It was September 20, 1995. I had an eye doctor appointment where I was going to have my pupils dilated. It was recommended that I not drive after the appointment, so my mom drove to Bethel College to pick me up.
That morning, just a couple hours before my mom came to pick me up, I had made a public stand for my desire to follow Christ by responding to an altar call in a chapel service. There were a flood of thoughts and emotions running through my head.
I'm Ready Now!
Is this the real thing?
Can I do this?
I can't do this half-hearted... it's all or nothing.
So, I got in our red minivan that day, and did what any Freshman guy in college would do after they've given their life with Christ... I sat there and told my mom nothing.
My mom and I had a fairly strained relationship through High School We're a lot alike in personality. My life was far from God and this was made evident in how I treated my parents. There had been many heated arguments, harsh words and slammed doors throughout my Senior Year. Yet my mom (and dad) continued to love me and pray for me regularly.
We were driving along with little conversation, when my mom turned the radio off.
"I need to tell you something Derry."
I think I looked up.
"God has really been convicting me, and I need to apologize to you for some of my actions and reactions in the past. There have been times where I have let anger get the best of me, and I have not responded to you properly or possibly said hurtful things."
Now, to be honest, it's been nearly 12 years since that conversation, so that quote above may not be exact.
But what she told me next, I will remember forever. Through tears, she put her hand on my leg and said...
"I'm sorry Derry. I never want to get in the way of what God has for you."
I NEEDED TO HEAR THAT. I am not sure my mom really had anything to apologize for, yet that moment served as a confirmation that what had happened that morning was the beginning of something new and exciting, and my life would never be the same.
I often talk with people who have been hurt deeply, or are dealing with strained relationships. It's always "their fault", isn't it? But on Sept. 20, my mom saying "I'm sorry" had so much more going on than she realized. She served as the voice of God through her obedience in that moment.
By the way, I too apologized to my mom two weeks later on a Wednesday Night, in front of my entire old youth group.. My youth pastor allowed me to come back and talk the youth at Waky Missionary Church and seek their forgiveness. My parents came and sat in. As I was sharing, the Spirit of God simply hit me in a huge way that I had to apologize for the way I'd treated her. So I did, through tears. I know of two guys who were sitting in that room who were also prompted to go and seek reconciliation with their parents.
"I'm Sorry" is a powerful combination of words.
Repentance is contagious.
I think I'm done writing now.
That morning, just a couple hours before my mom came to pick me up, I had made a public stand for my desire to follow Christ by responding to an altar call in a chapel service. There were a flood of thoughts and emotions running through my head.
I'm Ready Now!
Is this the real thing?
Can I do this?
I can't do this half-hearted... it's all or nothing.
So, I got in our red minivan that day, and did what any Freshman guy in college would do after they've given their life with Christ... I sat there and told my mom nothing.
My mom and I had a fairly strained relationship through High School We're a lot alike in personality. My life was far from God and this was made evident in how I treated my parents. There had been many heated arguments, harsh words and slammed doors throughout my Senior Year. Yet my mom (and dad) continued to love me and pray for me regularly.
We were driving along with little conversation, when my mom turned the radio off.
"I need to tell you something Derry."
I think I looked up.
"God has really been convicting me, and I need to apologize to you for some of my actions and reactions in the past. There have been times where I have let anger get the best of me, and I have not responded to you properly or possibly said hurtful things."
Now, to be honest, it's been nearly 12 years since that conversation, so that quote above may not be exact.
But what she told me next, I will remember forever. Through tears, she put her hand on my leg and said...
"I'm sorry Derry. I never want to get in the way of what God has for you."
I NEEDED TO HEAR THAT. I am not sure my mom really had anything to apologize for, yet that moment served as a confirmation that what had happened that morning was the beginning of something new and exciting, and my life would never be the same.
I often talk with people who have been hurt deeply, or are dealing with strained relationships. It's always "their fault", isn't it? But on Sept. 20, my mom saying "I'm sorry" had so much more going on than she realized. She served as the voice of God through her obedience in that moment.
By the way, I too apologized to my mom two weeks later on a Wednesday Night, in front of my entire old youth group.. My youth pastor allowed me to come back and talk the youth at Waky Missionary Church and seek their forgiveness. My parents came and sat in. As I was sharing, the Spirit of God simply hit me in a huge way that I had to apologize for the way I'd treated her. So I did, through tears. I know of two guys who were sitting in that room who were also prompted to go and seek reconciliation with their parents.
"I'm Sorry" is a powerful combination of words.
Repentance is contagious.
I think I'm done writing now.
1 comment:
GOd bless you for sharing your personal stories. They have ministered to me today. ~Leslie
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