The Happiest I Have Ever Been

Grace, mercy, and truth will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. 2 John 3 (NKJV)

In the precious and beautiful name of Messiah Yeshua “Jesus,” greetings.

When I look back on my life, thinking about what it cost to get me to where I am today, the happiest I have ever been, I see a person that didn’t understand the significance of relationships.  I had plenty of friendships along the way but I just couldn’t get to where I understood, that there was something to gain from them.  I’m not blaming others for this lack of understanding but in my youth, I never heard the words “I love you.”  Whether towards me or towards someone else I never heard my parents, neighbors or my foster families say the words I love you.  My mother would tell me, on more than one occasion that I was special.  I wish I would have known then what I came to [understand] about my mother, who has gone to be with Jesus.  I could describe my mother for you, with just a few words.  The most peaceable person I have ever met.

In December, 2019, I was offered a 20 to 25-minute interview on a radio show.  These individuals were interested in hearing more about my second book, Yeshua’s God is God.  As much as I wanted to say “Yes” to them, I knew there was something I had to do first.  I’ve been [struggling] dealing with it for quite some time but at the same time I knew it was something I would [eventually] have to reveal my past wrong doing.

My testimony is one of my creating one mess after another while desperately trying to do God’s will.  I don’t understand why I do things I do, contrary to what’s right in God’s eye, but let’s face it, we’re all human.  This post is evidence of my wanting to do the right thing, the right way.  I do consider this particular wrong doing, which took place more than twenty years ago, to be the one thing I regret the most.

Just shy of twenty years ago, looking to catch up on lost time, I showed my brother some pictures of places I have been and things that I have done.  It wasn’t intentional on my part, having my car in one of the pictures, but I noticed my brother paying [very] close attention to the [not so easy to read] license plate number.  He actually read it aloud, correctly.  My brother was a police officer at the time.  Whether he “investigated” me and found the incident or not, I don’t know.  Nothing was ever said about what I knew he would find, if he did.  He has since gone on to be with Jesus so I will never know for sure.  This will be the first time anyone has heard about it from me.  I won’t tell why I did what I did, because the only way to describe it is [without doubt] stupidity on my part.

I’m going to begin at the end of the story, because the [only] two people I needed forgiveness from, forgave me separately way back then.

It was on a Sunday evening, at church, the pastor was aware of my situation, but I didn’t know how much of it he knew.  The pastor was present when one of the two forgave me.  The pastor had just invited those needing prayer to come forward.  I was one of the many that went forward that day.

Recognizing it to be the voice of the second person, his hand resting gently on my shoulder, I heard the answer to my prayer, “I forgive you.”  Placing my hand over his, I replied, “Thank you.”  He also had a few [encouraging] kind words to say, but I can’t recall them with 100% accuracy. 

My wrong doing was that I forged this individual’s signature to two checks that I made out to myself, for what I believe to be a combined total of two hundred dollars.

Once what I did came to light, I voluntarily went to the police station where I confessed and received a second chance.  I payed back the money in full and received forgiveness from both parties (both firm believers in Jesus Christ).  I knew I would never do anything like that again.  There’s [absolutely] no reason to disrespect the property of others, which includes their [God given] time here on earth, whether they’re believers in Jesus Christ or not.

I want to thank God for sending His Son, Jesus, who on a cross demonstrated His love for me, that this sin of mine is forgiven.  Hardly a day goes by when I don’t hear “I love you” from her, who I also thank God for, my lovely wife Susan.  These are the reasons, for my being the happiest I have ever been.  

God bless.

In His Care… Jim