Brother Andrews Beginnings

In the beginning of God's Smuggler the authors who worked with Andrew on the story share how he has become a part of their family. Brother Andrew opens his story telling us about his childhood in Holland and how WWII affected his family. The childhood escapades he describes like skipping church and lieing about it and playing tricks on neighbors would cause many never to believe "a boy like that" would grow up to become a famous pastor but amazing indeed how God can change the heart of a person. Brother Andrew goes on to describe his time as a solider in war for Holland and the horrors he saw. He eventually made it out of the war after becoming shot in the ankle. He shares the many raw emotions he felt from his experience and he definitely makes it easy to relate to many people in several different aspects of life. One story I want to highlight in this part of the book is when he was in recovery.

While he is in the hospital recovering from his wound, his mother's bible (whom also had died while Andrew was away at war) is brought back into his sight after spending alot of time in the bottom of his rucksack. He wonders why the nurses (sisters) who work in the hospital are always so happy and they answer him, "with the love of Christ" and urge him to look in his Bible. In the meantime he receives a letter that happens to give him an outline for reading the Bible! He reads through it and begins to wonder if all of this is really true? Before he sets out to leave a sister tells him the story of how a monkey will let go of freedom just to get something they really desire. They are so stubborn they become chained. The sister questions whether or not that is Andy, letting something hold him back from being free.

The same is true for us. What do we allow to hold us back from freedom in Christ? Pride, Self-centered beliefs, money, sin, loss of self-worth, etc.? Do you have something? Brother Andrew didn't fully believe as we leave him here to return to his homeland for the next season of his life but the Holy Spirit did indeed begin to plant seeds.