the Lord and it’s been great to be part of it!”
Carl Beech (left) and Paul Gask (right) enjoying the Christmas fancy dress competition.
Before I left the site to head home, I chatted with CVM Director ‘Gasky’ (pictured above right). He said: “I’ve had the privilege of serving with the CVM team and there’s been so many amazing stories of guys getting rid of all sorts of garbage that none of us is immune from, and surrendering it at the Cross. It’s been a fantastic weekend.”
I believe that The Gathering truly is a unique event. Many blokes have already taken advantage of booking in already for next year’s Gathering at a discount rate. So many of the men I spoke to over the weekend were blown away by the atmosphere and had not come across anything like it before and were unsure how they might describe it to their nearest and dearest, or indeed their church friends when they get home.
D-Day 80 is a commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings. A series of major commemorations in both the UK and France will honour the brave personnel who risked their lives for freedom and peace. Bob Fraser has been following the media coverage of these events and here he reflects on what they mean to him.
World War II photograph shows an aerial view of the various naval vessels around the beaches of Normandy in northernmost France. Shown here landing supplies such as tanks, military vehicles, weapons and troops; the Invasion of Normandy is considered the largest amphibious invasion in history.
Bob writes: Many of us will have been watching the D-Day commemorations on TV. I can’t imagine what those involved would have gone through eighty years ago.
The veterans who are telling their poignant stories now, are of course, all in their late nineties. One man interviewed was 104 years old and still articulate, still living independently. Many become emotional as they re-live the stories of their involvement; while remembering the comrades they served with, and remembering those they lost. The reminder to ‘never forget’ is a poignant message.
My tenuous link with it all is my father, who was in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. Following the evacuation of British and Allied soldiers from Dunkirk in June 1940, codenamed ‘Operation Dynamo’, there were lesser known evacuations from other ports further along the French Coast at Le Havre and Cherbourg. Saint Nazaire was a major port on the west coast of France and my father was deployed there as second in command to assist with evacuation of soldiers retreating from the advancing German army and get them safely back to Blighty.
Digitally restored vintage World War II photo of American troops wading ashore on Omaha Beach during the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944.
I can find little record of this, as opposed to Dunkirk, but the story goes that many soldiers weren’t able to get to Dunkirk in time for the evacuation, and made their way further along the French coast in the hope of rescue. As the Germans continued their advance, my father was waist deep in the sea water for long hours without much food, helping men to embark on rescue ships and head to safety. Not surprisingly, his health deteriorated to the point where he was hospitalised on his return to the UK. The Germans subsequently occupied the Port of Saint Nazaire and turned it into a fortress like base for their submarine operations.
Sadly, My father was unable to take any further part in the war and spent many months convalescing in hospitals, before being discharged from the Navy. His health never fully recovered and my mum recalled that, in the twenty years they were married, he had a spell in hospital every year bar one. As a boy, I was shielded from much of this and I knew very little of the part he had played in the war. His poor health finally got the better of him when I was sixteen. He had never spoken about the war and I had never asked. It didn’t seem important to me as we were living in a time of peace. It never occurred to me that he had been an ordinary bloke doing extraordinary things to serve others in a time of war. It’s only in more recent years that I’ve tried to find out more about his life.
US soldiers invading Omaha Beach on D Day
As I reflect on not just my father, but all those who served in WW2, it’s helpful to listen to their stories. Most of them had no idea when they were going or where they were going until the orders were given. There was a long period of preparation and an anxious wait as D-Day approached. Most of the Veterans talk about just ‘doing their bit’ or being ‘no one special’, but many of them found depths of courage and sacrifice which they never knew they had. They became real heroes and their contributions made a significant difference and turned the tide of the war.
It’s easy to talk about the futility of war but, as we can now understand a bit more clearly, there is sometimes a need to make a stand for a just cause and resist an enemy who is determined to occupy your land. Peace sometimes comes with a hefty price tag, and we do well to keep on remembering the courage and sacrifice which has bought our freedom.
Bob Fraser caught up with Carl Beech (President) and Nathan Blackaby (CEO) of Christian Vision for Men (CVM) to chat about CVM resources and their annual men’s festival The Gathering.
