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I'm a New Creation

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

[2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV]

Toni writes:

When I rededicated my life to Christ in Jan. 1994, 2 Cor. 5:17 was the first verse I memorized.

It’s special to me because it assures me that I’ve been forgiven and made new in Christ.

When I decided to make Jesus my Savior and Lord, my life changed for the better. It didn’t happen overnight, it was a process, but it happened.

I don’t have to live in the past of sin and death anymore. I have been created new and am continuing to learn and go forward in the things of God.

As a sinner I lived a life that was fulfilling to me. I thought I knew what I wanted, but in all actuality I really didn’t know. I made bad decisions and suffered the consequences of them.

When I was six years old, my mother and father divorced. I was angry, became bitter and had unforgiveness in my heart. I didn’t want to ever get married or have children when I grew up. I started to experience alcohol and would have become a teenage drunk.

I truly believe the prayers of my maternal grandmother were heard and the mercies of God were upon my life. I moved to live with my grandparents, which was the best move for me. I received godly influence from my grandmother at that point.

I believe this verse of scripture (2 Cor. 5:17) really put my life in perspective when I read it, heard it, and meditated on it.

I was renewed in the spirit of my mind. I put on the mind of Christ Jesus.

My confidence and self esteem increased a great deal after reading God’s word. The word of God is life changing and is still changing my life today.

I now have been married for seventeen years and am the mother of a beautiful daughter. I have co-pastored a ministry and now am assistant pastor, along with my husband, of a great church.

I thank God for the power of His word. There are so many scriptures that have impacted my life, but 2 Cor. 5:17 is my favorite as a true believer.

Story posted on Monday, May 12th, 2008 and is filed under Praise, Bible, Hope, Drugs & Alcohol, Your Stories, Struggles, Divorce & Marital Conflict, Conversions, Life Verse. | 1 Comment »

From Homelessness to Salvation

I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

[Philippians 4:13 NIV]

Richard H. writes:

I am a 56-year-old divorced man living in Florida.

I had a really messed up childhood, starting at the age of 3, when I was adopted. I felt unloved and unwanted from the very beginning, which resulted in a lot of trouble at school, in the service, and in my marriage of 12 years to my high school sweetheart, who divorced me in 1979.

I could not hold down a job. Every job I would get I would get fired or quit for one reason or another — but the real reason was drugs and alcohol.

Eventually I lost my apartment because I could not pay rent and ended up being on the street homeless. I stayed that way for 4 years.

I thought my life was over, and I contemplated suicide many times, but I didn’t want to go to hell so I decided against it. But I was extremely miserable and had no friends.

I finally got out of the homeless camp and broke into a warehouse, where I lived in a 12×12 room.

One night I was sitting outside my warehouse, drunk as could be, when a man leaving the corner bar came walking down my street. As he approached, I saw myself in him.

This part is hard to explain, but I will do the best I can. As he got closer, I started to weep and I cried out, “God! Help me! I cannot keep going this way! Just take me out of here! I don’t want to live any more!”

And for 20 minutes or so I wept on my knees till I was exhausted. Then I got up and flopped myself down on the old broken-down couch I used for a bed and drifted off to sleep.

At six o’clock in the morning, I was awakened by someone calling my name, “Richard, Richard, Richard, you
must stop drinking, you must stop smoking, and you must go back to church.”

And as he said that, a feeling of warm liquid flowed through my body, starting from my head to the bottoms of my feet, and I yelled out, “Thank you, Jesus!”

I knew instantly that Jesus Christ had healed me, and this was before I knew what any of this meant. But I knew that I would never need drugs or alcohol ever again! I knew it!

He put a love into me so amazing that there are no words to express it. He totally turned my whole life around.

I put my trust in him and asked him to lead me to the church he wanted me to be a member of, and he did. I asked him to find me a home and a job, and he did.

And the good news is I have never looked back. I have the same job and go to the same church that he led me to.

