Walking with a Limp (2)

(continued from last blog post)

Sadly, my father passed away. Losing him was one of the most painful moments of my life. But instead of pushing me further into darkness, that loss awakened something in me. It made me search for God—not just for answers, but for meaning, peace, and truth. 

 

A few months later, someone invited me to church. I am very grateful to her, because that simple invitation became a turning point in my life. Through that act, God led me to a place where I could hear His Word, feel His presence, and begin to understand who Jesus really is. 

 

As I continued attending church, my heart slowly began to change. God used the messages, the worship, and the people around me to heal me. That was where I truly encountered Jesus Christ, accepted Him as my Lord and Savior, and began leaving my old life behind. 

 

Looking back, I can see that God was working even when I didn’t notice it. He used loss, pain, and a simple invitation to draw me to Himself. For that, I am deeply thankful—most of all to God, and also to the people He used as vessels to guide me back to Him. 

 

When I reflect on my journey, I am reminded of Jacob in the Bible, who later became Israel. Jacob encountered God at his lowest point—alone, afraid, and broken. He wrestled with God and walked away with a limp, but also with a new identity. In the same way, God met me in my brokenness. I may still have struggles, and I may still limp at times, but my identity has changed. I am no longer defined by my past.  

 

Today, I am still a work in progress. I still have struggles, but now I have hope. I still fall short at times, but I now know where to run—to Jesus. My life is no longer defined by alcohol, loss, or pain, but by God’s grace and faithfulness. 

 

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”  2 Corinthians 5:17 

 

(Turnaround indeed! Ryan was baptized—the rite proclaiming his personal and public identification with Jesus—in October, during our church’s 50th anniversary worship service.)