Profound Memories and their Stories Part 3
July 22, 2025
Profound Memories and their Stories Part 3
At twenty years old, I was a summer youth director for a church in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. On my first day on the job, the pastor introduced me to the congregation at a Sunday service. After the service, an older man, whom I did not know, approached me, looked me in the eyes, and said, “Joe, if you put God first, he will lift you up.”
It felt like this man’s truth was from his personal experience. It was not delivered as a platitude or a teaching. It felt like a personal gift. That moment and his words have stayed with me ever since. Though I was in the height of my ego years, his words pierced through everything and resonated with my soul. I knew his truth was the truth.
The man’s advice would help me deal with many of the times I would face when I needed to be literally up. Those times are too numerous to count. I am thankful to the man who shared his truth, and I am still learning from it.
Self-inquiry: What are some reasons why the man’s advice is true or untrue for you?
Dear God,
I wonder why that memory and its story came to me today? I pray to find out. Amen