But that is not the best news. The best news is I know where I am going now when I leave this world — I’m going to heaven. And I know why I am here, and it’s to serve him — and I do with all my heart.

He is real! And if you don’t know him, I implore you to get to know him. He waits for you with open arms. He will be the best friend you will ever have, and he loves you very much.

God bless you! And thank you for taking the time to read my testimony.

And if you know of anyone who needs to hear this, please don’t wait! Send it to them. This might be the last chance they will have to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal savior.

Story posted on Friday, May 9th, 2008 and is filed under Drugs & Alcohol, Loneliness, Praise, God's Love, Hope, Your Stories, Conversions, Grace, Struggles, Divorce & Marital Conflict, Suicide, Life Verse. | 1 Comment »

Derek Webb: God’s in Control [3:05]

Derek Webb seeks comfort during crisis by reading the story of Joseph. Even when he thinks God is totally out of control in a situation, this story helps him realize that God is always in control even when we don’t understand the processes.

Story posted on Friday, May 9th, 2008 and is filed under Video Stories, Struggles. | 1 Comment »

Thanks to Jesus, My Life Turned Around

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

[1 Peter 4:12-14 NIV]

Melissa writes:

Well it has been a year since I met my savior, the one who helps me get through life! Jesus.

My life before I met Jesus sucked, it really did. I used to go out every Saturday night, get drunk, drive in random cars, all the while my mom was thinking I was at a friend’s house asleep in bed.

I used to always get in fights with friends, and life wasn’t good at all. I started hanging with people a year ahead of me; those were the people I’d get drunk with. I just wasn’t complete and didn’t know where I was heading in life.

Then october last year my friend had her baptism, and I went and watched. I felt something in that church - I felt the love, hope and faith that there was through all the people.

That night was the start of my journey.

Although of course the journey was not easy. It took three more weeks to get back into the church. It took seven weeks to give my life to God and like ten weeks to start actually making friends.

My school friends didn’t understand my choice and my decision. They hated me going to church. After a while they ditched me.

I felt like everything was dropping from beneath me. I was wondering why God was doing this.

I got home one day and was crying. My youth leader texted me and said, “Look in the Bible I gave you, it has all the answers.”

So I sat there on my bed and opened it up to 1 Peter 4:12-19, which is a scripture about suffering for being a new Christian. And I mean it was all about how God gives us trials to see how we handle situations and how we get through them.

A week after I found that scripture, everything went better. I found new friends, who believed in what I was doing, and everything was great.

I believe that that night on my bed, when I found that scripture, God was speaking to me. He doesn’t have to speak through words of mouth, but he spoke to me through scripture, and I’m forever grateful for that.

My life a year after has changed so much, I can’t believe it. My family and friends have noticed.

I know pretty much everyone at church. I’m in the band, and I do kids camps for unfortunate children. I do kids transport to school, and I don’t get drunk on Saturday nights.

I go to the best youth group in the world, and I’ve got the best leaders and mentors, who are pretty much my family - I couldn’t live without them.

I’m planning on getting baptized myself in March next year. And, well, for my relationship with God, well, I’m still learning. But I’ve learned so much already! I love him. He’s my world. He died for me, and I’m so pleased about how my life is.

I still have hard times, but there are many more good times than bad.

Story posted on Wednesday, April 30th, 2008 and is filed under Praise, Bible, Drugs & Alcohol, Your Stories, Verses, Conversions, Struggles. | 3 Comments »

God Can Use Sickness for His Glory

When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

[John 11:4 KJV]

Kim I. writes:

God can take sickness and use it for His glory. He can take the trials of life and turn it for good, no matter what the problem or circumstances. God is bigger and able to use it and you to bring glory to himself.

For 18 years I was strung out on crack cocaine. I was half way out of my mind and just about to give up all hope of being delivered.

My family was tired of me and shutting me out of their lives. I even had grown tired of myself. I remember crying and asking God if He could do anything for me!

I was sick. I was tired mentally and physically.

