Memory Lane

May 27th, 2022

When was the last time you jogged down "Memory Lane" and thought about a life-changing event? Join us today as Carl Kerby asks us to remember a day that had that kind of impact for him.

Psalm 103:2-5
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Where Were You on May 15, 1987?

Many of you are saying, “I wasn’t even born yet.” To you, I say, “Thanks for making me feel old!” Others of you may be saying, “You’re joking, right? I can’t remember what I ate for breakfast!” To you, I say, “Thank you for making me feel normal!”

For those of you old enough to remember 1987, here are some actual headlines that may help you remember where you were:

“Sinatra Given L.A. NAACP Award Despite Rights Protest”
“Rita Hayworth, Film Queen Who Became a Princess, Dies”
“Peasants Beaten Out of Melons in Beijing”
“Graduates to Hear Reagan”
“White House Expects Far Higher Deficit”
“Senate Steps on It, Oks 65 M.P.H. Limit”

Other items that were big in the news on this day included AIDS testing for immigrants, the Iran Contra hearings, Dr. Jerry Falwell needing to raise 7 million dollars in less than a month to keep the failed PTL ministry from going under, and the Gary Hart scandal!

Does that help you remember where you were? Truth be told, probably not! I know it didn’t really help me. I mean, of course I remember some of the events, vaguely. But none of these events pinned down for me where I was on that exact date. The headline about Rita Hayworth make me feel sad, even though I’d never seen any of her movies and wouldn’t have recognized her if I’d bumped into her on the street. Here’s what I learned about her:

She died on May 14, but the news reported it on May 15, 1987.
She had appeared in around 60 films and was touted as a “love goddess” who married a real life prince, resulting in her becoming a real life princess.
Her picture was on the fourth atomic bomb to be detonated.
She was the top movie box-office attraction in the world 3 years in a row.
She was one of only six women who danced on screen with Gene Kelly.
And finally, her lips were voted the best in the world in 1949!

Wow, what an amazing life, right? The only problem is that when you look at the rest of the story, you’ll see that she

was married and divorced 5 times,
was flat broke, and
died from complications with Alzheimer’s.

If you think that having money, fame, or good looks will satisfy you in this life, you are sadly mistaken.

The reality is that she had a very sad life. If you think that having money, fame, or good looks will satisfy you in this life, you are sadly mistaken. Our value comes from the fact that we are created in the image of God—nothing that we bring to the plate (Genesis 1:27)!

And what about the “melon thing” in Beijing? Unbelievably, 7 truckloads of watermelons valued at $2,700.00 were stolen by gangs from the farmers as they were taking them to market. While that may have been enough to make it into the headlines, it still didn’t help me remember where I was and what I was doing on that day!

Where was I on May 15, 1987?

The truth is, I didn’t need any of those headlines to remember where I was, because I remember it clear as day. First of all, it was my 26th birthday. We were living in Salt Lake City, Utah at the time, and my brother had moved in with us to finish his senior year of high school. On that day, I took him to the University of Utah Huntsman Center but not to watch a basketball game! Yes, we did see an NBA player from the Utah Jazz. His name was Mark Eaton, and he was speaking at a Lowell Lundstrom Crusade.

I remember the scales literally falling off of my eyes. I remember very clearly saying to myself, “I’m going to hell! I’ve been taking other people to church, but I don’t have Christ myself.”

The truth is, I can’t remember anything that Mark spoke about—not a word. But, I do remember Lowell Lundstrom preaching the gospel. I remember the scales literally falling off of my eyes. I remember very clearly saying to myself, “I’m going to hell! I’ve been taking other people to church, but I don’t have Christ myself.” I also remember repenting that night and turning my life over to Jesus Christ, even though I didn’t have a clue what that looked like—I just knew that I couldn’t do life on my own.

You see, May 15, 1987, was not only my birthday, it was my spiritual re-birth day! Can you remember where you were when Christ opened your eyes and changed your eternal destination? If so—share it with someone today. Start with your family, then work your way out (Mark 5:19).

If you cannot remember ever submitting yourself to Christ, make today the day that you surrender your life to the one who can and will take your broken pieces and turn them into an amazing mosaic (Psalm 147:3)!

Blessings and Stay Bold!

To learn more about our Founder and President, Carl Kerby, or to book him as a speaker, please click HERE.

Read Carl’s testimony and his heart for ministry in his book, Reasons for Hope in the Mosaic of Your Life. Available HERE at our Reasons for Hope Store.

We also encourage you to purchase our newest ministry book, Did Jesus Commit Suicide? And 27 Other Questions That Teens Have About the Bible (that adults want to know, too) to help you answer questions from a biblical worldview that teens are asking today. Click HERE.

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