House of Regret.

Nearly four years ago now, I walked unknowingly into one of the most elaborate and well thought out scams conceivable. Up until that point, I had always prided myself on having good sensibility, making smart decisions, having keen intuition about a persons character and taking the necessary precautions in order to avoid falling prey to something suspect. Unfortunately, I was blinded by greed and outright betrayed and ultimately became a victim of a white collar wire fraud scam that even the detectives on the case felt was one of the best they’d seen in years. Very few know the details of this case and the amount of money I lost is so large that it’s humiliating to even verbalize. Let’s just say, it was enough to buy a very nice home for cash… By the time I realized I had been cheated, it was too late and my money was gone. For nearly two years after this incident, there was hardly a day that passed that I didn’t find myself working through all of the various stages of grief. At first, I was in full denial, and then came grief followed by anger and bargaining, then depression and finally acceptance. I fully realized that no one died and that my working through all of these stages should not be compared to the depths of grief that someone experiences on these levels through the loss of a loved one however I touched on all of them none the less, but in the shallow end of the pool, if that makes sense. I then realized that there was one other emotional stage that I had yet to work through and this stage may actually have been the most profound – regret. I beat myself up so badly that I developed severe anxiety. I was experiencing sleepless nights, sharp pains in my chest and depression that was paralyzing at times. The feelings of regret and disappointment in myself seemed to overshadow every other thing, decision, and experience taking place in my life. I was filled with guilt, shame and remorse, all byproducts of regret. 

At one point in time, holiday season of 2014, I prayed that God would lift this regret off my shoulders and help me to move forward. Thankfully, I had a breakthrough! It was almost as if He “flipped a switch” in my soul and showed me that what’s done is done, there was no more I could do and that I was the only one keeping myself in this prison of guilt and regret. I had to let go and move forward and I did. A peace came over me and a new season began. I could feel the life flooding back into my soul and the chains were broken.

I wish I could say that this was the only bad investment I’d ever made or that I hadn’t had other big regrets in my life but that wouldn’t be true. This one was profound but there have been others. Maybe you can relate. 

I share this story in hopes that it will encourage you, my brothers, if any of you are finding yourselves in a season of deep regret. Maybe you too have made a bad investment, maybe you have dug yourself into a deep hole of debt, maybe you have been unfaithful in your marriage, maybe you haven’t been the best father or husband or son, maybe you have allowed your anger or impatience to get the better of you, maybe you have neglected some of the most important relationships in your life… Whatever it is you are feeling regret over, I urge you to stop now and ask God to help you with this burden. I encourage you to give it over to the only One who can take it from you and free you. It’s not too late to move forward and make things right. It’s time to embrace the joy, relief and contentment that is yours for the taking. 

Isaiah 43:18-19 - “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

Epilogue – For those of you who may be interested in “the rest of the story” (Cliff Notes version anyway). I worked with the Los Angeles FBI white collar wire fraud division to capture the conman behind this outrageous scam. I went undercover twice and on one sting operation, we were able to apprehend the mastermind behind the whole thing just prior to him preparing to leave the country for good! He is currently serving an 11-year sentence with an additional 3-year probationary period and was ordered to make full restitution for his crimes. I am thankful to report that after nearly four years, I just recently received a check from the US Treasury department for over 55% of my stolen funds.

Let's go get it!