For some time now church has been a place in which many men have felt uncomfortable, and it’s got nothing to do with the seating. CVM President, Carl Beech, explained: “There are very few men attending church who are between the ages of 18 and 35. There are even less working class men showing up. Church activities are pitched largely at the women and children as they are the ones mainly attending.
“Many churches have no events on offer to enable the men of faith to invite a friend to, confident that it won’t put their friend off. Something needed to change in order for men to engage with the message of the gospel and equip the church in that task.”
In his 2005 ground-breaking book Why Men Hate Going to Church Canadian author David Murrow was amongst the first to point out that many churches have no strategy to connect with men. In fact many churches have very few men showing up at all. The same is true in the UK. He researched statistics and established that, in many churches, there are between two and three times more women attending than men. He suggested that the men who do show up seem, on the whole, passive, bored or uneasy.
CVM CEO Nathan Blackaby said: “We looked at the UK statistics and this revealed that those least likely to be attending church are single, working class men. (Source: Office National Statsitcs/Tearfund 2007 BBC Survey) and only 33% of men felt comfortable in church (Source: YouGov 2014/Sorted Magazine) Clearly, a strategy was needed to reverse this trend.”
Styles of leadership, worship and discipleship are also factors, and for many non-church blokes there are fears of being associated with something that isn’t particularly manly. Church scandals and wrong perceptions abound, all contributing to the notion that if you want to meet up and do something with a few mates, it’s unlikely to be in a church environment. And Carl explained why it’s not just a problem in traditional churches with liturgy and pews. He said: “Even in more contemporary church expressions, some worship songs have lyrics which reflect a romantic view of Jesus, which a lot of men will find hard to align with. There was a time when the hearts of men were stirred by a traditional hymn. Those same men would find some of today’s worship songs difficult to sing with integrity.” Well aware of the challenges with men and church, CVM came up with a strategy for a different way of connecting with men.
The CVM strategy consists of four levels of activity
Level One is about creating activities or opportunities to bring men together where there is no great spiritual context. It’s all about enjoying some fun stuff together, building genuine friendship and trust beyond the walls of the church building.
Level Two is about creating events where there is some kind of spiritual input, like a breakfast or a curry night with a guest speaker, when believing men can invite their friends along. Men will often show up if food is on the agenda, and hearing stories of how life has changed after someone encountered Jesus holds the potential to open up a conversation about life and faith.
Level Three is about developing the conversation by perhaps offering a series of meetings where men can explore in more depth what it means to follow Christ. Men might discuss the values they aspire to and the changes that may need to take place in their life, their priorities or their thinking.
Level Four is about helping churches develop an ongoing and sustainable strategy to connect with men and change the environment in church services. Men will bond more readily when they engage in a shared activity, but as many churches have a shortage of men turning up, the starting point for all this connection may need to happen elsewhere.
Nathan enthused: “CVM has a growing number of men’s groups partnering with them, operating at a local level. Some belong to one church, others a combined effort involving several churches. There are also regional events and we also produce high quality resources for use by individuals or small groups.”
The group which I run in the North West has made use of some of these resources and they’ve been effective in bringing a focus and getting a conversation going. In particular Carl’s book 52 Men of the Bible provides enough material for a year’s worth of discussions if you meet weekly, or four year’s worth if you meet monthly.
In addition to hard copy books, a significant amount of CVM’s resources are now downloadable. The Code is another well used resource with 12 game changing statements written by men for men. Each statement looks at what it’s really like to follow Christ wholeheartedly.
CVM have created an interactive platform: Winning Men is available as a Smartphone app. It includes a four level course, top tips for men’s activities, a church audit tool and loads of helpful ideas. It’s all available free, and the platform thrives on helpful interaction, comments, questions and engagement.
The Gathering
In 2014 Carl Beech founded a men’s festival called The Gathering. This has become an annual event which takes place, now somewhat famously, in a field near Swindon. In 2019 the attendance rose to 2400 men.
