Read Online A New Beginning by Michael Phillips - Free Book Online

seen him work with his hands, and they’d talked to him, and they knew that he was my husband and was a good man. Now they were about to see a whole different side of him, and so they were naturally curious.
    So was I. Even I didn’t know what Christopher was going to say.
    â€œI know you are bound to be all ears,” he finally began, “about what I am planning to say. You are no doubt wondering both about what my answer is going to be and , if I do say yes, about what kind of preacher I might make after you have been so used to our friend and brother Avery Rutledge for so many years. I am not certain I can satisfy you on that score today, because I am not really planning to preach a sermon. There are a number of things I feel I need to share with you before a decision is finally arrived at. Very personal things. I think you will see the reason for what I say in a few moments.”
    He paused and took in a deep breath.
    â€œWhen your committee came to see me on Thursday, the evening after Avery’s passing, asking me if I would consider becoming your new pastor, I said to them, as Patrick has told you, that I would think and pray about it. Under any other circumstances I would have added that I also needed to talk with my new wife, whom you all know far better than you know me.”
    Heads turned my way and I tried to keep from getting too red.
    â€œBut in this case I did not say that, because I realized—and I know Corrie would agree—that this was a decision I had to make myself . . . between myself and the Lord. The thought of leaving Miracle Springs has not been easy for Corrie. She has been wonderfully trusting, but that decision was mine, and therefore to change it will have to be mine too.”
    I couldn’t help feeling a little bad inside, because after Christopher and I had our long talk about trust, I wished I had been more trusting. But I appreciated his words nonetheless.
    â€œWell, I have prayed about it,” Christopher continued, “and the answer I am going to give you this morning is that in all fairness to you I think you need to know me better before either you or I reach a final decision in this matter.
    â€œTherefore, I am going to tell you about myself this morning. I am going to tell you how I came to be here in Miracle Springs. I am going to tell you what kind of person I am, what kind of dreams and goals I have. Most important, I am going to tell you where I came from, what kind of person I used to be, and why I dedicated my life to the ministry in the first place. I feel it is important that you know me this well. I want you to know what you would be getting for your money, so to speak—although I would take no salary as your minister even if you do decide to continue your invitation to me.
    â€œI am grateful to God for what he has done in me, yet in many respects I have had a difficult life. I feel it is imperative that you know of my background in some detail. I do not believe in the old horse dealer’s adage that says let the buyer beware. If there is something wrong with the horse, it is incumbent upon the seller—if he is a Christian—to make that fact known to the buyer before the transaction is made. ‘Let the buyer beware’ is but another way of saying that you may deceive anyone you want, as long as he doesn’t find out until it is too late for him to do anything about it—hardly a virtuous creed by which to live.
    â€œI live by a different creed, one where openness and honesty and forthright integrity are at the top of the list. In honesty, therefore, I am bound to tell you that there are a few things wrong with this lame nag who is standing in front of you today—if I may prolong the equine parallel probably longer than is beneficial!—and whom you are considering employing to shepherd this small Miracle Springs church. I would be remiss if I did not point out these flaws and then allow you