Wow. It's been a while since my last blog.
Apologies.
I'm so blessed to be in month 5 already of my Race. Here in Singida, Tanzania, we are having half day ministry, Saturdays off, all the soda I can drink (that my wallet can afford), plenty of children to entertain, wifi, cupcakes, and MORE!!
Sounds like a blast right?…
Well…
Today is my birthday. I just turned 28. Reflecting on the last 4.5 months seems a bit monotonous when today I am more focused on reflecting on the past 28 years.
These past 4.5 months on TWR, God has radically taken a 27 year long project and revamped it almost completely. There is still a lot that needs to be overhauled, but I'm so blessed to be the man I am today.
So here's a preview of Chuck Morris…Before and After.
FACT: I was born a sinner. As we all are.
I was born in the small town of Thomaston, Georgia, to Emory and Julie, on November 12, 1984. I weighed 8 pounds 11 ounces and was 24 inches long. I was a big baby. haha. I was also the new baby brother to a sister, Ashley.
FACT: I was 2 feet tall when I was born. That's got to be close to some kind of record.
If I'd have known then, what I know now about life, things would have turned out extremely different.
I'm trying not to live with regrets, but it's a challenge. I'm trying not to blame myself for the wrongs that I've done or that were done to me, but again it's a challenge. I'm trying to hold on tight to God's Word as the life source of how I should live my life every day, but it's a challenge.
FACT: Life is about challenges. Suck it up.
If everyday life didn't challenge us, we would never grow. We would never mature as we should.
A few things from my past that have challenged me are as follows:
- I was molested around age 6 by a next door neighbors kid.
- I was introduced to pornography at that same age, by that same kid, and had an addiction to it for over 20 years.
- I was verbally abused by my teacher in 5th grade and ended up homeschooling the rest of the year after almost half a school year under her abusive words.
- I struggled with my grades, because I didn't care about school.
- I was extremely disrespectful to my parents and even became verbally abusive towards them.
- I was a habitual liar about anything and everything.
- I was involved in relationships where I pursued physical intimacy, because that's what I thought relationships were all about.
- I was a hypocritical youth pastor/youth worker, because I was involved in this addiction and relationships and lying and disrespect for my parents during the time I was trying to lead these youth not to live those kind of lifestyles.
- I moved to Tampa and began to drink alcohol in excess. I was setting a terrible example for friends and cousins.
FACT: I'm not defined by the things I've done, because I am defined my my Creator!
Now you see why it's hard for me NOT to live with regrets?
But here's the catch.
Through those challenges, I have been able to grow, and actually minister in an effective way in many of those areas. Did those things HAVE to happen in order for me to minister in those areas?? Not at all! But rather than living in my own little pit of despair, I chose to grab hold of Abba Father's hand and let Him pull me up out that pit and set me on solid ground which is Christ Jesus. I have accepted that sin caused these things to occur and I've received forgiveness from those things and am choosing to move forward into my identity in Christ.
So are these things still affecting me in any way? Sure they are, but now I understand my identity in Christ and I have a great support system of people who daily speak life into me so I can get back up and keep moving forward.
FACT: The number of true friends we have don't have to be limited to a handful. Our love for God and devotion to Him has given us such a large network of people we can lean on. It's about time we walk in that.
I praise God for challenges. I know I would be in a totally different place right now if a single one of things had been different. I can accept that.
As I have already said, these first 4.5 months of TWR have challenged me to grow and have helped me to discover and step into my true identity in Christ. I expect that over the next 6.5 months that the challenges will grow me even more and that by the end of this I won't be at all the boy I was when I started this trip, because I will be the man that God has made me to be.
FACT: I'm not the boy I used to be.
So here's to the next 6.5 months and the next year as a whole. Bring on the challenges. Bring on the growth. Bring on the man…
…I am Chuck Morris. The Son of God. I am conquering lions.
FACT: I love my Abba Father. So for my birthday, I'd like just one thing. More of Him.
P.s.- I was baptized on October 26th, 2012 in Bungoma, Kenya, Africa, as a public profession of my faith in Jesus Christ and as a testament to all that the old me is no more. Praise the Lord! 🙂
P.s.s.-My love language is Words of Affirmation. I love blog comments. 😉 They would be like a birthday present. haha
