Reggie Tuggle - A Journey Through Grace

Copyright 2021 by Reginald Tuggle.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED WORLDWIDE

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Mynd Matters Publishing

715 Peachtree Street NE

Suites 100 & 200

Atlanta, GA 30308

e-ISBN: 978-1-953307-56-9

ISBN: 978-1-953307-54-5 (pbk)

ISBN: 978-1-953307-55-2 (hdcv)

Author photo courtesy of Glyn A. Stanley

To my Creator, whose sense of imagination is unfathomable. Who could have ever foreseen a car accident would result in my mother being forced to stay in Denver, Colorado where she would finish high school and give birth to me. My mother taught me about life, God, and how to love myself. I owe whatever blessings I have been able to share with others to her teachings and her eternal love.

The keys to living a complete life is to learn to balance time, resources, and talent,
by the grace of God.

O ver the years, when people heard about the remarkable and extraordinary blessings in my life, they would ask if I plan on placing some of these events in a book. My immediate reaction has always been to feel as though my life isnt worthy of a book. However, upon reflection, I felt like God should be acknowledged for the grace he has given me and the wonderful plans he bestowed upon my life. The following pages are a summary of years of unexplainable and unexpected opportunities that brought unimagined blessings. How did I get to be me? I am more than the composite of all my life experiences. When I say more than my experiences, I am referring to the inner self of spiritual awareness. We also are what we think and feel intuitively.

We have to spend our time in meditation, prayer, and silence, listening for whats happening around us and within. Its subtle, but the messages are clear. When Im experiencing something new, or what others may consider being risky, I have found that if it felt right and the comfort level was strong, then it was the correct thing for me to do. I always got into trouble when I tried to take matters in my own hands and force something to happen. I believe God moves us in quiet yet definitive ways. You cant always make blessings happen. Sometimes, you have to be in the places where blessings flow naturally. Its not always what you know, but where you are. Its the time and space you occupy at the moment. Its not what you know or whom you know, but who knows you. Life is about places and spacesbeing in the right place at the appropriate time to have that special conversation with that particular person. I call it serendipity. You cant always plan for it, but you can always be alert and watch for it. When you hear the message or get the feeling, you have to act on it or lose it.

Beginning with my birth to a wise, teenage, unwed mother, to going to college with very little money and the struggles I faced during that time, to my years of international travel, and then, the pursuit of a Ph.D. at Yale University. My life moved forward, and I entered in a new phase of my life as I served as a pastor for thirty-eight years at one church and seeing its membership grow from forty to nearly 1000 members. This led to successfully conducting two capital campaigns for two new church buildings construction, having some prestigious secular work experiences in higher education, corporate, and political arenas.

Doing all the above is in itself worthy of telling the story of what God has done in my life. But to have been blessed to do all these things while at the same time, living through severe hardships as well as moments, makes the story unbelievable.

I have been blessed time and time again as I grew up in poverty, dealt with my brothers premature death, to the time when I married an exceptional woman who bore two intellectually gifted daughters. Sorrows have also been a vital part of my life as I experienced the death of my wife. But then, I was blessed with a new wife and life partner, and by Gods grace, moved to Charlotte, North Carolina to build a new life in retirement.

This book, on the surface, may appear to be about accomplishments and unusual experiences. However, in fact, it is a sincere attempt to put in writing the tangible presence of Gods hand upon my life. Its about my escape from misfortune and the adversarys relentless traps to destroy my purpose and my gifts.

My miraculous life started out as a series of unrelated random events and conversations with people over the years. Still, looking retrospectively over the course of my life, I can see Gods hand from the very beginning until now. The mystery isnt that I am guided and protected, but my portion of blessings exceeded that of most others. My cups run over.

I sometimes feel uncomfortable because I have been so blessed. So, the question arises, What am I supposed to do with my life with all these opportunities? I discovered the answers over a period of time, not all at once, but at the instances when I could appreciate the answers. God wants me to enjoy the gifts on the one hand and then, on the other, to be of service to Him in blessing others as well. And that is how I perceive my life to be.

First and foremost, I am a servant of God. I serve Him, His people, His purpose, and His will. I have been blessed so that my testimony will bring hope and encouragement to those who are going through their own trials and tribulations. I am worthy of all these blessings only in the context of my willingness to help othersto know themselves in relation to the Creator, to know the gospel of salvation, and to value each day, i.e., to maximize their own gifts and potential.

The single most valuable advice I learned over the years when facing difficulties is, Nothing stays the same forever. Every person on the planet experiences bad times, hard times. The key is to face whats facing you head on without lamenting the fact that its you who is having the experience. Its never about why me? Its about knowing that God has this situation in control and we must do what the situation requires without becoming bitter or cynical. Joy must be the order of the day. Burdens and pain can blind us, if we are not careful. Even when joy may not be obvious every day, we have to remember that we cant let our burdens blind us to the reality of Gods hand holding us.

Scripture has other words for this kind of joyits called trust in God, as well as trust in your own abilities and resources no matter how meager they seem. God manifests his love for us best in times of adversity when we dont see any way to move forward. When our back is against the wall, and there is no door to open, we will see that we do have resources that can be applied to the moment if we keep moving forward.

I have learned that when we dont give up or give in, God continues to move us forward to higher and greater blessings. We relax during those phases.

Life is work, hard work, and its unpredictable at best. This isnt new, and it certainly isnt a secret, but it is something many, if not most, people fail to apply. Herein lies the key to life with all of its uncertainties. When we give up too soon, we miss the blessing thats just around the corner. One day at a time. One day at a time. Thats all the amount of grace God gives us. Just enough grace for the day, and before we realize it, the day becomes a long line of days which become months, then years, and then, a whole life.