Brothers and sisters in Christ,
As I was praying about what to write this week, my conversion story came to mind. I hear God speaking to me through songs and scripture. So through this letter I will try to give you a brief synopsis of Gods mercy in my life.
I was raised Catholic, went to a Catholic school through eighth grade and onto a public high school that my father taught at and my mother was a substitute teacher. My father was not Catholic, but always attended church with us. (He did convert to Catholicism after 30 years of marriage). I have four sisters and one brother. I never left the church, but my path took me on many side roads of self destruction. Needless to say, I was more than a handful to my parents.
Through my many trials and temptations I managed to survive my childhood. After high school I thought I was making too much to continue on to college. I was working at Lucky's Supermarket making a whopping twelve dollars an hour. Who needed school. I was helping out in a church youth group and experimenting with illegal drugs, living a double life.
I was baptized in the spirit at a local prayer meeting and started to change my life. But I have have to say the seed fell in rocky soil so the roots didn’t take hold that well. I slid back into my old ways. God wasn’t giving up easy though. I came home one night after using drugs and asI laid in bed all I saw was several demons circling my bed telling me we have you right where we want you. That was all it took. I knew I didn’t want to be on their side so I cleaned up my life and started to reach out more for God.
I helped out at a youth retreat for our parish high school youth group. During this retreat a young angelic lady came and told me she had a scripture for me and told me it was the parable of the lost sheep.
Matthew 18:10-14
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.” What is your opinion? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray? And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost."
This was the start of Gods word, now landing in very fertile soil, and taking hold in my life. It has been an exciting ride so far. I think my guardian angel may have had a legion of angels helping him out.
Gods’ mercy has been shown to me in so many ways through out my life. Through miraculous events in our lives, through our children's lives, through our marriage. We have felt Gods love and mercy in so many ways. I encourage you to continue to pray, as my parents did, for the lost and fallen away loved ones in your life. Never give up hope. God’s plan is not our plan. God continues to pursue us until the end. His mercy is never ending.
I do not want to leave out the song either. Below are the words of a song that reaches out to me in my daily life. The song is from Matt Maher, and the title is “Run to my Father”
I've carried a burden
For too long on my own
I wasn't created
To bear it alone
I hear Your invitation
To let it all go
I see it now
I'm laying it down
I know that I need You
I run to the Father
Fall into grace
I'm done with the hiding
No reason to wait
My heart needs a surgeon
My soul needs a friend
So I'll run to the Father
Again and again
And again and again
Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh
You saw my condition
Had a plan from the start
Your Son for redemption
The price for my heart
I don't have a context
For that kind of love
I don't understand
I can't comprehend
All I know is I need You
Chorus
My heart has been in Your sights
Long before my first breath
Running into Your arms
Is running to life from death
And I feel this rush deep in my chest
Your mercy is calling out
Just as I am You pull me in
And I know I need You now
I run to the Father
Fall into grace
I'm done with the hiding
No reason to wait
My heart found a surgeon
My soul found a friend
So I'll run to the Father
Again and again
And again and again
Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, and again and again
Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, and again and again