By Dr. Chas Brothers, PhD., DD, CC, Rev - June, 2007
I don't have many fond memories of my childhood.
My mother was and is a practicing alcoholic, while my stepfather
was a practitioner of 5 out of the 6 known forms of child abuse.
You see, growing up, I thought my stepfather was my real father.
It wasn't until I was 16 years old that I found out differently.
That's when everything started to make sense.
My memories of childhood start for me at age five. Standing
on two of my mother's empty beer cases, I would wash, dry and
put away the dishes. I was living the life of Cinderella. I
had three step sisters, none of whom had to lift a finger to
do any chores in or around the house - that was my job.
I remember one bright, sunny Saturday morning getting up early
and wanting to play outside. I grabbed my favorite toy which
was a sock monkey. These were monkeys made from particular types
of socks. Anyway, I grabbed monkey and out the door we went.
No one else was up yet and the neighbor down the block had a
brand new swing set!
Off I went just me and my monkey, to test
out this new swing set! I was having so much fun that I forgot
about everything else and had an accident in my pants. When
I went home to take care of this, my father (stepfather)
was very angry and laid into me with his leather belt. As
part of my punishment, my parents chained me naked to a support
post in our basement where I was to spend the next three
days. If I had to go the toilet I was to yell for my mother
who would have me urinate in an empty can.
It would be this way in our house for a long
time. No matter what I did, I couldn't please my father. I finally
found out why I couldn't please him when I was sixteen - he
wasn't my real father. All the beatings I took both physically
and mentally now started to make sense.
In many ways, I summed up my relationship with our heavenly
Father the same way. It seemed that no matter what I did, I
was always coming up short. I started believing God had deserted
me. It didn't occur to me at the time but I was always trying
to please and win the approval of the wrong father!
Understanding God's Great Love
This epiphany didn't occur to me until much later in life when
I could truly understand and appreciate what God had been teaching me
all along. My earthly father had no use for me whatsoever - I was an
abomination in his eye, a continual sore that reminded him daily that
my mother was with another man and that my stepfather was supporting
me.
My friends, how lucky I am that our God, full of love, mercy,
and patience waited for me until I was ready for Him. I was
made into rough clay and in the Potter's hand I was molded into
a soldier for Christ Jesus and a witness to the miracles our
Father provides us on a daily basis.
Looking back over the history of my life, I can see many, many
examples of God directing my life and His forging me in the fire of faith
and love. Everything evil I learned from men and was no better than my stepfather
in many ways.
Everything truthful, merciful, and godly, I learned from my one
and true Father. I spent many years wondering why I was born or where exactly
I fit in. It never occurred to me that God had a purpose for me and that
I was the only one He had chosen and created to perform these certain tasks
according to His will.
Beloved, God has a plan for you and your life! If you truly seek
Him and ask, it shall be given until you. God makes us many promises that
are as good today as they were when they were first written. He does not
lie nor does He promise something He has no intention of fulfilling.
All we need do is to put our trust and faith in Him and in His
Son Christ Jesus. Time and time again throughout God's word we are reminded
that when one has faith and trust there is no army in heaven or on earth
that can come against us and win!
Where are you with your walk with the Lord? It's an awesome thing
to know that you can come before the Master and Creator of the entire universe
and talk to Him like He was your best friend, which He is! If God did not
love you or wanted nothing to do with you, He wouldn't have created you in
the first place! He most certainly wouldn't have sent His
Only Begotten Son to die for us and thereby give eternal life
to those who would believe upon Him.
Talk to your Father; trust in Christ's sacrifice. When God sends
you His Holy Spirit as a helper to you for your journey with Jesus, you will
feel mighty among men. Salvation is simple. Don't let this world with all
its trappings cause you to stumble in your walk with Father. It's a powerful
miracle to be released from the sin and evil in this world.
God patiently waits on those who seek Him. If you're unsure of
your relationship with our Father and with His Son Jesus Christ, contact
me. Together, we'll seek guidance from the Father to eliminate those things
which are interfering with your walk with God.
About the Author:
Copyright 2007 - Dr. Brothers is
an Independent Christian Minister with a Ph.D. in Biblical
Studies and Christian Counseling
and is part of the Trinity House Ministries. He is also a
motivational speaker and writer and may be reached by email
here.
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