I Wanted to Find the One True God

Mala grew up in a religion that believed in many gods but didn’t entertain her questions. As an adult, she had more questions—and wanted answers.

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As a little girl, I always asked my mom, “There [are] so many different gods, who is really the true God? Why [are] there so many? What [do] the different gods represent? When it came to the Hinduism and with the different gods, we were told sometimes, “Don’t ask any questions, just do what we tell you.”

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Stories of Faith

My name is sister Mala Hatman. I was born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago. I’m 42 years old. We were raised with a Hinduism religion. My mom taught me about praying. You pray to God and you ask God for His help, and God will help you. He will see you through.

We would go to our regular Sunday worship in the temple. I always asked my mom, “Well, there [arer] so many different gods. You know, who is really the true God? What [do] the different gods represent?” Every time I asked my mom, they would just redirect us.

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Mala Hatman
Former Hindu

They wouldn’t really, fully give us an answer of what the different gods [are] for, why we’re worshipping them and why we’re doing the things we do. When it came to the Hinduism and with the different gods, we were always told “Hey, you’re a child, don’t ask any questions. Just do what we tell you.”

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“Who is Really The True God?”

On March 12, 1991, I moved here when I was 14 about to turn 15, in Jacksonville, Florida. It was a really big challenge because you’re coming from a different world, entering another different world where English was not my first language.

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“Make Your Own Choices”

I started to get older in age, I started to ask even more questions.

“Do we still have to continue with the religion?” And then my parents said, “As we [get] older, we can make our own choices.” As I got older, I started to question learning in a different world for me. There’s so many different religions out there. Just by learning from everyone, I would ask their opinion. “Well, what do you do at your church?” And there [were] so many different answers, so I got a little puzzled [and] a little confused. It seemed like they didn’t know what was the right thing for themselves as well. So, I just continued to just learn more and just proceed.

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“I’d Like to Go to A Church Where I Can Learn”

I was invited by my husband’s sister. We were invited by Southpoint here in Jacksonville. We attended several Sundays. I asked myself, “There’s something that I’m looking for, I’m looking for something that serves purpose.” We would go [on] Sundays, even though they read from the Bible, I felt like, I’m going to church but I’m serving no purpose. I’d like to go to a church where I can learn Bible lessons myself.

I never knew who God was just coming from Hinduism. I knew that there were so many different gods, I didn’t know: How do we pray to God? What does God want us to know? What should we know?

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“So Many Questions”

It was April 16th that I met my husband. Our first date was at the movies. We started to get to know each other more and we decided that, you know, we would like to get married one day and have a family. So, after a year we got engaged. The church that we got married [in], Lakewood Presbyterian Church. When we got married there, we got involved with the church there. I actually got baptized at [the] Lakewood Presbyterian Church. After it was complete, I asked my husband, I said, “Are we supposed to feel anything?” I was looking for something but it was not there.

I had so many questions in my head and one of my questions was [about] offering. They would start at one end and then you would have to pass the bucket to the next person beside you. And I was a little curious. ‘What really happens to your offering?’. I was really confused. I got frustrated. And so I kind of gave up for a little while. I asked myself, “Well, these questions are not being answered so what am I supposed to do? What is the next thing that I should do?”

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“What Happens After You Die?”

After my dad had passed away, my brothers and my sister, we all sat in their home. And I asked my brother, Anthony, He is, at the time, a member of the Church Of Christ. We had a three-hour conversation. We also talked about what happens to you after you die. And so by the conversation, just listening, it intrigued my mind.

At the time, with my dad’s passing. I felt so empty. You know, there [were] so many questions and “Where do I go from here? What is it going to take to help me find my way and to have comfort?” So, I asked my brother and his wife. I said, “Well, can I go back to church with you?” And he said, ”Sure.” and I said “Okay, well the next time you have a Bible lesson, I will go with you.” Anthony is the one that introduced me to the Church Of Christ.

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“Where I Belong”

I remember when I asked my brother to go to church with him to a Bible lesson. I remember the exact minister that preached the Bible lesson. He also was here to pray for my dad as well when he was in the hospital. And I remembered when I sat down and I heard Lesson Two. “Who Is The True God?” When I heard the lesson, after I heard the complete lesson, my heart felt at ease. When [the minister] mentioned who is the true God [who] is the Father in Heaven, I told myself, “Wow, this is just beyond everything.” I told myself, “Well, why did I not hear this before?” I felt as if I was robbed. I said, “Why did I not know these things before?” There was only one true God in heaven. There is no other God than Him.

After I heard Lesson Two, I already knew that I wanted to sign up and listen to the twenty-eight lessons. I felt at the moment [that] I wanted to be part of the Church. This is where I belong.

