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Nearly 27 years ago, the Lord used some encouragement from dear friends to cause my wife Sherri and I to consider a new path to travel. After spending our first 30 years growing up in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, we were considering a move to an area called Farmville. Neither of us knew anybody in this town, but God kept confirming in our hearts to make the move. In October 1995, while Sherri was pregnant with our fourth child, we packed our belongings and headed south to an unknown land and people. I could write a book on all the surprises that were before us. We have had failures, victories, seven children, new adventures, frustration, new opportunities, failed attempts, lost friends, new friends and in the middle of it all, the call from God to be a pastor.

Many of you reading this have a similar story of a significant change in life that took you down a completely different path. Change can be challenging and difficult, but where God guides us, we can certainly trust his providence and sovereignty. I am glad I did not miss this wonderful opportunity to raise our family in this town, meeting some amazing people, and serving in the gracious call of God to shepherd the flock of God among us.

In our current Sunday morning services, we are studying the Gospel of Luke. After the introduction, the book begins with two stories of normal people living pretty normal lives. The first story is of an older couple with a major disappointment in life. The second tells of a young girl with dreams of marriage. Through the angel Gabrial, God visited each one with a significant announcement that would rock their world and completely alter the course of their lives. Full of wonder and amazement, we see God calling normal, everyday people with sincere faith and trust in Him, to be used by God in extraordinary ways.

My encouragement to all who read this devotional, is to consider the fact that God is reaching out his hand of forgiveness and grace to you. He is willing and able to take you down a different path as well. Sin demands justice, forgiveness and grace are only available to us through Jesus Christ. He fulfilled this demand for justice by his own death on the cross at calvary. When we believe that Jesus indeed loved us enough to die a sacrificial death in our place and we confess that Jesus has risen from the dead in victory over this death, we can have forgiveness of sins and life eternal. As children of the Living God, may we can experience this new life in Jesus Christ. May we embrace the change that God will bring about in our world view, and the radical change that will take place in our surrendered heart. God is just a prayer away, a simple prayer of faith that can open a new door and a different path for your life.

Marv Fisher is the pastor at Calvary Chapel Farmville and can be heard weekdays at 1:30 PM on 105.3 Equip FM radio. He can be reached at pastor@ccfarmville.org.