Part three
Out of my professional frustration in not doing well enough and the continuing ache from the major void in my life, I was open to looking back at my church roots to see if I had missed something. Through the help of a relief pitcher on my team, I realized that I was missing out on a personal relationship with Christ. I had known religion, but I did not know about a personal and intimate relationship with God.
In June of 1977, the Lord moved to bring me into His Kingdom in my hotel room in Toronto, Canada. After a game, I came to know Christ as Lord and Savior, when I got on my knees to receive Him into my life. Things changed forever! My name was written in the Book of Life.
The Book of Life is a record written by God before the creation of the world, listing people who will live forever with Him. This is foundational to a lasting legacy. Our actions in partnership with God go forth on earth and carryover into eternity.
Are you using your natural gifts to give God Glory, and experiencing His pleasure?
What have you done or what are you doing with Jesus?
- Freedom is a key to investing in and loving othersMy Legacy Playbook is spent telling personal stories of encouragement and hope that lead to greater level of freedom and love. Love for God and others and a healthy perspective of self that lead to spiritual maturity.
When I became a Christian I was a wounded individual needing healing. As a child, there were three events that took place between 8-10 years of age that distorted my view of life and about myself. I’ll mention just one of those here.
When I was 9 years old I was working on a broken bike and while trying to fix it, my hand slipped and I hurt my thumb. Out of my mouth flew, “Sunny Beach!” I had been trained to not cuss so I got very creative with words chosen. I knew what I meant to say and when the words flew out of my mouth, I actually ducked, looking in both directions, wondering what my dad might have heard. Sure enough, out of the corner of the garage dad flew in a furry. “What did you say Jim, grunted dad?” “Sunny day at the beach dad, I responded”. But he didn’t buy it!
He picked me up with one hand, while opening doors with the other, until we got to my room where he preceded to beat me and shake me uncontrollable. Don’t know what dad was going through at the time that made him so angry but as I was weeping, I asked him what I did that was so wrong. Dad said, “it’s not what you said but what you were thinking”! I got a licking for what I was thinking. It’s tough enough when mistakes are made, but a beating for what one was thinking? Was this form of abuse? Sure it was!
A 9-year old is not capable of processing the incident to find truth. All I knew was to “shut up”, no one cares what you’re thinking. The result was emotional and relational isolation well into adulthood. Isolated in relationships from others and even isolation from God.
I have wounded heart. It’s a courageous journey to find freedom from our hurts. That’s why freedom is such a key to legacy. Freedom connects us to a greater depth of love with the ability to love more freely. Love connects us to the heart of the Father
Are you using your natural gifts to give God Glory, and experiencing His pleasure??
What have you done or what are you doing with Jesus?
Are your wounds keeping you from investing in and loving others as God does?
learned that it will be hard to fully love others with a
4, Our Advantage in Serving God. What we do with Jesus will cause our name to be written in the Book of Life by God and crowns will be given based on our commitment to Him. Serving comes in many forms by activating how God has created us and then using that skill set to serve. For example, some people have acts of service in their makeup. These are the poster children for service but there are other ways to serve. Teaching, mentoring, discipleship, writing, speaking, encouraging others, in others words being available to be used by God, using the skill set He has given us.
How are you serving God today
CONCLUSION
1-What will we pass on in this life that others will benefit from for generations and 2- what will live on with us for eternity?
Are you using your natural gifts to give God Glory, and experiencing His pleasure?
What have you done or what are you doing with Jesus?
Are your wounds keeping you from investing in and loving others as God does?
How are you serving God today?
Again, here is the pervious purpose statement this time highlighting personal discoveries and goals. You can create one to using this outline:
Uncommon Legacy
“I have concluded that all the accumulation of wealth, even if I could achieve it, is an insufficient reason for living. When I reach the end of my days, I must be able to look back on more than just Gold Gloves, All-Star Games, World Championships and records. Nor is fame of any lasting benefit. I will consider my earthy existence to have been wasted unless I recall a loving family, a consistent investment in the lives of people and an earnest attempt to serve the God who made me. And nothing else makes much sense”.