The Gathering has live comedy, cool cars, a five-a-side tournament, a bar, live music, walking football, axe throwing, Zorb football, inflatable games etc. Alongside that there is worship, relevant bible teaching, life stories, scalextric, bonfires and loads more.
The Saturday night meeting usually has a theme for the dress code and in 2019 it was the medieval age. That experience will live long in my memory. In 2023 the theme was animals!
Photo: The Gathering2023 Darts Competition with Sorted Magazine’s very own Steve Legg – Steve Legg, Magician and CVM’s John Stockley dressed as a Unicorn!
A building project I was working on involved a long journey by road. Once a week I would drive across the Pennines to visit a construction site in Harrogate, Yorkshire. Towards the end of the project it became a twice-weekly visit. One day I drove past a remote lay-by up on the moors, and there was an old Citroen BX parked up, with a flat rear tyre.
I thought nothing of it until a few days later I went past the same spot and all the tyres on the car were flat, windscreen wipers were missing and the headlights removed. By the next visit the windows were smashed and the doors open. It was no longer secure and was open to the elements.
Over the next few trips I noticed other bits of the car gradually went missing; wing mirrors, bumpers, seats, dash board, and eventually the whole car was overturned on the grass verge. It was just an empty shell. What once had been someone’s pride and joy now lay abandoned to its fate, unable to function. It was incapable of righting itself, an ugly sight, reflecting an ugly scavenging process over a relatively short period of time.
Maybe the owner had driven it too hard and the engine just seized up. Maybe it was down to a lack of maintenance, constant failure or inadequate resources to keep it going. Maybe the owner just got fed up with the constant failures and disappointments and eventually abandoned the car.
I’ll be honest, I know relatively little about car maintenance. What little I thought I knew has been superseded by electronic components which, when faulty, either must be thrown away or need a specialist to repair them. What I do know is that if you don’t look after the heart of the car, the engine, eventually it will cease to function. It might look ok on the outside, but it’s the condition of the inside that determines how long it will keep going.
The abandoned car served as a visual reminder for me. I remembered that when I’m struggling and falling apart, when I’m angry and frustrated, when I feel a failure or have been let down, I don’t have to park up in a lay-by somewhere, or give up, or accept defeat, and abandon myself to an unknown future. There’s another choice I can make.
A couple of weeks later I went past the lay-by again, wondering what else might have happened to the car. Instead the car had gone completely, removed, no doubt, to that great scrapyard in the sky.
Don’t lose heart. Choose to believe that God has a plan and a purpose for you. He will never let you down. He never abandons us. He doesn’t consign us to the scrapyard, but instead offers us a hope and a future.
I read this book when it first appeared in 1995. Just the title fascinated me. Tender . . . Warrior? Surely a contradiction in terms? Adding great credibility to all that he says, there’s some author background in the opening chapter, revealing his service in Vietnam as Group Intelligence Operations Officer. These are not the theoretical idealistic notions of someone removed from real life. Here’s a writer who knows a thing or two about battle, the close proximity of the enemy, brotherhood and sacrifice.
Weber explores issues of confusion associated with masculinity. Am I supposed to be tough or tender? Strong or sensitive? Fierce or friendly? He calls men to respond to the wake up calls which show up in our lives through the situations we face or the people we love most, and get our lives back on track.
Weber references Flint McCullugh, the scout on the TV series Wagon Train, whose eyes are always scanning the horizon, ever vigilant towards the dangers and hazards which may lie ahead. The author explores the re-tracing of steps, inviting the reader to look behind themselves as it were, to return to the headwaters of existence, to find our true calling. Weber identifies four non-linear life rhythms: King, Warrior, Mentor, and Friend. He defines these as four unshakable pillars. He acknowledges them as fundamental in both sacred and secular writings, and in all cultures.
King: The heart of the King is a provisionary heart. The King looks ahead, watches over, and provides order, mercy, justice and leadership.
Warrior: The heart of the Warrior is a protective heart. The Warrior shields, defends, stands between, and guards.
Mentor: The heart of the Mentor is a teaching heart. The Mentor knows things. He wants others to know them too. He models, explains and trains.
