shareyourstorynow.org

Moving Past an Abusive Relationship

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

[ 2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV)]

Denise says:

I was in an abusive marriage for 19 years. I tried everything I knew to “make my spouse happy”…and all my efforts only filled me with fear, doubt, self-loathing and constant hopelessness. I knew in my Spirit that living that way was not Godly and was convicted by this verse (2Timothy 1:7). It became my daily prayer as I worked over the course of 5 years to transform MYSELF, and worked to leave the situation with my kids.

//From the SYSN Admin: Please pray for Denise. What verses of hope and words of encouragement can you offer? Comment on Denise’s difficult story, and also Share YOUR story with us here: http://shareyourstorynow.org/share

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Circle of Prayer

Circle of Prayer is a ministry of the American Bible Society, a Christian ministry that has been engaging people with the life-changing message of God’s Word for nearly 200 years.

Also check out our Bible Search and Scripture journeys tools.

Story posted on Thursday, August 12th, 2010 and is filed under Hope, Your Stories, Divorce & Marital Conflict, Life Verse. | 1 Comment »

I will NOT be afraid!

In him I trust, and I will not be afraid. What can a mere human being do to me?

[ PSALM 56:11(GNT)]

Deborah says:

After years of being deceived, abused and mistreated, I had no one else to turn but to God. Since turning to Him, He alone has healed my pain of past situations, and continues to give me the strength to go through and overcome every trial I face.

So today I know if God is for me then who can stand against me? As Isaiah 54:17 (KJV) says, “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.”

I have learned to forgive others and myself and to place GOD above all. Today I know mercy, today I know grace, and today I know forgiveness. I may not always succeed at being my best but I am always praying and seeking the wisdom from Him. Above all it is His Love that I lacked, and having a relationship with God accepting His word as truth unconditionally. Trusting Him, fearing Him, Loving Him and obeying Him.

//From the SYSN Admin: What have you been through in your life that has brought you closer to God? Comment on Deborah’s touching story, and also Share YOUR story with us!

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Circle of Prayer

Circle of Prayer is a ministry of the American Bible Society, a Christian ministry that has been engaging people with the life-changing message of God’s Word for nearly 200 years.

Also check out our Bible Search and Scripture journeys tools.

Story posted on Thursday, August 5th, 2010 and is filed under Hope, Drugs & Alcohol, Your Stories, Divorce & Marital Conflict, Struggles. | 2 Comments »

From Hinduism to Christian Pastor

Those who know you, LORD, will trust you; you do not abandon anyone who comes to you.

[ Psalm 9:10]

I, John David was a born in a Hindu family, in the village of srungavruksham, Thandangi Mandal, East Godavari District Andhra Pradesh, South India. My whole family worshipped the Idol Pakka. We did not know anything concerning Jesus Christ. I was used to drinking Alcohol and smoking and other things that led to such terrible wrongs that all village people were saying that I was a very bad man. I never listened to my father when he advised me of the right things to do. One day a pastor came to my village and he was preaching the word of God. It was door to door evangelism giving cottage prayers and conducting crusade meetings.

One day pastor approached at me, and talked about The Word, but I actually fought him and told him I had no interest in Christ, and instead enjoyed my bad habits. Then, through misfortune, my father became sick in 1996. Un-able to provide proper care for my father due to the extreme poverty in my village, my father passed away the same year. It was too much mourn, too difficult to confront. During that the same pastor approached, when everyone else in my village had written me off, and he gave me comfort and said a Bible verse. From that day forward I was with the pastor in God’s ministry everyday. I used to read Bible once a day in the early morning, and one day I came across Ps. 118:8, which touched my heart. I left my job and dedicated my life to the Christ ministry. I had taken Baptism in 1997, and soon went to Bangalore for B.Th., studies in 2001, and after my studies I came back to my birthplace. I got married, and started to establish church ministries, praying to God everyday for guidance.

One particular instance, we prayed and fasted for 5 days & nights, and God showed us his vision on 4th day. We were to visit a place a small town which was a modern-day Sodom & Gomorrah. We visited door to door but people were saying that already 6 pastors left from the place because of the town’s use of filthy language, public beatings, harlotry, witch craft, pakka idolatry and fornication of all types. We went by confidence in God by faith, doing Gods ministry independently without any support organization.

