My name is Bert Lyle, and I am the owner and founder of The Facemaker here in Huntsville. These exact questions wore at me for many years, and then, at the tender age of 36 (well maybe not so tender), I was surrounded by many physical and material pleasures of the world — and I was miserable!

Nothing seemed to fill the emptiness I felt inside and I could not understand it. But this emptiness was God pursuing me.

Then through my wife, Susie’s love and direction, God showed me HIS vision for my life and it was nothing like I had thought it would be. He loved me. He healed me. He filled my emptiness. He showed me that the things of this world could not, were not capable of, and were never intended to satisfy the void in me that material and physical things had left.

He wants to do the same thing for you!

If what I write is true — that this God wants to help you find your way and reveal His purpose and peace and joy to you — and if you are still reading at this point, then I believe this same God is pursuing you just as He pursued me.

He offers a free gift, forgiveness. Isn’t that what we really desire, all of us… to know that the wrongs we have done to Him and to others can be forgiven? Forgiveness brings us into right relationship with Him, and with others.

So maybe you’re wondering: “Bert, are you telling me that what prevents me from having peace and joy and hope and understanding of my plan in life is forgiveness?

ABSOLUTELY! Positively. Without a doubt!

His forgiveness is crucial. Knowing that this very God who is pursuing you now, even through these written words, loves you more than you can imagine, wants to say to you, “I have a great plan for you, for your life, and it begins with forgiveness.”

Bert you say it’s a free gift. That’s hard to believe! I couldn’t agree more! It’s very hard to believe that the only thing standing between us and this God is unforgiveness. And even harder to believe that this unforgiveness can be taken away through a free gift.

But I’m not the one making the offer. God does. And what He requires to receive this free gift is faith. Faith in His Son, Jesus — “anyone who believes in Him, has everlasting life” (John 3:15).

This barrier of unforgiveness was caused through sin. The wrongs I spoke of earlier that separate us from others, and from Him, the Bible calls that sin. And sadly, sin had to be dealt with so you and I could have this forgiveness.

God dealt with sin once and for all by sacrificing His son, Jesus, on a cross and He asks us to believe, to trust, to have faith that His sacrifice on a cross is enough. Enough to deal with our sin, the sin of the world more specifically, and that trusting in Jesus as our substitute to take our punishment, grants us forgiveness.

That word again, forgiveness, the act that truly brings peace to our life, fullness and completeness in a world of mayhem.

Again, you question, “Bert, this is way too easy, to just believe in Jesus and I get all the goods, full forgiveness — no way!”

Accepting the free gift through faith may sound easy, but think about this: to do that, you must truly abandon the idea that anything you do has merit before this God. Recognize that nothing you or I can do can gain us this forgiveness. “I do not nullify the grace of God, if my salvation comes from anything I do, then Christ died in vein” (Gal 2:21).

Why do I call this “the greatest news of all?” Well, if you are experiencing the questions of life I mentioned at the start of this letter, then you know, that emptiness cries out to be dealt with. Are you ready to believe, to trust that this Jesus is sufficient to rescue you, to give you hope and a plan.

” ‘I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’ ” (Jeremiah 29:11).

It all begins with forgiveness, through a relationship with Jesus. This free gift awaits you through faith in Him. Trust Him today! Read John 3:16.

God is good!

-Bert