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Mala Hatman
A member of the Church Of Christ

When I heard offering, the lesson for offering, what really happens to your offering—it just brought tears to my eyes because I found out that your offering is used in different ways. And hearing that the offering is used for [houses] of worship, I told myself, “Well, there’s nothing more beautiful than just hearing that”, I felt secured. I felt satisfied. I felt like all the questions that I [had] in my head, they were being answered. The questions that I [had], there were answered every time. Not just [through the] Bible lessons but attending the worship service.

I even went home and I told my husband, “I found a new Church and I’m really happy with it.” I said, “Would you like to [come]?”, he was hesitant about it. “You know if you want to come, you’re welcome to. But if not, that’s your choice but I’m going to join the Church whether you like it or not.”

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“The Best Thing That’s Ever Happened To Me”

As I was going through the Bible lessons, I remember coming home and my mom and my sister said, “Well, we noticed a change in you.” And I said, “Well, you should come to Church with me, this is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I’m really happy.” I introduced the [Church Of Christ] to him, my husband. He thought, “It’s just a Filipino church.” I said, “I’m not Fillipino but I’m joining the Church.” The Church is for all, God wants everyone to join the Church. And he went and did his own research while I shared the website. And at the time, he wasn’t sure, but I said “We’ll, just still try it. We will share something that is so great. It will help our relationship.” And we did. We had lessons online. We would talk to the minister and I said, “You see, When there’s a will, there’s a way.” God will find a way for us to hear everything that we need to know.

After he finished his lessons, I just thought that was the happiest thing ever. We went to Orlando for his baptism and I asked him and said “Don’t do it because of me or anyone. Do it for yourself and do it for God.” And he said, “Yes, this is what [I] wanted.”

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Mala And Her Husband Weyman Were Baptized in The True Church Of Christ

Mala Hatman
A member of the Church Of Christ

Every time I hear a Bible lesson or a worship service, you know, it’s like God truly is standing in front of you and He’s telling you what you’re supposed to do. You know, God has truly blessed me with the understanding and now that I’ve heard the truth, it’s what gets me through every day. Maybe if there’s a tough day in life—which there [are], and there [are] going to be. This is something that you have to hold on to. Something to inspire you. Something to move you.

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This Precious Gift

God has given me this precious gift that I can never find anywhere else. This is once in a lifetime. It’s something that I will take and treasure until the day I’m with God.

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Stories Of Faith

INCMedia Services
© All Rights Reserved 2020

Why Did God Create Us?

We are here for a reason and God created us for a specific purpose. Get clarification on what God’s plan is in creating man through the words of the Bible

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[Show open]

[Music starts]

Brother Bob Pellien: Do you ever think about what your purpose in life is? Or why did God create us? What is God’s plan for us? Well, with the help of the Bible, we’ll find out what God’s plan is for us all. You’re listening to the podcast version of God’s Message Magazine, and today’s topic is “God’s Plan In Creating Man.”

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It is a widely acknowledged religious belief that God created all men. But some people, the atheists and the agnostics so called deny and doubt respectively, that God created them. Despite this negative attitude towards the Creator, the truth remains, God created mankind. Unfortunately, a lot of people are not aware of God’s plan in creating man and not even interested to know about it. So what is God’s purpose in creating man? Ephesians 1:4 states:

Even as [in his love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before him in love.

[Ephesians 1:4 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: According to Apostle Paul, God has chosen man, even before the foundation of the world to be holy, and without blame before Him in love. Why does God expect love from mankind? Because he had already created one who was perfect, the anointed cherub, who lifted up his heart or exalted himself by wanting to be God, and covet God’s place and power, instead of being dependent on him. That’s in Ezekiel 28: 14-17. Isiah also records in chapter 14 verses 13 and 14. What then did God do so that man would depend on Him for His love to be manifested? Matthew 26:41 states:

Stay awake and pray that you won’t be tested. You want to do what is right, but you are weak.

{Matthew 26:41 Contemporary English Version]

Brother Bob: God made men weak. What then became a man as a result of his being weak?

For God has made all men prisoners of disobedience, so as to have mercy upon them all.

{Romans 11:32 Goodspeed Translation}

Brother Bob: All people have disobeyed God, and that’s why he treats them as prisoners. But he does this so that he can have mercy on all of them. That’s Romans 11:32 CEV rendition of the Holy Scriptures. The proof that all men, except for our Lord Jesus Christ became prisoners of disobedience is that all men sinned. I Peter 2:21 and 22. What punishment would be, will be meted out to whoever commits sin, because of his weak nature? Romans 6:23 states, thus:

For the wages of sin is death.

