Prodigal

Remember the blog about cantaloupe? If you haven't read it, go back and read it first. It's essentially "part 1" to this...

Did you read it?

Good...

Remember Kody, the guy we met with his girlfriend Tara outside of their apartment?

Well, his story gets better!

We had met them on a Thursday, and that following Monday I called and asked if he wanted to come and help me work at the Palm House. He did, and so we started early and got to work moving concrete out of the back yard where we are building an outdoor play area (check out our website to learn more about what we are building). It was hot, slow, and heavy work.

We talked. We worked. We talked some more. We shared our stories and how we got to where we are now. A lot had happened in both of our relatively short lives. Sweat poured down our faces and the sun turned our skin red while God moved in our conversation. There wasn't anything noticeably different or special about the day...It seemed normal. But God is perfectly intentional and has perfect timing, and I am learning that normal could always be a divine appointment in the making.

After a few hours we went inside to cool off for a bit and drink some gatorade. We sat down at the table in the dining room and it got real. We cut to the chase. We talked about life in Christ, what it means, what it costs, what it produces. We talked about patterns that we all get stuck in and how God can break them. He shared with me why he'd felt let down and didn't trust God, and I shared all kinds of stories about God showing up in miraculous ways, providing, healing, and revealing Himself to me. With every question there seemed to be a reply pointing to the answer: Jesus.

As our conversation went on, a question grew in my chest and I felt the Holy Spirit prompting me to ask him:

"Cody, it sounds like you want this...do you want to give your life to Jesus?"

He looked at me and nodded. "Yea, it's time..."

So just like that, right then and there, Kody prayed and asked Jesus to come into his heart and take over his life.

It was overwhelming!

We both couldn't stop smiling... my face hurt from smiling so big! There was a joy that Kody said he hadn't felt in who knows how long, if ever.

That's the Lord alright!

God took a regular dude (me) and lead me to meet Kody and give him some cantaloupe. Then God had me share truth with him about who God is and what our identity in Jesus is like. God took those seeds and planted them in another regular dude's heart (Kody) and in two days, completely changed his life...

THAT IS THE GOSPEL!!!!

The Gospel is simple. It's knowing and loving our Heavenly Father and trusting in the power of Jesus's sacrifice on the Cross to save us and give us eternal life. Sharing this good news is so simple too! It's relationship. It's conversation. It's sharing. It's life! It's living a life that looks good enough for someone to want what you have. It's telling testimonies of what God has done for you because that means He can do it again for someone else! Every person on the planet is meant to know this good news. Every person, no matter how hardened, hurt, distant, or skeptical was created for relationship with their Creator.

Romans 8:19 - For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God's sons to be revealed.

Everything and everyone is aching for us to know who we really are...WHOSE we really are. We belong to a God that loves us beyond measure. Who is perfectly intentional and who pursues us to the deepest depths to show us His love. He'll even send random people to your doorstep just to let you know that you're seen and that you're loved (and to tell you things that no one else knows just to blow your mind)!

God is real. God is alive. God is good. All the time.

I pray this story encourages you and inspires you to live out your destiny as a Son or daughter of God, and to seek out the ones that don't know it yet, so that they can experience what they were created for...To have an eternal relationship with their Creator.

John 17:3 - This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and the One You have sent - Jesus Christ.

Welcome home, Kody!