We rented a hut that acted as a Church where we ran a Sunday school, fasting & prayer every Friday, and all night prayers once a month. By the Grace of God we are now up to 40 Church members, conducting cottage prayers and crusades. God is doing mighty miracles among the sick people of the village. We are given Baptism (Immersion) by father, son and Holy Spirit.

Your faithful servant
Pastor D. John David

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Circle of Prayer

Circle of Prayer is a ministry of the American Bible Society, a Christian ministry that has been engaging people with the life-changing message of God’s Word for nearly 200 years.

Also check out our Bible Search and Scripture journeys tools.

Story posted on Saturday, July 24th, 2010 and is filed under Hope, Drugs & Alcohol, Your Stories, Evangelization, Overcoming sin. | 2 Comments »

I Love God Because God Loved Me First

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

[ ROMANS 8:28 (NIV)]

Keith says:

In my life I was living like the rest of the world and seeking things of this world trying to obtain things of this world. As a Christian I was trying to be like the world. Then I would go to church and talk to God about my problems, like…”God why don’t you help me and my family? Why don’t you just pay my dad’s bills? Why don’t you just make me a singer?” But God did not respond. There came a day when I realized that what I thought was life here on earth is not really life, and that God wasn’t seeking to please my selfish needs and wants.

I thought to myself and then I said to God, “SAVE ME from what I do not know! God I know that there is nothing good in this world for me and I want you to be my good! My desire! Give me love wisdom and hunger! God I want to know you! Like my father!” Then, during Bible study Romans 10:17 popped out and said to my heart, “Faith Comes through hearing and hearing from the Word of God, then another verse that says We saved by Grace through Faith, which is a gift from God not by works so that no one may boast about it!” I then realized this Faith was impossible for me to find! I could not do this! I could not put my faith in God till I began to seek him! He had to give me that faith!

It reminds me of that story with the rich man where Jesus told him to give everything he had to the poor. But the rich man walked away sad because he couldn’t do it. Then when Jesus explained to the disciples that it would be difficult for a man to make it to heaven…and they said well none of us can make it!

We cannot do everything! We are not perfect! But Jesus said your right for man it is impossible but for me all things are possible! HE was not talking about how for him it is possible to pay your bills or give you a perfect life here on earth! That’s not what he wants to give you. Jesus always said put your treasure in Heaven where a thief will not come and steal it. Where your treasure is your heart will be also! Where is your treasure? In the world? Then that’s also where your heart is.

You see I came to realize, after seeking God, that it’s not about what I can do for God or how good I can be. Because the scriptures say there is no one Good but God alone.
I realized that for me it is impossible to obtain salvation! For all men it is impossible! Only for God it is possible! When I realized that I was sick, born a sinner and in need of someone to save me… I found that Jesus Christ was the only one who offered his life as a sacrifice for my sins!
He became my medicine.

AND I’m only 17.

So then now, I do not serve him because I have to. I do not worship because I’m sad. I do not seek him, for treasure, or for heaven. I do not give to him for something in return for I know he is not in debt but I am. I do not love him because it will save me or he will satisfy my needs.

I love him because he loved me first. I give to him because all is his. I come to him because I am sick and he is my healer. I worship him because I know he is worthy and he heals my brokenness! I live for him because I died to self and he lives in me. I go out and talk about him because through all of this, at the same time he is satisfying my needs. He is giving me everything according to his purpose. I am free!

That is what Jesus my Savior did for me.

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Circle of Prayer

Circle of Prayer is a ministry of the American Bible Society, a Christian ministry that has been engaging people with the life-changing message of God’s Word for nearly 200 years.

Also check out our Bible Search and Scripture journeys tools.

Story posted on Monday, July 12th, 2010 and is filed under Sadness, Hope, Your Stories, Evangelization, Struggles. | No Comments »

Jonny Diaz - Finding your way to Christ [1:19]

Those who know you, LORD, will trust you; you do not abandon anyone who comes to you.

[Psalm 9:10 (GNT)]

Christian artist Jonny Diaz talks about the importance of making Christ the center of your life.

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Circle of Prayer

Circle of Prayer is a ministry of the American Bible Society, a Christian ministry that has been engaging people with the life-changing message of God’s Word for nearly 200 years.

