VOICES OF PURPOSE: THE CONTRASTING ECHO BETWEEN AN B.C. & A.C. LIFE
“And do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may be approving what is the good and pleasing and perfect will of God.”
Romans 12 / Disciples’ Literal New Testament
“I WAS ABSOLUTELY A PRODUCT OF THE WORLD.”
“A powerful encounter” with true grace and infallible fatherhood was enough to change the life of a construct conformed to this age.
In the recent interview that inaugurated the project Voices of Purpose, content creator Shane Gerhard shared how his first encounter with God was, as well as making a brief comparison between his identity before and after that mentioned event.
“I used to place my identity in the things I did, instead of for what I was created,” Gerhard replied. His failed entry into the U.S. military, a desire he had harbored in his heart since childhood, led to a strong questioning of Gerhard’s identity; he had centered and identified his being with those things that brought him closer to his desire. “It became (being military) who I was, it determined my actions,” Gerhard adds. “But then, when I didn’t get in… I began to delve into an area that was adding value to my life. I still constantly struggle because my identity was something based on what I did. But then I learned that my identity wasn’t what I did, but who I was.”
The topic of identity, as Shane shared with us, was something deeper, for from a very young age, he suffered a disconnection from his father; not understanding what a dad was, or what it felt like to receive a hug from him, was something that deeply afflicted Shane’s soul, even after coming to know God, the emptiness remained.
“One day someone gave me a book… I started to read this book, and it started talking about how we are children of God.” In this situation, a unique desire to belong to the lineage of God became inevitable, Gerhard narrated. A prayer was lifted that day where Shane asked God to allow him to experience His love, “‘cause I don’t know how it feels like.”
A powerful feeling adorned Shane’s soul as he received the answer to his prayer in that moment, for he was able to feel God’s love like never before; “it is still to this day one of THE MOST POWERFUL LOVE ENCOUNTERS I’ve ever had.”
Going from being someone who frequented nightclubs and taverns to seeing a child of God who is more and more in love with Him every day… is a testimony that is truly worth sharing.
From that day on, Shane’s perspective on love and fatherhood changed, as well as a new identity was discovered.
GABRIEL SOTO ARENAS
OJO CON GABRIEL: VOICES OF PURPOSE
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