Starting Life Over

by Sara P.

As a teenager, the sudden death of my father was very difficult for me. I was already heading into rebellion, but his death, along with the deterioration of my relationship with my mother, hurled my life into self-destruction.

At 19, I moved to the west coast, determined to have a new beginning. Within three months, I met Tom. We began living together two months later. We fought our way through the next year-and-a-half. We were married in 1971 and had three children between 1973 and 1981.

An unhealthy life

Tom was laid off and I went to work. I enjoyed the responsibility that came with my position. I enjoyed the elegant dinners and positive attention.

Five years later, having barely seen my children, having no relationship with my husband and having unhealthy relationships outside of my marriage, my longtime friend Barb told me, ‘Sara, ever since I’ve known you, all you ever wanted was to be a mom and a wife. If you don’t make changes now, you will come home one day and find your kids have grown up without you.’

In October 1987, I put the kids in the car and drove away.

Emptiness is gone

Because I had worked for five years outside the home, I had trouble obtaining custody of our three children. My manager, Jim, offered to pray for me. I reluctantly agreed and as soon as he said ‘Amen,’ I bolted for the door.

To my amazement, the judge granted joint-custody with equal access to both my husband and me. I knew that there was a God who must love me, as Jim had often told me. I ran to call Jim and said, ‘Okay, I want to know more about this God of yours. You obviously have a direct line, and I’m prepared to listen.’

In the following weeks, Jim shared more with me about Jesus. He told me God loved me and created me to know Him personally. He also told me I wasn’t experiencing God’s love in my life was because I was insisting on going my own way.

I prayed with Jim but I never thought that it would change anything. However, before I said ‘Amen,’ something profound had happened inside me. For the first time in my life, the emptiness inside me was gone. I knew I could really start over.

The new beginning

In the 13 years since that night, I have gone through many storms, but my life has slowly changed. As I read the Bible and pray, an unexplainable peace presides over every day and every circumstance.

Today, with all of life’s struggles, I cannot imagine trying to cope with life alone, without the assurance that God is in control. I can honestly say that I have a new life. God gave me my new beginning.

Take a look at your life. How would you describe it? Contented? Rushed? Exciting? Stressful? Moving forward? Holding back? For many of us it’s all of the above at times. There are things we dream of doing one day, there are things we wish we could forget. In the Bible, it says that Jesus came to make all things new. What would your life look like if you could start over with a clean slate?

Living with hope

If you are looking for peace, there is a way to balance your life. No one can be perfect, or have a perfect life. But every one of us has the opportunity to experience perfect grace through a personal relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ.

You can receive Christ right now by faith through prayer. Praying is simply talking to God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. Here’s a suggested prayer:

Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be.

Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? You can pray it right now, and Jesus Christ will come into your life, just as He promised.

Is this the life for you?

If you invited Christ into your life, thank God often that He is in your life, that He will never leave you and that you have eternal life. As you learn more about your relationship with God, and how much He loves you, you’ll experience life to the fullest.

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Further Reading:
Learning to Love
Tragedy Saved My Life