You RASCAL!
“And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.” – Revelation 12:11 (ESV)
Recently, I was at a fun lunch with friends after church, sharing about life, ministry, and our personal stories. We found ourselves in the middle of the story of how I arrived in Mississippi. Honestly, it’s one of the lowest moments of my life.
As a teenager rebelling against my mom, I allowed her to spend all (literally) of her money to buy a plane ticket for me to come home—only to never board the plane. It’s a long, dramatic story of God’s divine intervention and grace. During that time, my mom had to move in with family, which gave me the opportunity to live with my best friend and his family for a season.
Eventually, the time came for me to move back in with my mom. This meant moving from Florida to Mississippi. As an overconfident, slightly arrogant 15-year-old, I decided I knew better than anyone else, and moving to Mississippi was not what I wanted. Through disrespectful conversations and attitudes toward my mom, the Oviedo Police Department, and others, it became clear that it was time for me to go home—a place I didn’t want to be.
Fast forward 20 years, and it turned out to be the best decision ever.
As I was sharing this story in more detail with my friends, my oldest son, Josiah, was listening intently. It was the first time he’d heard the story shared that way. His eyes widened, and his jaw dropped to the floor. After a few moments, he managed to blurt out, “You… rascal!”
As a father, I’ve always known the day would come when my sons would see me for who I really am, not the superhero I’ve always tried to be. They needed to see a real man with real struggles—a man saved by the grace of Jesus. This moment with Josiah became that opportunity.
Josiah quickly connected the dots. “You tell us to talk respectfully, but YOU were disrespectful to your mom AND THE POLICE?!” he exclaimed, clearly horrified.
“I did,” I admitted. “That’s exactly why I fight so hard for you to live a life of character and integrity. I know the pain and regret that come from those choices, and I want to help you avoid it.”
In Revelation 12:11, we learn that we overcome through the blood of Jesus, the word of our testimony, and loving Jesus more than life itself. The price Jesus paid on the cross is enough—His grace is sufficient! And a key part of overcoming is the power of our testimony—our story of what Jesus has saved us from.
Although I may not be the superhero Josiah once thought I was, I’m grateful he sees Jesus’ grace and forgiveness at work in my life. Through this, Josiah understands that Jesus loves him even though he’s not perfect either.
Friend, I may not know your story, but I know it’s powerful—not because I say so, but because God’s Word says so. Who is someone you can share your story with to bring encouragement? How can you help someone experience victory over the enemy through the power of your testimony?
Your whole story might not be ready to share with everyone yet, and that’s okay. There are still parts of my story that Josiah doesn’t know but will hear when the time is right. Only you and Jesus can determine the right time and place for your full story. But don’t miss the chance to share the parts you can.
Who can you share your story with? There are people around you looking for hope! Don’t let fear rob them of the opportunity to find it in Jesus through your testimony.
Let me pray for you:
Jesus, thank You for the incredible grace that has brought us so far from the darkest moments of our lives. Help us find someone we can share our story with so they can find hope in You. Even though we aren’t superheroes, thank You for saving us, rascals that we are, by Your grace.
In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray, Amen.
