~By Bryan Hutson

Yvonne and I are moving this week. We have been packing up boxes, carrying things to the garage and making arrangements for water, gas, electricity and cable. Yvonne suggested that I go through some things and discard what I don’t need. My first reaction was “What? I NEED EVERYTHING”!

Ok- I admit it- I am a “pack rat”. I am so glad that Yvonne has accepted that fact. I save EVERYTHING.

Now, I am sentimental, I also am Virgil Woods’ grandson. He saved everything, thinking that “Someone might need THAT one day.” So- I get it honest.

These past two weeks, I began with my closet. OUCH! I had shirts and (multi-colored) vests that I had when I sang with George Amon Webster, Tim Webster and Brent Fredricks in The Heartland Boys. Uh..that was 1993-1996.

I parted with a few of those, (after the dry heaves and weeping uncontrollably on the floor) and then it was off to the garage.

We knew Yvonne would not be at THIS store very long, so I left many boxes taped up and stored in the garage. As I opened each one, I wanted to re-seal it. However, there were some things that had to go…

I have a collection of Louis Lamour western novels that my Dad owned. I have the suit that I wore to my dad’s funeral. (That was also the last time I wore it). I have pictures that Jordan drew (scribbled) in my “Heartland” (1993-1996) date book. There are framed pictures of Jordan’s years at church camp. I have Elvis Presley figurines, pictures of “The B Street Band” and pictures and gifts from my first Kingsmen tenure. I have a ceramic “Darth Vader” that my Mom gave me when I was 9 years old. I have birthday/Father’s Day cards from Mom, Granny, and the kids and notes that Yvonne has written me over the years. I have mementos of my years in West Virginia, my family and some things I can’t part with. However, there were some things that had to go…

Why do I keep things? In some sort of way, I feel like if I throw something out that it will be saying that I don’t care for the giver. I KNOW that’s not true, but honestly, that’s how I feel.

See, that can be related to our life. We often keep past hurts, guilt, anger and unforgiveness and unconfessed sin “boxed up” inside our hearts that “clutter” up our life and more importantly our walk with God.

THOSE “mementos” are NOT from God. THOSE boxes need to be opened up and the contents be carried to the curb and allow God to take them away!

God leaves us mementos that bring good memories and joy to our life. He wants us to remember the times that we had sweet fellowship with friends and family. Memories are one gift of God that even death cannot destroy. God also wants us to remember struggles for the sole purpose (or SOUL purpose) that we can boast of HIS goodness and HIS mercy.

2 Corinthians 5:17:
17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

If you have boxes that need to be opened and the contents removed, do that today. The Holy Spirit can be a spiritual “Moving Truck”. He is out in front of your house and is ready to haul your trash away. However- WE have to carry it to the curb and leave it there.

I have said before; “If we are holding onto the past, we cannot reach out and grab what God has for our future.”
Philippians 3 12-14
The Priceless Value of Knowing Christ
12 “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it,[d] but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”

Leave your past IN your past. Press on to what God has in store for your future!

~

Bryan was born in Batesville, IN.  He began playing the drums for his family group “The Woods Family” at the age of 13. Later in 1984 Bryan along with his brother Jim and cousin formed the group “The New Generation”.

In 1993 Bryan joined “The Heartland Boys”. “The Kingsmen” asked him to join as lead vocalist in 1996. In 1997 he was awarded “Favorite New Artist” by the subscribers of the Singing News Magazine. He was nominated “Favorite Lead Vocalist” for 5 years.

Bryan retired from the road in 2001 to become a Worship Minister at a dynamic church in West Virginia. He returned to southern gospel music when he joined “The Blackwood Gospel Quartet” in late 2005 as their lead singer. In February 2007 Bryan returned to “The Kingsmen” as the Baritone vocalist and Emcee.

Bryan’s hobbies include surfing the internet and spending time with his wife Yvonne and family; Alexa, Jordan, Jake and Bailey.