If you're unfamiliar with the story of Jonah, you can listen to it hear, or watch an overview of all four chapters here!
A New State and a Familiar Pain
Because of all that had happened (not just within the church but also in my personal life), I decided I needed a new environment. So, I sold everything, told family and friends I was moving to another state, and then picked up and moved. They all told me I was crazy. A few people even said, "You won't last three months!" I was still angry—so I used those comments as fuel. One week later, I was living in a new state.
The Cycle Repeats
In the beginning, everything was great. I had begun attending a new church and had a new girlfriend. But then—out of the blue—the assistant pastor at the new church pulled me aside and said, "It is a sin for you to date that girl." (He was referring to the Caucasian girl I was dating.) And just like that, I was pulled back into the past. My immaturity and the fact that I hadn't yet healed from my first battles with this issue flared up again.
It felt like every time I took a step forward, I ended up moving backward a few steps. Over the next few years, I continued to attend church services—but my heart wasn't in it. Long story short? I became a hypocrite. I lied, cheated, betrayed friends, became self-absorbed, and developed malice within my heart—all while attending church. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and stopped attending church altogether. I left Christianity. I stopped praying and reading my Bible.
Fast-Forward 20+ Years
I had a car accident—a really bad one—and ended up in the hospital. There were so many accidents that day that the hospital ran out of rooms. So, there I was, laying on a gurney in the waiting area after surgery. Plastic wires were sticking out of my head. I was drifting in and out of consciousness. And then—for the first time in a long time—I prayed: