1. Beware Your Sins Will Find You Out
Inspired by Chapter 1 of Birth Pangs of the End Times
This post shares Chapter One of Hope Beyond the Tribulation, my nonfiction companion to the Positive Apocalypse Trilogy.
If you haven’t read Chapter 1 of Birth Pangs of the End Times yet, I recommend reading it first — this reflection builds on Katie Whitefeather’s story introduced there.
Katie’s story opens with hidden sin, painful consequences, and a desperate hope to escape shame. But without repentance, that hope will soon collapse.
📖 Story Connection
When I first wrote Katie Whitefeather’s story, I saw echoes of my own youthful mistakes — and maybe you will too. Katie was just sixteen, carefree and chasing pleasure, when everything collapsed — she was pregnant, betrayed, and terrified. Her world would never be the same.
She wondered if her life was now ruined . . .
The unwed mothers I've seen can never escape the stigma of getting pregnant outside of marriage. They'll never regain the full respect of their community. Their reputation always has a footnote, reminding people of her youthful indiscretion.
Reluctantly, she gets an abortion, thinking Now, nobody back home will ever find out that sweet little princess Katie got knocked up by a worthless doper. She didn’t do it out of coldness, but out of fear. Like many young girls, she believed secrecy would save her.
But her relief was short-lived. She woke up in the hospital, having almost died of blood loss. Her Uncle Andy is there, holding her hand.
Her first thought was Oh, no! Now everyone's going to know what I did.
Her choices brought lasting consequences—physical, social, and spiritual.
Physical: The doctor had to do a hysterectomy to save her life, so she could never hope to have children.
Social: Now, her pregnancy and abortion were no longer a secret.
Spiritual: For years to come she'd suffer guilt and regret.
But, even when we carry lifelong scars, God is not done writing our story. He redeems, heals, and restores. Katie’s life wasn’t over — and neither is yours.
Her Uncle Andy, an Alaskan bush pilot and local pastor, was there when she woke up. Always caring and supportive, he never asked why she was in the hospital, although she assumed he knew.
She clung to the hope that Uncle Andy wouldn’t reveal her secrets, dreaming she could return home and simply be another high school junior in her small native village.
❓ Core Spiritual Lessons
Katie’s experience is not just her own — it’s a mirror for all of us. What can we learn from her choices?
Katie was just a fun-loving teenager who made bad choices, like most of us have done.
She never imagined how merciless and permanent the consequences of her carefree choices would be.
Her carefree pursuit of pleasure didn’t just lead to her baby’s death; it left her with lasting wounds of guilt and regret.
📜 Biblical Teaching
1. Sin is never a secret, and every sin will be exposed.
We may think nobody knows what we've done, but even if no other people know, our conscience knows, and God knows.
Even if we keep our sins a secret throughout our lifetime, they'll be broadcast for all to see when we stand before God at the Judgment.
"For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil." (Ecclesiastes 12:14)
Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops. (Luke 12:2-3)
God sees it all. And in His mercy, He wants us to bring it into the light now—before the day when it’s revealed publicly before His throne.
For believers, sins that have been confessed and forgiven are not counted against them for condemnation (Romans 8:1), but the exposure still happens — to reveal the full glory of Christ's mercy and the transformation he worked in their lives.
For the unrepentant, the exposure of their sins leads to judgment and punishment.
2. Every choice has a consequence.
Every action, whether good or bad, has a consequence.
Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:7-8)
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him. (Deuteronomy 30:19-20)
Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord... therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices. (Proverbs 1:29-31)
He will render to each one according to his works. (Romans 2:6)
But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. (James 1:14-15)
And so, good choices, led by God's Spirit, lead to life and blessing. But sinful choices, following the flesh, lead to corruption and death.
3. Jesus knows about all our sins, but he still loves us.
In this part of the story, Uncle Andy is like Jesus. He knows what Katie has done, but he's there to minister to her and help her toward a positive future.
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
In chapter 1 Katie still hasn't repented to God, and she still hopes to escape the public shame she fears. But this hope will not be realized.
🛤️ Practical Application
Reflect:
What sins have you kept secret from other people?
Have you repented and asked God to forgive you because of Jesus’ sacrificial death for your sins?
Action Steps:
Confess all your sins to God, even the secret ones. Your conscience will remind you of them.
Receive his forgiveness. Thank Him aloud that his love and grace are bigger than your sins.
Speak God’s promises over yourself daily. You’re not who you were—you are becoming who He created you to be.
Remember: While some of sin's physical and social consequences may remain for a lifetime, your sins are forgiven when you bring them to the Cross.
🙏 Prayer
Lord, You see me fully and love me still. I confess my sins to you. I bring You my brokenness, my failures, and my secret shame. I believe that Jesus' sacrifice paid for all my sins. Please create in me a clean heart—a new life by Your Spirit, so I can walk in Your way. Thank You for never giving up on me, even when I tried to hide. In Jesus’ name, Amen.