The Rhythm of “Give”
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. — Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV
Recently, I and two other faithful men from Redeemer Round Rock completed a semester long “Rhythms of Recovery” group with the North Congregation of the Austin Stone Community Church in Round Rock TX.
The Rhythms of Recovery curriculum includes 9 Rhythms:
Admit
Surrender
Examine
Confess
Repent
Repair
Forgive
Persevere
Give
Part of the final Rhythm of Give is to write a short testimony and read it at a Night of Celebration at the end of the semester. Below is what I presented on that final Night of Celebration:
Hi, my name is Jim Burke. I am a new creation in Christ recovering from a painful past filled with shame, control, anger, immaturity, foolishness, and ungodly beliefs.
My testimony is “God is faithful.” He saved a wretch like me, even when I was dead in my trespasses and sin.
God is my perfect Father in heaven, Jesus is my perfect older brother, the Holy Spirit is my perfect counselor, the Trinity is my perfect community, and the Church is my perfectly broken family.
Before Jesus became the Lord of my life, I was a controlling, angry dry drunk trying to white-knuckle life on my terms. I manipulated others to pursue my own selfishness.
Now, I am a redeemed child of God, being conformed into the image of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit, one day at a time.
My daily hope is to finish well, remain grafted into the true vine, and remember my Savior Jesus until I see Him face to face.
One change in me is the eternal perspective I have which slows me down and allows me to see things through a gospel-centered framework not just the selfish desires of my flesh.
While God perseveres me from one degree of glory to the next, I am committed to reading my Bible and devotionals daily, leaning into my marriage by humbly serving my wife, and stewarding well all that God has given me.
My name is Jim Burke, and I am a new creation in Christ. I look forward each day to celebrate the invisible, private victories with Jesus by resting in the new life He has provided me, relying on God’s on-going faithfulness, and multiplying all that God has given me to His glory.
