Your Past May Be Your Future by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

I am writing this on a plane in route to Nashville, Tennessee to attend the National Religious Broadcasters Convention where we will be doing some interviews with ten different world-changers who have either written books or use the media arts to reach people for Christ.

Ironically, while I was sitting in the DFW gate area, a friend of mine from San Antonio texted a photo of me from a 70-year anniversary promo that one of my old stations, KENS-TV in San Antonio, aired. It was a screen shot from when I was reporting from the 1994 Super Bowl in Atlanta, and although it was over 25 years ago, it seems like yesterday.  

When I left television sportscasting after a 19-year career in the industry, I said I’d never go back to media. I’d had my fill of overnight ratings, and having to keep everything—hair, clothes and makeup—as perfect as possible.

I remember one Dallas Cowboys Training Camp late in my career where I waited too late to touch up my makeup. I thought, I think I have enough time to get one more interview. I was wrong, and went on the air with melted makeup and a face covered with perspiration from the 100-plus temperature in Wichita Falls. Afterwards, the News Director called and screamed at me, “Don’t you look at yourself before you go on the air!” It was the beginning of the end.

But through a variety of circumstances, I am back in the media because God doesn’t waste any of our training. After I felt a tug to radio, I told the Lord that if He wanted me to do radio, he’d have to drop an opportunity in my lap. He did just that, and now I believe I spent two decades on-air to prepare me for what I do now, trying to reach as many people for Christ as possible through our radio show, “A Time to Dream,”

And more recently, we started a Facebook Live topical show called “POP Talk.” This program was a direct download from God and I have been amazed by the results. To date, after 14 shows, we have reached almost 40,000 people. Only God could do something like that, so I keep obediently producing shows and moving forward.

It’s important to never disregard your past career, or any training you’ve received over the years through a secular job. How can your past/current career be used for God’s glory? How can the troubles you’ve been through in your lifetime help someone else? Where is the Lord calling you? 

Be open. The past may hold the open door to the future.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it (Isaiah 30:31).