College Material – He Said

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will." -Romans 12:2

Listen to College Material

I was in the back of the car when he said it. We were coming home from my grandmother's, talking baseball as usual. I was eleven or so. Little League season was starting up and I hoped to make the All Star team. At some point during our discussion I happened to mention my playing in the Major Leagues.

In a casual way my dad said, "Son, you're a good catcher and will probably make the All Stars, again, but not the big leagues."

He didn't mean anything by it; was just making an observation. Maybe he was helping me to grow up. But until, that moment, it had never occurred to me that I wouldn't play in the Majors. Of course, I didn't.

The last semester of my senior year in high school I happened to mention that I was planning to go to college. My English teacher looked up from her desk. "You? You're not college material. Not yet, anyway."

"I'm going," I said. "Have to." (Major League baseball was out and I wasn't going to bag groceries all my life.)

"Well, if you're serious, I'll help you," she added. "But we have to start now."

We did. I passed Mrs. Pollard's English class with a C or maybe a D. She was right. I wasn't college material. My college application was rejected. But after meeting with an admissions officer and asking if they could find a spot for me, N.C. State invited me to enroll in their college of Industrial Arts. (It helped that I wore the State colors to my interview: A white shirt, red tie and a pair of red-and-white polyester pants my mom made). Again, Mrs. Pollard proved right. I flunked freshman English twice before passing with a D on the third try.

Words matter more than we think. Who we believe we are, we become. When Dad told me I wasn't Major League material, his words changed my perception of who I was. When Mrs. Pollard told me I wasn't ready for college her words changed my perspective of where I was.

The world tells us we can't change, that we're beastly creatures, a more advanced version of the ape. But God says we're made in His image. The world says we're to let our passions rule, that our lustful cravings are natural, evolving and expected. But God calls us to a new birth, a renewing of our minds that transforms us into the likeness of our Father.

Four years after Mrs. Pollard told me I wasn't ready for college I graduated from N.C. State with a degree in English. Those who believe they can, can. Meditate on His Word. Be transformed. Discover God's good, pleasing and perfect plan for your future.

Conformation of Transformation - She Said

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

Listen to Conformation of Transformation

I prayed for renewal. Down on my knees, car door open, snow falling. My stomach turned as the memories flooded back. I’d barely got the car stopped and the door open before I threw up. I thought I could handle it—being back in the spot I’d been rescued from 25 years earlier. I didn’t think it would affect me. But it did.

A friend had passed away and I rode with the boys 800 miles to pay our respects. I’d forgotten I had no respect in that city. No respect from family and no self-respect either. I’d hidden the hurt, prided myself on forgiveness, and then conveniently forgot the pain.

I’ve been a lot of things in my life. Brave, happy, cowardly but lost never seemed to be verb that applied. Except it did. There came a point when I had to choose between the man I thought loved me and the God whom I knew did love me.

I couldn’t stand in the bars and be a part of a life I knew wasn’t pleasing to Christ. I couldn’t be someone I wasn’t. Raised in the Bible belt, my convictions to God ran deep, so when a drunk walked up to me and asked me to dance, I turned to my husband, shook my head and walked home. Conformation to the world was not for me and the loneliness I felt from that point forward seemed unbearable.

Paul understood what it meant to conform to the world and he knew the ache of going to his knees and asking for renewal. He’d gone from Christian killer to Christ lover in a short amount time. He’d wrestled with pain, sought the forgiveness of a God whose will was grander than he could imagine—a good and perfect will that changed his life and made him new.

I made my decision to walk away. Torn between the judgment of man and the forgiveness of Christ, I packed my kids up and went back to the roots instilled deep in my heart. I cried for renewal, sought out the face of God and found His good and pleasing, perfect will—I found His confirmation of transformation and I was saved.

When your convictions are tested, don’t conform to the world, rather seek His will. You will be transformed and renewed by the forgiving love of the Father.

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and co-founders of ChristianDevotions.us. They co-write the popular He Said, She Said devotions and host BlogtalkRadio's Christian Devotions Speak UP! along with Scott McCausey.

And now you can catch them each Friday evening at 7 p.m. on He Said, She Said Radio! (Call in number, 646-929-0706 ). They travel with Christian Devotions Ministries teaching the art of writing devotions at writers conferences across the country. Eddie and Cindy are featured in Faith & FINANCES: In God We Trust - A Journey to Financial Dependence.



Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9822065-4-6
Price: $9.95