Prodigal ED

You have probably all heard the story from the bible about the prodigal son. What you have not heard of is the one about prodigal ED. I write to you now with the hopes of lifting your spirit and encouraging you to keep praying for that family member or friend who you know needs God more than anything in the world. You know who I mean.

My story starts when I was 10 or 11 years old and my original conversion to the faith. I attended church regularly at Faith Baptist and was baptised shortly after my dedication to Christ. My whole family was involved with the church at that time, but as happens sometimes life throws you a curve ball. Well this one was a little bit bigger than I could handle at the time. Needless to say I turned my back on my parents, the church and God. As a young man I was very angry most of the time and often wondered why all this was happening to me.

For most of my teenage years I did what I thought was right and followed my own path. Smoking, drinking, cursing and hanging out with the wrong crowds. In to my twenties things became a little more intense with the partying and involvement into drugs. Even though it was experimental, it did lead to some rather poor choices and decisions. I eventually got out of that scene and lived what I thought was a "normal" life, I even got married, held down a regular job and thought that I was a "Good man". My attitude however was still unchanged, I even had a motto, "Everything I see before me is mine." Pretty catchy eh? I look back and laugh now, I guess that is what time does. It exposes the foolishness of the past. I don't think that there was a more self centered person on the planet.

Eventually that same attitude caught up with me and destroyed my life, my marriage and rocked my world. I was a mess, not sleeping, isolated, and even avoided by some. Just when I thought I was at the bottom of the pit, he found me again. Jesus came and lifted me up. It was as the story I mentioned earlier about the Prodigal son, the one which reflected the, I am going to go my way lifestyle I had adopted, which spoke to me. When I opened God's word again, it was louder than any friend or family member could have been. In that moment he broke and healed me. He told me he had always been there and that it was I that turned my back and not him. And that even if all else changed in my life he, my spiritual father would always be there no matter what.

Well I cried like a baby; you know, wept with joy. So I count my blessings and try to be thankful for everything I have in my new life.

Needless to say, since that day about 5 years ago he has been rebuilding me and I have a new saying, " I am under construction." So to those who know me I ask for patience during this transformation and understanding. For those who don't I hope that this will encourage you to continue to pray for that special someone.

Remember no one is ever to far from God.

Psalm 139:12-14