Then one day when I went to go purchase some drugs, I got into a heated argument with the dealer and was shot in the chest at point-blank range with a 38 caliber hand gun.

As I was driving away to get help, blood was running everywhere and I knew I was dying. At that moment I began to call on Jesus to save me! I asked Him to come into my life. I was scared of going to hell!

I passed out and woke up in the hospital with the bullet laying near the lower vertebrate of my spine. After seventeen days in the hospital, the doctor released me in this condition.

My sister picked me up and took me to church, where I received prayer. Four hours after getting home, I began to cough. And on the third cough, I felt something hit me in the mouth. It was the bullet! Hallelujah!!

I thank the Lord for Jesus … not just for the miracle of healing and deliverance, but for the miracle of salvation!

This sickness was not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby!

Story posted on Friday, April 11th, 2008 and is filed under Bible, God's Love, Hope, Praise, Drugs & Alcohol, Struggles, Conversions, Your Stories, God's Sovereignty. | 3 Comments »

God Delivered Me From Alcoholism

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

[Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV]

A. Clark writes:

My story is of God’s deliverance, healing power and restoration in my life. It’s about his love.

God delivered me from 20 years of alcoholism and pornography. Between 1985 and 2005 I was just out there. I always had a good job, and some people thought I was a nice guy (they didn’t know). But, I was always high or drunk.

As I look back, there was no real stability in any area of my life. John chapter 15 helped me understand what I was missing.

In August of 2007, I started feeling very tired; I was unable to conduct my regular activities and started having chest pains.

In September I went in to see my doctor. My EKG and stress test came back negative. With the symptoms continuing, the doctor suggested that an angiogram be performed because my symptoms sounded like a heart attack.

Their findings were that two arteries of my heart were blocked. A main artery was 99% blocked and the second, a smaller artery, had 80% blockage. My doctor described my situation as, “A major heart attack waiting to happen at any time.”

Stents were used to open up the arteries. There was no heart damage. The doctors’ explanation of why I didn’t have a heart attack was because of a collateral circulation that took place within me.

Collateral circulation?? Collateral circulation provides alternate routes of blood flow to the heart in cases when the heart isn’t getting the blood supply it needs.

The Doctor told me that I was lucky. I told him “No!!! That’s God!!!”

A Life of abundance has been given to all that will receive it through Jesus Christ. All sickness – healed. No more of the walking dead. The darkness can be lifted.

John 14:12-15: I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. If you love me, you will obey what I command.

Restoration of my relationships, opportunities, dreams, hopes, purpose and health has begun. I thank God I’m getting to KNOW Him more and discovering, developing and distributing my God-given gifts/talents and becoming all that He intended me to be.

Story posted on Wednesday, April 9th, 2008 and is filed under Bible, God's Love, Hope, Praise, Drugs & Alcohol, Verses, Conversions, Your Stories, Struggles. | 2 Comments »

Finding My Identity, Growing In Self-Esteem

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

[Psalm 139:13-14 NIV]

Abby, our program manager, writes:

The other night I caught myself cleaning the house, and during one of my many breaks, a song by Ginny Owens came on called “True Story.” It’s one of my favorites, but I hardly ever really listened to the lyrics.

The chorus melted my heart. I must admit, it made me say “Oh wow.”

You see my imperfections
Still You say I’m a masterpiece
A marvelous reflection
The image of Yourself in me
You paint with strokes of grace
Undoing my disguise
You say beauty lies in the true story

She nailed it right on! God sees all my imperfections: my stubborn mind, my doubting heart, my constant learning soul. Through it all, He sees His reflection.

He takes every label that I have placed on myself and slowly but surely He peels them apart till they are no more.

As a young child I dealt with self-esteem issues. Daughter of parents who were immigrants, I didn’t speak fluent English until the age of 11, my hair was a frizz ball and my clothes were often hand-me-downs.

In my parents attempt to have me in the best schools possible, I was always in schools where little girls had the latest brand-name clothing, had perfect smooth hair and could speak more than English, but also French.

