This past weekend, while I was in Cocoa Beach, Florida, speaking, God began to speak to me in a very unexpected way, through memories.
When I arrived at my hotel late Saturday night, I realized I had lost the leather jacket Marsha had given me. I was immediately frustrated with myself, and before I knew it, tears filled my eyes, not because of the jacket itself, but because of what it carried.
That coat held memories.
When I wore it, I felt wrapped in Marsha’s love.
On Monday, while returning my rental car to Hertz, I asked, almost as an afterthought, if a lost item had been turned in. The woman behind the counter disappeared for a moment and came back holding my coat. She didn’t understand my tears.
But God did.
In that moment, my heart was gently reminded of the precious and powerful gift of memory.
Scripture shows us that memories matter, but how we handle them determines whether they bring freedom or quietly keep us stuck.
Psalm 103:2 reads, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.”
Do you cherish what God has done?
God calls us to remember, not to relive pain, but to recognize His faithfulness. Memories are markers of where God has met us. When cherished properly, they produce gratitude, not grief.
Do you celebrate without living there?
“Remember the former things… but see, I am doing a new thing.” Isaiah 43:18–19
Celebration honors the past without chaining us to it. God never intended yesterday’s miracles, or yesterday’s relationships, to replace today’s obedience. Celebration gives thanks, but it also releases.
Do you redeem your memories into today’s purpose?
“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on.” Philippians 3:13–14
Memories were never meant to paralyze us. They were meant to propel us.
When surrendered to God, they become fuel, fuel for compassion, wisdom, and deeper effectiveness. When clung to improperly, they keep our eyes on what was, while God is calling us toward what is ahead.
It’s easy to get lost in the why of memories instead of asking,
“God, what are You saying to me now?”
Memories can either anchor us to pain or launch us into purpose.
Placed in God’s hands, they don’t weaken our calling, they strengthen it.
Let God redeem your memories. And let them move you forward.
Blessings,
Mike
This week, on January 30, Marsha stepped into the presence of the One who first captured her heart, the One she gave her life to as a young teenager and never turned away from.
In honor of her, I dedicate this letter! As a dear friend said once with both humor and truth,
“Marsha, the woman I loved, left me for another man, Jesus. He was, and always will be, her first love.”
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