Friend: The heart of the Friend is a loving heart. It is a care-giving heart. Passionate, yes. But more. Compassionate. A friend is a commitment-maker and a promise-keeper. He is the energy that connects people.
Weber suggests that these four pillars bear the weight of authentic masculinity. They co-exist. They overlap. And when they come together you will know it. You will feel it. You will be touched by it.
I thoroughly enjoyed re-reading this book and as is my wont these days, I underlined many passages, signifying important statements or a connection with my own heart. I loved the chapters on friendship. Talking of Old Testament characters David and Jonathan he says: “Here were two men whose minds believed the same truth, whose wills locked on to the same course, whose emotions burned at the same injustices. They were committed to the same God. They loved the same kingdom. They marched to the same tune. They were headed in the same direction.” And: “A shared dream bonds men together. It’s the very essence of meaningful male friendship.”
It’s a very balanced book and well worth a read.
Now updated and expanded, Stu Weber ’s 20-year bestseller has become the contemporary classic. It paints a dramatic and compelling picture of balanced masculinity according to God’s vision. Find out more here
Publisher: Random House ISBN Print: 978-1590526132
The author Donald Miller writes and speaks on issues relating to Christian spirituality, literature and culture. Brian McLaren writes: “I can think of no better book than Blue Like Jazz to introduce Christian spirituality (a way of life) to people for whom Christianity (a system of beliefs) seems like a bad maths problem or a traffic jam.”
And that’s the nub of Blue Like Jazz. And I think that Miller’s message is just as interesting today as it was when the book was first published in 2003. In some ways it’s a classic work, which can be revisited time and time again. Miller seems to be exploring a return to authenticity in the way Christians express and live out their faith.
The thread of thought that starts his exploration comes after watching a busking jazz saxophone player. The musician shuts his eyes and plays endless variations on a simple melody. The sound is smooth. The texture is rich. The passion with which it is played comes from the soul. The passer-by is drawn in, stops to listen, and becomes captivated. Miller writes: “Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself. It is as if they are showing you the way.”
Miller challenges, in a humorous yet honest way, some of the notions which Christians (and I include myself here) seem to have accepted without question. The chapters seem disconnected at first, and the headings create an air of intrigue eg ‘Church: How I Go Without Getting Angry’ and ‘Community: Living with Freaks’.
Miller draws on his own life stories, and his relationships and conversations with friends, and gradually makes sense of the many unresolved issues in his life, especially those regarding faith in God. This book really helped me to check the relevance of all that I have come to believe, and set a course towards renewed passion and expression for the faith which I committed to in my teenage years.
Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller is Published by Thomas Nelson Publishers
As the revitalised England cricket team slog it out with Australia for the Ashes again, I’m reviewing a book I bought when I visited Australia nearly twenty years ago. Steve Biddulph has the reputation as Australia’s best known family therapist and parenting author. In his book Manhood he examines two crucial issues: Creating a healthy masculinity and how men can free themselves from crippling and outdated roles. I read the book when I came back to England and have continued to dip into it ever since.
He hits the mark for many of us in relation to who has taught us about our masculinity by stating: “It takes the help of many men to turn a boy into a man. School doesn’t do it; watching TV doesn’t do it; Mum, however hard she tries, can’t do it on her own. Boys need exposure to healthy men and this need continues into adult life”.
And he sites the enemies or prisons from which men need to escape as loneliness, compulsive competition and lifelong emotional timidity. There’s a whole chapter devoted to ‘You and your father’ and another discusses ‘Being a real father’.
I met with a group of blokes this week and as we shared honestly both the joys and challenges of the things we are involved in, one said “I come alive when I do that!” It reminded me of something Steve Biddulph says about finding a job with heart.
As I reflect back on the various chapter headings I realise that, since I first read it, I have (surprisingly) made some progress. I understand more about where I am coming from and I feel more engaged with my kids despite them having grown up and left home. I am rediscovering more of my adventurous spirit, and I am less passive. I try to initiate rather than wait for an invitation that never comes. I have found a sacredness and depth in my primary relationship, and I am pursuing authentic male friendship via small groups and vulnerable friendships. Whatever point you are on your masculine journey, this is a really helpful book and I heartily recommend it.
