Broken

John 1:46  “Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” “Come and see for yourself,” Philip replied.

When I was 8 years old I came home from school to find my dad packing his belongings in the back of his pickup. I stood on the grass in front of our house and watched him drive out of our lives.

For years I felt like damaged goods. I was broken. I was the kid without a dad at father/son banquets. I remember kids asking incredulously, “You don’t have a dad?”

It weighed on me. I learned to cope by trying to be the best at everything I did. I tried harder, worked harder, refused to admit when I was beaten.

I spent my whole life trying to answer the question, “Can anything good come from a broken kid?”

I have pastored churches, spoken in front of crowds large and small. I have been a husband, a dad and a grandpa. I worked in law enforcement as a CSI, trying to give a voice to the ones who could no longer speak for themselves. I have served on task forces that went after the people who victimize children.

Has anything good come from my life? I still don’t have the answer to that. I do know that God has done more in me through his grace and mercy than I could have ever hoped for.

What about your life? You’ve read my story, but we all have them. If you feel like you are broken or damaged goods you can come to Jesus, the healer of the sick and broken. He offers you peace, grace and mercy, and he will never let go of you.

He’s waiting. You have nothing to lose but your pain.

Today’s Readings: Isaiah 60-62, John  1

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