Sweet Redemption

As I've started my new job there have been so many mixed emotions from being in all too familiar places. I can't really seem to walk down the halls of my old h.s, coach volleyball in my old gym, see faces everyday of people i was close with in high school, without reflection and memories.

I never thought I'd be back in Liberty, Tx and I'll admit it wasn't my "choice" place to move to!! But, over these past few weeks I see how God is using these familiarities to heal me in areas I didn't know needed healing.

College was a tremendous blessing to me because I was able to leave an area in my life behind where mistakes had been made, regrets that i had, and move on to be more of the person God had always planned for me to be, closer to the person that I wanted to be.

Coming back to Liberty... everyday i'm reminded not just of who i wish i would of been, but who i wasn't. Philippians 3 makes that thought process hard to live w/ "forgetting what is behind and pressing on..." Check out these lyrics to a song we sang in church the other night.

I'm not going back
I'm moving ahead
I'm here to declare to You
my past is over
In You old things are made new
Surrendered my life to Christ and
I'm moving moving forward

What a moment
You have brought me to
Such a freedom
I have found in You
What a Healer

You make all things new
Yeah Yeah Yeah

You have risen
With all power in Your Hands
You have given me
A second Chance
Hallelujah Hallelujah

Could it not be more on task with what I was feeling? At 15 years old I decided to change, i surrendered my life to Christ and became a new creation, but even after this decision I wasn't the witness I should have been or wanted to be.

This job has been a second chance. Being back in Liberty I'm seeing God redeem areas of my life I hadn't let go of regret in. He is redeeming the hallways of my school, redeeming the gym that I played sports in, redeeming the athletic program, giving me a second chance to be a witness to old friends, This is redemption. I'm living in sweet redemption.

Just in the past few wks, I've been able to pray with several of my volleyball players, meet with several missionaries to explore options for taking youth on a mission trip, make contacts for personal mission trips, teach in youth group, discuss life and hug crying youth, and love coaching volleyball and inspiring students. This is sweet redemption. This is the God I serve.

Be Blessed,
J. Tate