I’m spending today thinking about my yard because I’m spending today working on my yard. By the end of this week I’ll be done and people will tell me how nice it looks and they will be right. But it’s basically the same yard with a face lift. The real grass will be artificial. There will be a retaining wall. I’ll add rock. But underneath all of it will be the same old ground.
I’m the same. I used to look different and act differently than I do now. People tell me I’m great and wonderful now, but underneath the new surface it’s still Paul. I’m not discounting the “new man”that God has created in me, but really, He didn’t mess up with the original one. I just kind of let the yard go. I didn’t want to get rid of my old yard, I just wanted something that was more efficient. God didn’t want to get rid of me when I was doing such horrible stuff, He just wanted to make me a better father, husband, and friend. And that’s what He did! So for now I’ll get back on the ground and lay the brick sidewalk, but I will…
—Rise Up!!