Before October 2013, Cody had no relationship with Jesus and really didn’t want one.
“I wasn’t raised in a Christian home,” Cody explained.
Through a series of bad choices and events, God began to lead Cody down the road to repentance.
“I was on a trip visiting friends in Nevada,” said Cody. “On the drive back to Washington, I lost my wallet. After I got back home, I began to replace my wallet cards like driver’s license, bankcard, you know, the necessities.”
No sooner had Cody replaced everything in his wallet when he lost it again. He went ballistic, shouting obscenities at God, ranting and raving and blaming God for his life. “Funny,” said Cody, looking back, “now that I think about it, I was blaming a guy I didn’t even believe in.”
When Cody’s mom got home, she asked what was wrong. He told her about the wallet. She calmly reached behind the computer, where the missing wallet was lying, and handed it to her son. At that moment, Cody felt slapped in the face. He realized he had said some really hurtful things to God and that his behavior was less than stellar. Ashamed, he drove to a friend’s house to think. He sat on the porch and began to think and to cry. He even began to pray.
“I guess it was praying because I was just talking,” Cody recalled. He told God how sorry he was and asked for forgiveness for what he had said.
Cody hopped back in is car and started toward home. When he turned on the radio, every station seemed to be playing commercials. He scanned through the channels and landed on the first one with music: 105.3 Spirit Radio. Cody didn’t realize which station it was at first, but as he listened to the music, he began to hear words about Jesus and forgiveness. A caller came on the air to tell the story of how she came to hear the station. She expressed how much joy and peace she had with Jesus and how she loved worshiping to the music all day.
“Yeah, I want that too!” Cody exclaimed.
Another song came on, about a man who was defiant and challenged God about the struggles in his life.
“I could relate to that feeling because that was how I had been with God,” Cody said. “I felt that God was speaking to me.”
As the songs continued, Cody learned through the music about letting the Holy Spirit into his life.
A very excited Cody shared his story with his sister and brother-in-law, who were attending Mars Hill Church. They invited him to church and Cody agreed, excited to learn about God.
“These past few months, I have found my life harder as a Christian, not easier,” said Cody. He still battles with addiction and the world in general, but now when an issue arises, he talks with Jesus about it. It helps to be around people who are walking with God, especially men his age. Cody said that at Mars Hill he is learning how to walk as a Christian and to be “normal.”
An elated Cody was baptized at the Mars Hill Everett on launch day, January 12, 2014, with family and friends cheering him on.
If you have a story you would like to share with the church, please submit it here. We would love to hear how God is revealing himself through his people.