As I grew older and was finally able to tame my wild hair, learn English to the point it became my first language and had a part time job where I was able to buy some clothes for school … I learned that I was never the daughter of immigrants, but the daughter of a mighty King.

It took me a bit to accept that. Geesh, I still deal with it today! It’s something that on a daily basis I have to remind myself of … that I have a God who loves every curl on my head, and then some. Amazing isn’t it?

Story posted on Friday, April 4th, 2008 and is filed under Team Corner, God's Love, Praise, Your Stories, Struggles. | 5 Comments »

Healing and Becoming God's Child

“Listen to me, all who hope for deliverance — all who seek the Lord! Consider the rock from which you were cut, the quarry from which you were mined. Yes, think about Abraham, your ancestor, and Sarah, who gave birth to your nation. Abraham was only one man when I called him. But when I blessed him, he became a great nation.”

[Isaiah 51:1-2 NLT]

Sandie O. writes:

I have struggled my whole life to feel any worth and to believe that anything good could come from me.

I was abused almost my whole childhood, much by my father, and so I was terrified of God the Father. The idea of being a Bride of Christ and having an intimate relationship with Him was something I couldn’t get past.

So I was unable to trust God enough to truly come to Him so that He could free me from these lies in my life.

I knew in my head that God loved me because it was what I was told, so I kept searching God’s Word and seeking its Truth. The more and more I read the promises and truths that God had for me, and learned the character of our wonderful Lord and Redeemer, the more I began to trust Him and allow Him to work in my life.

The more I learned about Him, the more I wanted to know Him, and I sought more earnestly to have a truly intimate relationship with Him. God freed me from the lies of Satan, and gave me His Truth instead.

I still struggled with feeling worthy and useful. First because of the scars of the abuse, and then because my life as I knew it was taken away from me because of Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

The ways I was working and serving were no longer possible. I really wanted to just give up on everything.

Then I found the verses in Isaiah 51:1-2, and God showed me that He uses simple people to do great things in His Kingdom. If I would place my hope in Him, He would deliver me and bless me.

Even in my physical weakness and inabilities, even though I had a dark past, God could and would move past all of that.

God is bigger than anything in my life, and He will move and use me if I make myself available to Him. It is in our
weakness that God moves the best.

The Bible is my rock. When the storms in my life rage around me and try to pull me under, I have this rock to cling to.

The Bible gives me the promises and the Truth of who God is, who He created me to be, and how He will move through me and use me to do great things for Him. I just need to be available, open and obedient to Him.

Story posted on Wednesday, March 26th, 2008 and is filed under Bible, God's Love, Hope, Praise, Your Stories, Verses, Conversions, Struggles. | 2 Comments »

Why Did My Cousins Die?

For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.

[Psalm 24:22 NIV]

Sarah B. writes:

I can’t forget something that happened a long time ago. One of my cousins died about 9 years ago when she was just a teenager, and I was mad at God for the longest time. But I still did everything that a church-going girl would do.

Now this past January of 2008, my cousin who was just 20 years old died from a car crash.

Why did this happen to my family twice? Why, why, why? I don’t understand.

I saw the fruit (the good things) that came out of my cousin dying 9 years ago: It brought her whole family to know Jesus as their personal savior. But now what? Why did my other cousin have to die?

It is just pushing my aunt and uncle further and further away from God.

Why did these things happen?

Thanks for listening,
a girl with many questions that need to be answered

Story posted on Wednesday, March 12th, 2008 and is filed under Death, Sadness, Your Stories, Conversions, Struggles. | 4 Comments »

Lincoln Brewster: Don’t Worry [1:41]

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

[Matthew 6:27 NIV]

Before becoming a Christian, Lincoln Brewster worried a lot. One day he picked up a Bible and read the verse, “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” (Matt 6:27)

▼ Show

Story posted on Wednesday, March 12th, 2008 and is filed under Bible, Lincoln Brewster, Video Stories, Verses, Struggles, God's Sovereignty. | No Comments »