Never Give Up: Hostage – the Story We Tell OurselvesSample

Day 5: The Power of a New Mindset

Paul’s Transformation

Saul was a man with a mission—he persecuted Christians with passion and precision. But on the road to Damascus, everything changed. A blinding light stopped him in his tracks. Jesus met him, confronted him, and called him. The man who once terrorized believers became one of the greatest apostles in history. His name was changed to Paul, and so was his mindset. He didn’t let his past define his future—he let God do that.

Mindset Reset – From Victim to Victor

I used to think the world was out to get me. That I was born behind the starting line and would never catch up. I believed life was cruel, people were dangerous, and hope was something other people had—but not me. That was my mindset. And it was holding me hostage.

But something unexpected happened when I was nineteen. A mentor named Bill, who had always believed in me, invited me to a weekend conference. I didn’t know much about it, but when Bill asked me to go—and paid for it—I said yes. The event was called The Forum, now known as Landmark Forum.

What I thought would be a motivational seminar turned out to be a life-altering experience.

Over the course of three intense days, I learned that every person carries a set of stories, interpretations, and assumptions that shape their lives. Many of those stories are lies—beliefs rooted in pain, fear, and past trauma. And I had a backpack full of them.

I believed I was cursed. That I didn’t belong. That I was too broken to be loved or to succeed. I believed my painful past defined me. But for the first time, I was challenged to look at those beliefs and ask: What if none of this is true?

I realized something radical: I had the power to choose a new mindset. I could decide to reframe my past—not erase it, but see it differently. I could learn from it instead of living in it. I could stop blaming others and start owning my response. I could go from victim to victor.

It was like someone turned on the lights in a dark room I didn’t even know I was in.

Devotional Reflection

Mindset is powerful. It determines how we see the world—and how we see ourselves. Paul wrote, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2, NIV). Transformation starts in the mind.

If your inner voice says, I’m not enough, that voice is not from God. If your story says, I’ll always be stuck, that story needs to be rewritten. And the good news? You can change it.

But mindset shifts don’t happen by accident. They happen by choice.

For years, I believed that life happened to me. But that weekend spent at Landmark Forum helped me see that life could also happen through me. I didn’t have to be defined by pain—I could be refined by it. I didn’t have to be imprisoned by my past—I could be empowered by it.

That new mindset changed everything.

I began speaking differently. Dreaming bigger. Loving more. I started encouraging others to believe they could change too. The transformation was so real that even my family noticed. In fact, my mom, dad, and sisters all signed up to attend the conference after seeing how much I’d changed.

That’s the power of a new mindset. It not only transforms you—it influences everyone around you.

Action Step

Take a few minutes today to identify one lie you’ve believed about yourself. Write it down, then write a new mindset truth to replace it. Say it out loud every morning this week. Declare it until it becomes your new default.

Reflection Questions

1. What mindset has been holding you hostage?
2. What experience from your past still defines how you see yourself today?
3. What truth does God speak over your identity and potential?