Manhood by Steve Biddulph is available here and there’s further information about Steve here
Main photo credit: Glenn Carstens-Peters via Unsplash
What do you associate with the word home? A person or a place perhaps? Somewhere in which there is a strong sense of welcome and belonging? What then when life goes pear shaped, or we make a choice which leads us down a road to lostness and loneliness? Don’t we just long to be home? it’s almost as if we are programmed with a need to head back to the familiar, to what represents security, no matter what the reason for our leaving in the first place.
Sadly, there is a generation of young people growing up who have left home because it wasn’t a good place to be. Their feeling of lostness must be greatly amplified.
I first read Henri Nouwen’s book The Return of the Prodigal in the mid nineties. With a subtitle of A Story of Homecoming I immediately connected with the theme. The book is centred around the story of the Prodigal Son which Jesus told. Nouwen discovers much about himself as he sits and looks at the original Rembrandt painting based on that story. Little did he know what a journey of discovery would take place in his own heart.
As Nouwen examines the three principal characters in the story, he can identify with the younger son in his desire to leave behind safety and security, strike out on his own, and subsequently squander the inheritance his father gives him. He can also identify with the elder son’s anger and self-righteousness at seeing what he regards as his faithfulness overlooked by the father, whilst his younger brother’s waywardness is seemingly celebrated.
But he also draws out the nature of the compassionate father, who loves both sons equally. Nouwen realises that he needs to go beyond identifying with either of the sons, and to move away from adolescent desire for independence and sibling rivalries, and to become a welcoming father himself to others.
Neuwen is very honest about his own inner struggles and failings as he looks at the two sons. About his own journey Neuwen writes: The farther I run away from the place where God dwells, the less I am able to hear the voice that calls me Beloved, and the less I hear that voice, the more entangled I become in the manipulations and power games of the world.
Speaking of the younger son Neuwen writes: Once he had come again in touch with the truth of his sonship, he could hear, although faintly, the voice calling him the Beloved and feel, although distantly, the touch of blessing. This awareness of, and confidence in, his father’s love, misty as it may have been, gave him the strength to claim for himself his sonship, even though that claim could not be based on any merit.
It’s all too easy for us to wander off to distant lands, squander our inheritance and then feel a sense of disconnection and disappointment. This book is a reminder that our heavenly father still looks out every day, hoping his kids will come back home.
The Return of The Prodigal by Henri Nouwen is published by Dartman, Longman and Todd.
Jigsaw puzzles were very popular when I was a youngster. That interest was re-kindled when my own children came along. Some adults still enjoy the therapeutic pastime and considerable challenge of completing a one thousand piece jigsaw puzzle. I’m not a jigsaw puzzle enthusiast, but I do know that there are a couple of things which should happen before any attempt to assemble all the pieces:
1. Carefully study the picture on the box so you know where you’re heading with it.
2. If possible, check that there are no pieces missing.
Sometimes life is like a jigsaw puzzle. We can’t see the picture which is emerging. It appears random and confusing. When I was 16, I’d only really just got going on assembling the jigsaw puzzle of my life when my dad died. It was like someone had kicked over the table which I was doing the jigsaw puzzle on, and all the pieces went everywhere. Not only that, it was like the box had been thrown away too. So I had no picture to follow, no clue how things fitted together, and no idea what to do with my life. I wasn’t doing well at school, I was beginning to go down a wrong road. It was a defining moment in my life.
Into that void, into that chaos, into that sense of abandonment, isolation and hopelessness came the gospel message, challenging me to give my life to God. The only way was to place all the pieces of my life before God and trust Him to complete the jigsaw puzzle. He filled in the missing pieces to bring wholeness, and gradually make the picture complete.
Psalm 18:20-24 (MSG) says: God made my life complete when I placed all the pieces before him. When I got my act together, he gave me a fresh start. Now I’m alert to God’s ways; I don’t take God for granted. Every day I review the ways he works; I try not to miss a trick. I feel put back together, and I’m watching my step. God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes.