Also check out our Bible Search and Scripture journeys tools.

Story posted on Friday, July 9th, 2010 and is filed under Hope, Video Stories, Struggles. | No Comments »

God Bailed Me Out

This hope does not disappoint us, for God has poured out his love into our hearts by means of the Holy Spirit, who is God’s gift to us.

[ Romans 5:5 (GNT)]

Beverlynn says:

God saved my life, when I was sent to jail by a lady I’ll call, Judge LW. She sent me to a SUS place for people with mental illnesses who were on doctor medication and couldn’t say off street drugs. Boy, was I angry with this lady! But in the end I realized that it was not her fault. If I wasn’t on street drugs in the first place I would not have been sent to jail.

I got my life together, and now I am ten years clean. I have a job, a home and a better lifestyle. I still have seizures and other medical problems but the only medication I take is the seizure medication ONLY because seizures hurt especially badly when you don’t know they are near. God has been an awesome God to me. He gave me a new dream and a new chance with life.

I never would have thought that I would be able to get off SSI even though they say I owed 7,753.00. I owed the fire department for ambulance service when my chest was hurting from stressing and worry about things I could not change by myself. These problems are still in my life BUT the stress isn’t.

I tell people that I am still, and will always be working on my recovery. I have been to Albany, NY a number of times to tell my story…of how the depression had me in its grip. But that now I don’t even take the medication, because when God gave me a job at the age of 52 I got better with my mind.

I didn’t realize how much I missed working. I am a better person because I have a higher power in my life that wakes me up in the morning and goes with me to work at night. I have not looked back since. I have gratitude in my life, and I am happy because my mother and father are still alive. Even though my dad is in the fourth stage of Alzheimer’s, at least my mother still knows and recognizes me, and that is what counts right now. Praise God.

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Circle of Prayer

Circle of Prayer is a ministry of the American Bible Society, a Christian ministry that has been engaging people with the life-changing message of God’s Word for nearly 200 years.

Also check out our Bible Search and Scripture journeys tools.

Story posted on Friday, June 18th, 2010 and is filed under Hope, God's Love, Drugs & Alcohol, Your Stories. | No Comments »

Jesus was the cure to my Addictions

Thus saith the Lord God; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded.

[ EZEKIEL 36:33 (KJV)]

Jodie says:

I stumbled down a road of despair; felt that my voice couldn’t be heard thru the layer of labels & paperwork that grew endlessly in my file each year. Files under the feelings and actions of depression, self mutilation, drugs and even prostitution… What struggle are you facing? – You’re not alone, I’ve been there.

Can u relate in any way? Have u ever felt anger, fear, or hate?

I turned my back on society in a heart beat because I grew sick & tired of people. I decided no-one else was gonna have any control or say. You know how it is: you get a hurt a few times & put the walls up so high within, no one can see in… Yet they are up so high up you can’t see over them either.

I lost track of time as addictions took over, demons had me tripping up everywhere, running in circles from everything & everyone… that’s the game u begin to play, but I never knew- theres no way out, nothing to gain.

At 19 yrs old I woke up & realized I had a choice- Jesus was that choice. Jesus had died on the cross for my sins & in Him I could find peace… I gave God my life, asked Jesus for forgiveness and slowly but surely things in my life started to change. I got to reading the Bible, talking to Jesus thru out each day through prayer, and hope has filled my heart, love & compassion overflowing- freedom came.

What I can say today without question is that you need Jesus in your life today! ONLY He can set you free from your pain.

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Circle of Prayer

Circle of Prayer is a ministry of the American Bible Society, a Christian ministry that has been engaging people with the life-changing message of God’s Word for nearly 200 years.

Also check out our Bible Search and Scripture journeys tools.

Story posted on Friday, June 4th, 2010 and is filed under Drugs & Alcohol, Hope, Your Stories, Evangelization, Grace, Overcoming sin. | No Comments »

The Power of God

Jesus answered, “What is humanly impossible is possible for God.”

