Preaching from Philippians 1:6, Pastor Tom emphasized the word confident — that we can be sure the One who began a good work in us will be faithful to complete it. Even when we don’t feel like a “good work,” God sees us as His masterpiece in progress. The enemy wants us to live discouraged and set back, but God promises to finish what He started.

Pastor Tom shared how a physical scar on his own hand serves as a reminder that every gash tells a story — not just of pain, but of healing. When we stop focusing only on the hurt, we begin to see how God can use it to help and teach others.

He illustrated this truth through the story of Rahab in the book of Joshua. Though Rahab was a prostitute living in the wall of Jericho, she courageously helped two Israelite spies and asked them to remember her when God gave them victory. Not only was Rahab spared, but she was later included in the lineage of Jesus Himself. Her past didn’t define her — it became the beginning of her etch in God’s redemptive story.

Pastor Tom also shared modern examples of restoration — from the 1908 Tunguska Event, where a massive meteor caused miles of destruction yet left barely a trace today, to the story of Michael Vick, who fell from fame and faced deep consequences for his actions but found redemption through faith and mentorship. Both stories remind us that even when destruction or failure seem final, God can bring renewal and purpose.

The gashes in our lives are not the end — they are the start of something beautiful. When we place them in God’s hands, He turns every scar into an etch that tells His story through us.

Philippians 1:6
“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”