Looking Back

Looking Back

February 27, 2020

Recently, I said to Carol, “I wish I could be 30 again and live the next decades with the life experience I have gained.” Obviously not an option, but I thought about what I might do differently if it were possible.

Creator God is in charge, but I appreciate Him more than I used to. The Bible has absolute authority, but I would be more careful to determine what God’s Word teaches versus what I believed was truth that was actually human preference. I would appreciate Carol just as much, but I would find ways to spend a lot more time with her. I would like to have learned the sweet relationship I enjoy with Jesus today many years earlier.

I grew up with a lot of legalistic thinking, which made me dogmatic and harsh in my expectations of myself and in my relationships with others. Learning to lean on guidance from the Holy Spirit and not force my ideas on others has been a journey. I wish that process had begun earlier in my experience.

I had to learn the difference between having anger toward sin and anger toward people. Theologically, I was stuck on certain beliefs that I now know are not that clearly taught in Scripture. I no longer think my view of the end times has to be the only one.

Perhaps the greatest wisdom I wish I had much earlier in life is the ability to accept and appreciate people with whom I disagree on many important subjects. To be a careful, respectful listener was not a part of my attitude when I was 30.

I do not try to relive the past, but I am continually grateful for God’s patience and that of Carol and other mentors. I am not the person I used to be and that is a good thing.

Pastor Bill Ehmann

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

RECENT POSTS

If Only It Could Be Reality

By wvbaptist | February 7, 2020 | 0 Comments

February 7, 2020 Two major concerns are on the mind of most humans: Where do I find happiness and fulfillment, and what happens to me when I die. The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossians answers both of these questions […]

Walk Smaller

By wvbaptist | January 29, 2020 | 0 Comments

January 29, 2020 The Family Circus comic strip on Monday showed a father and son walking in the snow. Dad was in the lead and the boy was trying to walk in his footsteps, which were a lot farther apart […]

Eleventh Floor Perspective

By wvbaptist | January 22, 2020 | 0 Comments

January 22, 2020 Carol and I have become rather familiar with the Franz Cancer Center at Providence Hospital in Portland, Oregon. Medical appointments with the tremendous staff there, combined with chemo infusions and now immunotherapy treatments, have filled many hours […]

Unplugged

By wvbaptist | January 16, 2020 | 0 Comments

January 15, 2020 Several years ago, our church youth presented a musical called “Unplugged.” The idea was to eliminate all media and celebrate Christmas as much as possible like the original story. It was a delightful reminder of the simple […]

In God’s Waiting Room

By wvbaptist | January 8, 2020 | 0 Comments

January 8, 2020 Long before anyone talked about “mentoring,” Al Sanders, radio host for Biola, was doing that for me. He and his wife, Margaret, have been a constant Godly influence for Carol and me. We are so grateful for […]

Scroll to Top