[Luke 18:27 (GNT)]

Avery says:

I was in my junior year of college first semester in 2007, I was an out of state student and financial aid only helped out a little, so to cover the balance for tuition I took out student loans. I knew as being a child of God, there had to be some ideal way that only God could allow for me get more financial help. So, I started working for my college major’s department, that way I put at least a few dollars in my pocket. Then one morning I woke up believing and trusting God that he would answer my specific prayer. My prayer was simply to get a scholarship in a way where all I had to do was sign my name on a dotted line. Now this was a challenge for me to have that much faith and trust in God to answer this prayer knowing how impossible it sounds. BUT with God anything is possible.

Couple days later a great friend of mine called me, I was on the way to class when she sternly said, “Avery come to the technology department now! One of the advisors has an extra scholarship to hand out to a student who had a 3.2 or higher GPA so I gave them your name.” I went straight to the advisor and they checked my status to make sure I was eligible and said here’s a form that you fill out as scholarship recipient…just date and SIGN at the bottom!!!

And on top of that I received a scholarship every semester till I graduated, which was May 2008 with summa cum laude honors. I was soo overjoyed. So don’t under-estimate the Power of God and the Power of Prayer and remember while praying be specific. Thank You Jesus!! God Bless you all!

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Circle of Prayer

Circle of Prayer is a ministry of the American Bible Society, a Christian ministry that has been engaging people with the life-changing message of God’s Word for nearly 200 years.

Also check out our Bible Search and Scripture journeys tools.

Story posted on Friday, June 4th, 2010 and is filed under Hope, Your Stories, Struggles. | No Comments »

God is the ONLY solution

In view of all this, what can we say? If God is for us, who can be against us?

[Romans 8:31 GNT]

Emily says:

As a sixteen year old who has suffered depression and overcame three years as a cutter, I believe that God heals all wounds! Psalm 147:3 says, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” It has been almost a year without having a blade touch my skin and amazingly, I do not have any more scars! They have disappeared, no medicine, no science can do that…only GOD!

I don’t think I could ever explain to you how alone, how abandoned I felt, leading up to the things that I did. The one thing I found out though is that God is the only answer, the only solution to my problem. I still have problems with trust and being close to people. However, I have never in my life felt closer to God than I do now. God is my one friend that I can always depend on. Nothing I can do will ever take His love away, even when everyone else has left me.

If it wasn’t for God, I don’t know if I would have ever stopped cutting. I don’t even know if I would be alive! I think it is important for every single person to develop a relationship with Jesus Christ and establish him as your personal LORD and SAVIOR! He will never leave you no matter what, and if you have him, you don’t need anyone else.

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Circle of Prayer

Circle of Prayer is a ministry of the American Bible Society, a Christian ministry that has been engaging people with the life-changing message of God’s Word for nearly 200 years.

Also check out our Bible Search and Scripture journeys tools.

Story posted on Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010 and is filed under Sadness, Hope, God's Love, Your Stories, Struggles. | 1 Comment »

Faith after losing my job

So then, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message comes through preaching Christ.

[Romans 10:17 GNT]

Lyle P. says:

When I lost my job, I found out that my faith was really in myself and not in God – and that the only way to build a real faith in Jesus is through His Word.

I am a middle-aged, middle-class male, raised in a Christian family and happily married with 4 wonderful children. Like many people, I sometimes struggled with doubt and sin but felt like I generally had my life together, with a strong faith that could withstand difficulties.

Until my job ended. Then, my security fell apart, my bucolic suburban bubble was popped, and I was forced to confront my own mortality, fears and self perception – at the same time that my kids were hitting their teenage years. I was struggling to hold things together, while still modeling to them a trust in the Lord – as my savings were dwindling rapidly.

My faith was at a low ebb. I was fearful. But then my new faith was born, one which has come not from vague sentiments or feelings or my own strength but rather is anchored in the person of Jesus as revealed through his own book, the Bible. His Word tells me of a loving person who lived a consistent life, regardless of circumstances, and talks repeatedly about an accessible God who can be trusted and who wants to give me peace. And His Love is changing my life from one filled with fear and regret to one built on a real, revealed faith built on His Word.

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Circle of Prayer

Circle of Prayer is a ministry of the American Bible Society, a Christian ministry that has been engaging people with the life-changing message of God’s Word for nearly 200 years.

Also check out our Bible Search and Scripture journeys tools.

Story posted on Tuesday, June 1st, 2010 and is filed under Hope, Bible, Your Stories, Struggles. | 3 Comments »