And for my Mom, music was the vehicle.
For everyone, it’s something different. But ultimately it’s one thing—the Spirit of God bringing people to conviction, repentance, and surrender to the love of Christ. We can be obedient and plant seeds, but the Spirit provides the water and the sunlight. All those years I felt my mother wasn’t taking in a word I said; we couldn’t connect. But at the proper time, the Holy Spirit spoke, and she responded. I learned a lesson in patience.
Years later, I had the incredible privilege of baptizing my father, my mother, and my sister on the same day, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. They visited often after I accepted a call to Brainerd Baptist Church.
One weekend, I revisited a question that was avoided years before because of our Catholic heritage: “What about following through with baptism now that each of you are saved?”
To my surprise, Mom spoke up first, “I’m ready.”
On a Sunday evening, the three of them—Mom, Dad, and Lori—came forward in white robes, symbolizing their new purity as believers in Christ. All of them were smiling, the warmth of God’s love filled the room, and I couldn’t help but think of how far we’d come as a family. I’d been a drug addict. I’d stolen thousands of dollars from these people, the ones who loved me more than anyone else on the face of this earth. I knew I’d hurt Lori, too. Yet all of that was gone, covered by the blood of Jesus.
The past was nothing more than a marker to show us what God could do; all our tears were wiped away. All our heartache was pain well spent, if it could lead us to a moment this much like heaven.
My long search for a true identity had led me to the one identity that matters: that of a child of God.
I grinned at Dad, Mom, and Lori, and they beamed back—maybe a little nervously. I don’t think any of them were crazy about being the center of attention in a large worship center. They’d have been so much more comfortable sitting around the table at Galatoire’s, back in New Orleans, sharing a dish of shrimp and crab sardou and arguing about which movie to see. Maybe someday we’d do that again.
But they understood what this moment meant. Now we were whole. We were new creations, bound together by his kingdom and his love.
We’d been a good family, to be sure—a loving family, a circle of four who never gave up on one another. By social standards, an outstanding household. But now we were something more. By the standards of heaven, we were redeemed, pure and spotless in God’s eyes, rescued, and part of the great forever family.
Mom, Dad, and Lori never gave up on me. When others turned their backs, they never did. God used them to save me from the toughest times of my life. But little did we know he was saving me so that one day he would save them.
I said a silent prayer of gratitude to God in that moment. I told him the rest of my life would be a sustained act of loving, grateful service to him.
Then I motioned my father to step into the cool water with me. I grabbed his hand as he entered.
Afterword
After reading my life story, you may be thinking your life is different than mine. Maybe you’ve never struggled with alcohol or drugs, or maybe you have but not to the extent of the addiction I had. Regardless, we all share the same sin problem that can’t be fixed by our own good works or meritorious actions. Every one of us needs a Savior to set us free and make us whole. If you’ve never surrendered your life to Jesus completely, I want to encourage you to do that now. The joy, peace, fulfillment, and satisfaction you’ve been searching for is found in him alone.
Some of the common rebuttals I’ve heard from people hesitant to submit their lives to Christ are:
“Robby, you don’t know what I’ve done.”
“Robby, you don’t know where I’ve been.”
“You don’t know the pain I’ve caused others.”
You’re right. I don’t know any of the intricate details of your life. However, God does, and he still forgives you. For some of you, it’s time to forgive yourself and walk in victory in life.
When You’re Down to Nothing, God Is Up to Something
It’s difficult for us to discern how God is “working all things together for the good” when things continue to get worse. God began writing your life story in eternity past and is continuing to write to eternity future. Unfortunately, we are unable to see the finished product of God’s handiwork of the tapestry of our lives. Little did I know when I decided to attend William Carey College in 1994 that God was working behind the scenes to bring me to a school where I would hear the gospel. Although I wasn’t born again at that moment, I would remember that conversation with Jeremy Brown seven years later. After my car accident and drug addiction, my life spiraled out of control. Stealing from my parents and living without gas, electricity, and water humiliated me in many ways. But when we’re down to nothing, God’s up to something. A season of sobriety brought hope for the future, but a relapse took me back to ground zero again. Why is this happening to me? Would I ever get myself out of this mess? Little did I know, God was breaking me of all dependence upon self. The moment I relinquished control of my life once and for all, he stepped in and saved me. There are no accidents in God’s economy. He’s in full control of everything that happens.
You may wonder why God
