After

Today I'm joining Lisa-Jo Baker for 5 Minute Friday...

Not for comments or traffic or anyone else’s agenda. But for pure love of the written word. For joy at the sound of syllables, sentences and paragraphs all strung together by the voice of the speaker.

Just write without worrying if it’s just right or not. For five minutes flat with no editing, tweaking or self critiquing (seriously hard for me...and that's why I need to do it!). 

Today's prompt is the word "After".

Here goes...

I lived my life the way I wanted...and now I was paying for it. 

I grew up in a Christian home, Christian school and made a commitment to follow the Lord at a young age.  Still, in my early twenties I turned my back on what I knew was right.  I started doing things my way and leaving God out of the equation.   

It seemed fun at first.  But sin took my further than I wanted to go and kept me longer than I wanted to stay.  I ended up broke, empty, lonely and miserable. 

One day I got down on my knees.  With my face down in the carpet of my little bedroom I cried bitter tears.  I lifted my head and hands to the sky and cried out to God.  I told Him that I couldn't live life like this anymore and that I wanted to live instead for Him.  I had said it before.  This time I meant it.  I knew it.  God knew it.  

After that...when I got up off that floor that day, everything was different!

No, everything wasn't magically better.  I still had stuff to deal with and changes to make.  It was a process.  But it was different because I was different.

I look back at before and wonder what I was thinking.  I see all that God has done in my life after.  Where I was and where I am now.  I praise Him unendingly!! 

No, I'm not where I want to be, I have so much growing to do.  But, I'm not where I was either.  I Praise the Lord for the after!

Do you need an after?!  What's stopping you?  Make a real change/commitment today...and have an "after" story to share.  You won't regret it!