VICTORY IN SURRENDER

A must read by Bob Colquhoun

I want to tell you about who my God is. He is who he says he is:  first and foremost the Almighty Creator. The Alpha and the Omega, the One who was, and is, and is still to come.  He is everything that is righteous and just. He is unconditional in love and forgiveness. God and God alone can give new life to the lost and the wicked. For those of you who are doubters and skeptics, I want to tell you how I know this to be true.

My story begins with being raised in a Christian home but falling away from that when I finally made it into the “popular” crowd when I became a strong swimmer in high school. I graduated with scholarships in both swimming and singing, but I left it all behind for rock and roll and a life of sin that took me to the gates of hell, which eventually landed me in prison for 7 years with a classification as being a danger to society.  My life was the worst of the worst with unspeakable violence induced by endless amounts of drugs. I was lost and thought that there was no way I could ever been found.

In prison (on a lifers yard), a place so consumed by hate, violence, and yes even drugs, I met and fell deeply in love with Jesus Christ. By His love, grace, and mercy, and through the unconditional surrender of my soul and spirit, He rescued me and gave me a new life, a second chance.  That was in 1996.

Since my release from prison on 12/31/2001, I have been sharing God’s love through the music He writes through me, and by offering my life as a testimony to His incredible grace and mercy.  He has blessed my life in so many ways. God has set me free from the bondage of sin and drugs. He has healed me of Hepatitis C. He has given me the gift of 3 beautiful kids, two who are adults, and one who I am raising on my own.  He has blessed me with the greatest love I could ever imagine. Every time the world said it would be impossible, God showed me He is not of this world and He answered my prayers.

In January 2012 I set out on what most people would deem an impossible task. I wanted to have all my rights restored and all judgments against me wiped clean. Basically everything that I was arrested for would be wiped away (sort of like a pardon) and I would have a totally clean slate. Although my past was unspeakable and the road ahead would be hard I believed and had faith that this is what God wanted me to do.

Today June 21, 2013 I came home from work and got my mail. I notice an envelope from the state of Arizona as I opened the letter my heart began to beat faster and as I read the letter tears began to run down my face. The letter reads as follows on all of my convictions:

“[This order is] Setting aside the judgment of guilt, dismissing the accusations or information and releasing the Defendant from all applicable penalties and disabilities resulting from the conviction.”  GRANTED: on all counts and cases.

Grace, forgiveness, a new life . . . For those who don’t understand, this outcome is next to impossible. To take me, a man who was at one time considered a danger to society, and to have the state of Arizona grant me forgiveness and a clean slate is almost unheard of. But with God all things are possible, for everyone – even you.  In the very first sentence, I said I want to tell you about who my God is.  The truth is, my God is your God too.  He freely offers grace, forgiveness, and an opportunity for a new life to everyone.

Thank you Lord Jesus, my God and my savior for love, for life, for hope, and for freedom.  You never cease to amaze me.

So what are you waiting for? Surrender your all to Him and see what amazing things God has in store for you.

Philippians 4: 6-9, 13, 19

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