UPFRONT May 3, 2010 Issue

RECLAIMING THE PAST

JEFF WARD-BAILEY, STAFF EDITOR

I suspect that at one point or another in our lives, most of us have worried about time that we feel has been lost because of regrettable decisions, baggage from earlier years, or simply a string of unforeseen events. Where's the "rewind and erase" button when we want to fix something in the past?

Fortunately, there is a spiritual solution that goes far beyond wishful thinking. In this issue of the Sentinel, we'll take a spiritual look at the idea of restoring lost years, or what are referred to in the Bible as "the years that the locust hath eaten" (Joel 2:25). Each of the articles in our lead section explores a different facet of divine restoration. Evan Mehlenbacher writes how God, divine Love, continuously refreshes and renews our lives and dissolves thoughts of "if only...." He says, "Real estate values fluctuate, job markets change, and relationships shift, but our capacity to live with balance and contentment, finding joy in the riches of Spirit, never wavers or wanes" (p.9). Curt Edge writes about how his prayer on the subject of forgiveness enabled him to overcome the scars of abuse from his childhood. And Suzanne Goewert talks about how prayer brought personal and financial restoration to her and her husband after a long period of debt, unstable employment, and uncertainty about the future.

We hope this issue inspires you to think more deeply about the concept of "lost years." It's comforting to know that a clear understanding of God reveals that good has indeed been unfolding all along, without interruption, for each one of us.

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