"Shotgun!"

Have you ever been driving down the street and you suddenly have to slam on your brakes? As you do, you glance in your rear view mirror to sadly see the driver behind you staring in their rear view mirror and it isn't for just a moment.  You KNOW they are not looking forward and you cringe as you await the huge bump from behind- or try to avoid the collision!

For a long time in my life, and every now and then to this day, I have been ashamed of my life.  I would dwell on the events in my life that in my opinion had "ruined" the rest of it!   I would have overwhelming pity parties that would only lead to self- destruction and most of the time, I would end up back in the same place because I was focused on what had happened to me, and I would crash once again!

In Jeremiah 29, God tells us that "He knows the plan He has for us, plans to prosper us and not to harm us, to give us a hope and a future!"  Did you hear that last word?  Did you hear His plans were not to harm us?  This became a life memory verse for me that I carry in my mind and will until the day I return home to Him.  I rest in this assurance!

First of all, it told me I had a future, and not just any future, but one that didn't involve harm, and hope that I may actually prosper! To me, that promise coming from anyone would have meant the world, but coming from God's Word, was so comforting!  And His Word never returns void!

I realized that I had been driving down the road of life looking in my rear view mirror- and I was bound to CRASH and BURN! I could not continue the path I was on!  I either had to change my way, or look forward- or both! 

That's the point in my life I started to accept the forgiveness I had for myself and all the others who had hurt me physically and emotionally.  I realized that I was the one directing my path with my focus on the very thing that was going to lead me to death! I wanted something different! 

You know that feeling when you crash in a car? The driver you're riding with hits another car or an object with the front of the car you're in?  If not, be very thankful, but if so, you will know what I'm talking about!  When I was 17, and I had my broken leg, I actually hit 2 pedestrian children with my car!  They ran out from a line of parked cars and they were shorter than the cars they ran between and I could not have seen them...please don't judge me..lol. They were okay, but ever since then, I have a fear when I pass by a line of parked cars! I am always waiting for kids to pop out of somewhere! 

When we crash our own lives over and over and over again by going back to the same addiction, problem, mindset, attitude, or habit- we might as well have an ejection button because we are guaranteed to crash at least one more time! We need to stop driving our lives while always looking in the past! Be thoughtful of the past, learn from your mistakes, forgive those who have wronged you, forgive yourself, repent, and move on!  Sounds easy right? Not so much!  It has taken me 19 years to get where I am today since I was raped!  It has taken years of gradual grace from God to get me here- and He is not finished with me or I would be in His precious arms right now! In fact, over these 19 years, we have stopped the car, and HE has gotten in the driver seat and I just have to ride.  I do not turn around in the seat to watch the business behind us either!  Sometimes its easier to just drive, especially when I think the driver is going too slow- or I think the destination is incorrect...but when I ride in the passenger seat, I have no rear view mirror and when I am tempted to take a view of the past from the side mirror, I have a driver I can trust with the brake, and He is certain to get my attention when I need to look forward!

I challenge you to call "Shotgun" in the life God has delivered to you as a gift!  Relax, forgive the past, find a new destination, and enjoy the ride! You have a wonderful tour guide and a new future full of hope!