It is now how you start...

I read today that Chuck Colson passed away today. Mr. Colson was one of my favorite authors. Every since I read Loving God, I was hooked! Colson's books had a way of writing that made his books both inspiring as well as thought provoking. Besides Loving God, my favorite books of his are;

• The Body
• The Faith
• Why America Doesn't Work 

In addition to his books, his ministry "Prison Fellowship Ministries" has touched thousands of inmates, families of inmates and society as a whole. The world was a better place because of the influence Chuck Colson. 

However, it did not start out that way, dubbed as the evil genius of the Nixon administration, he discovered how power has the ability to corrupt the soul and character of a person. During the Nixon years in the White House, he was one of the most powerful presidential aides and Nixon's number 1 troubleshooter. Yet with all that power, he soon found himself on the inside of prison for what is forever known by a one word scandal; Watergate. Realizing he had no place to turn, Colson turned to God and he was never the same again. In 1993 Colson said "I shudder to think what I'd been if I had not gone to prison. Lying on on the rotten floor of of a cell, you know it's not prosperity or pleasure that's important, but the maturing of the soul."**

Once he gave his life over to God he discovered a life that was truly abundant, just as Christ had promised. The last 35 years, he has given his life to making a difference in the lives of people, to be honest. many of us would rather forget or ignore.

If one was to look at Colson's life in the 70's he would have simply been a footnote in history, but by turning his life over to God he is no longer just a footnote in history, he is also noted for all eternity as a child of God. 

Like the apostle Paul he has finished the race and now has heard the words "well done good and faith servant." Colson is a reminder it is not how we start out in life that makes the difference, it is how we finish. May we all finish well.  

** Some of the Information from this post came from the USA TODAY for iphone.