Moving Forward After Messing Up: A New Future with the God of Second Chances

Is something from your past impacting your future?

No one wakes up and says, “I think I’ll make a mess of my life.” But many people find themselves in places that feel beyond repair. If you’ve made decisions that have left you and others hurt—that have brought you to a place that feels dark or desperate—you’re not alone. Professor and pastor Chris Rappazini looks to real life biblical characters who’ve made messes of their lives and shows how God delights in forgiveness and redemption.

Do you need God to do something that feels impossible? Freedom from an addiction or the haunting consequences of bad choices? A second chance at marriage, family, or a career? Maybe you love someone whose devastating path of poor decisions is inflicting heartache upon heartache.

Through sharing the personal journey he’s been on with his brother—who is in the process of moving forward after messing up—Rappazini uncovers the true heart of the Father and the dramatic ends He goes to bring restoration.

What happens when we honestly face our mess and seek God? Can beauty, love, or hope follow? Failure and regret can create humility and deepen our character. Those who seem permanently wrecked can experience joy, freedom, and a newfound dream. In Moving Forward After Messing Up, Rappazini takes us beyond despair to biblically based forgiveness and a faithful future.

CHRIS RAPPAZINI is a Professor of Leadership at Anderson University, SC, and a professional speaker and leadership life coach. Eleven years prior to his role at Anderson University, he was a Professor of Pastoral Studies and Preaching at the Moody Bible Institute and served in various pastoral roles throughout the nation. He is a former writer for Moody’s Today in the Word and past President of the Evangelical Homiletics Society. He has earned a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies from Gonzaga University, an M.Th. from the University of Edinburgh, an M.Div. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, a B.A. from the Moody Bible Institute, and did postdoctoral research at Baylor University.