Heart Transformed Inspiration

                                   … Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.
                                                      The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 
                                                                 {2 Corinthians 5:17, NLT}

​The inspiration for Heart Transformed came from an old school friend of mine. 
I completed my high school years in a small town where many kids were from second or third generation farming families. Back then, there wasn’t much for us to do outside of school hours. There were no movie theatres or bowling alleys, and no fast food joints to hang out at. As a result, many of the kids turned to partying as a means to deal with the boredom of living in a farming community.
 
During our high school years, my friend went off the rails. He was rebellious and defiant, and didn’t really give his future too much thought. Deep down, he was a great guy – caring and kind - but his home life, and limited options in the small town, had negatively influenced the choices he made. Weekends were spent partying – in a daze fuelled by alcohol and drugs, and he began to skip school. After graduating, we lost touch when I moved away and headed to the city to pursue my studies. 
 
Many years later, I ran into my friend at the church I attended in the city. I couldn't believe it! Of all churches in the city, he was at mine! It was a surreal moment, as I tried to match up my old memories with the person who stood before me. Obviously a number of years had passed since we’d seen each other, but he looked incredible – bright eyed, clear skinned – and exuding a joy I’d never known him to possess. 
He told me he’d been clean for a number of years, all thanks to Jesus, and was working with youth in an alcohol and drug rehabilitation program. I was completely floored by his transformation – and so incredibly happy for him, and how God was using his story to change lives.
 
Heart Transformed is fictitious, based loosely on my friend’s life. However, God’s grace is real, and continues to leave me in awe.

It’s easy to become overwhelmed with our past, our inadequacies, and to think we’re not good/bold/eloquent/beautiful etc. enough. But God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called. He doesn’t expect us to be perfect before He can use us and our story. In fact, Scripture is full of people with imperfections He has used to further His kingdom. God is in the business of transforming hearts and lives, and He uses our scars, struggles and mistakes for His glory. 
 
In Heart Transformed, we see God’s transforming power at work as He uses both Genevieve’s and David’s pasts for His glory. May their story be a blessing to you.
 
                                                    How has God transformed your life?
 
Heart Transformed is Book 13 in The Potter’s House Books Series - stories of hope, redemption and second chances. All books in the series are stand-alone and can be read in any order.