God is alive in their lives

For the two weeks prior to Mother’s Day, instead of me preaching in Threshold, we’ve had a few people from our church family share some of their story about what God has done and is doing in their life. I felt these were holy moments and I want to take just a couple minutes to share why.

Jim Downey shared an amazing story of how after the tragic passing of his young son in a motorcycle accident God gave them the strength to get through it. Jim and his family had ample reason in the eyes of many to curse God, turn to the bottle, turn on each other, or find any number of ways to numb the pain. But they took one of the most courageous routes possible, they said “we’re going deep with God.” And through that choice, not that the road has been easy, they have emerged as people who, like Abraham, can call God their “friend.” And there isn’t anything better in life than to actually experience life with God. For that, they are an inspiration to all of us as we face choices each day whether to numb our pain or go deep with God.

Tom and Marianne Segobia gave a daringly vulnerable account of their difficult childhoods and how they brought all of that brokenness into their relationship with each other and repeated the painful cycles of brokenness until something happened: Jesus! Normally that sounds like a cheesy Sunday school answer, but when it comes in the context of alcoholism, violence, abuse and adultery and then you hear the incredible story of how surrendering their lives to Jesus has broken chains of addiction, brought freedom from pain and fears and brought reconciliation and healing to a marriage, suddenly the answer “Jesus” is not cheesy at all, but rather, like Jim’s story, inspiring to all of us to bring our junk to Jesus so he can be the healer he wants to be.

There is a lot of stuff these days that passes for Christianity but I felt in these talks Jesus would smile at what he saw and heard. They displayed an authentic walk with God that was honest about their struggles and didn’t pretend to have it all together; they asked the Savior to save them. He did and He is. He is strengthening and healing them in a tangible way that shows God is real and alive and can transform our lives if we stick near to him.

To hear either one of their stories, go to www.whatisthreshold.com and click on “podcasts.”