[Romans 6:23 ASV]

Brother Bob: The death awaits those who commit sin. Is it only the cessation of our breath, which will complete God’s punishment? Revelation 20:14 gives us the answer I “Death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” The second death in the lake of fire is the fullness of God’s punishment. Therefore, man by himself is hopeless, and helpless. What did God do? Because men were created weak and are prone to commit sin, and consequently suffer eternal damnation in the lake of fire. Romans 5: 8-9 states:

But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us.

[Romans 5: 8-9 AMPC]

Brother Bob: Therefore, since we are now justified, acquitted, made righteous and brought into the right relationship with God, by Christ’s blood. How much more certain is it, that we shall be saved by him from the indignation and wrath of God? God gave Christ and made him the manifestation of His love to us. He will, that Christ died for us so we can be justified through his blood. How can men be justified by the blood of Christ? In Romans 6:5, this is written, “For since we have become one with him in dying as he did. In the same way. We shall be one with him by being raised to life as he was.” If we shared Jesus’s death. By being baptized we will be raised to life with him.

Man ought to become one with Christ in His death, to be justified. What procedure is prescribed by God for man who wishes salvation to become part of Christ? Ephesians 2:10 declares,

For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus [born anew] that we may do those good works, which God predestined, (planned beforehand) for us, taking paths which he prepared ahead of time, that we should walk in them, [living the good life which she rearranged and made ready for us to live.]

[Ephesians 2:10 AMPC]

Brother Bob: According to God’s own way men must be created in Christ. That is what he had ordained. This is his plan in creating man. How can man be created in Christ?

By abolishing in his flesh, the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two of us making peace.

[Ephesians 2:15 New International Version]

Brother Bob: So the one new man is composed of Christ being the head, and the body, the church, Colossians 1:18 states, “And he is the head of the body, the church.” So the church is the Church Of Christ. Romans 16:16 Membership therein means then being part of Christ’s body. That’s How Men can be created in Christ. Therefore, it is God’s purpose for men to be in the Church Of Christ. This is in fact the manifestation of His love to mankind. This is the scheme by which men can be saved from the punishment of all sinners. Thus, we shouldn’t blame God for His having created men weak and fallible. We cannot even accuse Him of being unjust because He already provided us Christ and His Church as the scheme of salvation and the remedy for frailty.

So, if one refuses the Church Of Christ, and to become holy, would be impossible for him. Rejection of the church is totally against God’s plan of creating men. What is Christ’s invitation to everyone who wishes salvation?

I am the door. If any man enters in by me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and will find pasture.

[John 10:9 Conservative Version]

Brother Bob: Man should heed Christ’s call. Enter in by him. What happens when one enters in through Christ? Again:

Now you [collectively] are Christ’s body and [individually] you are members of it, each part separately and distinct [each with his own place, and function]

[1 Corinthians 12:27 Amplified Bible]

Brother Bob: One enters Christ by becoming a member of his body. The body referred to is the church, the Church Of Christ. Colossians 118:20-28. Therefore the Church Of Christ is indispensable for the attainment of salvation. Why should all men strive to become members of the Church Of Christ? What evil consequence should befall those who refuse to join the Church Of Christ?

The words of Jesus, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abides in me and I in him, that same brings forth much fruit for without me, you can do nothing.

[John 15:5 The Good News Bible]

Brother Bob: Christ said that unless man abides in him and Christ abides in men, men can do nothing. What is it that men cannot do outside the Church Of Christ?

Remain in me and I will remain in you no branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

{John 15:4 NASB}

Brother Bob: If one is not in Christ or does not abide in Christ or in his church, he cannot bear fruit. What fruit can anyone not bear if he does not abide in Christ, or is not in Christ’s body or Church Of Christ?

Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

{Philippians 1:11. King James Version]

Brother Bob: So the fruit that one cannot bear, if he’s not in the Church Of Christ is the fruit of righteousness or holiness. This one cannot be holy and eventually cannot be saved from the horrible end on the Day of Judgment unless he is in the Church Of Christ. This is the evil of not being in the Church Of Christ. It is therefore imperative that for men to become holy and attain salvation, he must be a member of the Church Of Christ. Because it is in this church where men can be sanctified, which is God’s plan in creating man. So let us bind ourselves and begin to walk in the right path God offers us to make this plan a reality and become members of the Church Of Christ. Only then, can we be sure that our faith will not be eternal damnation in the lake of fire. But life everlasting in the kingdom of God.

To find more articles like these, get your copy of God’s message magazine, from a member of the Church Of Christ. You can also find the podcast version, on INCmedia.org. Thank you for listening. I’m Brother Bob Pellien. God bless!

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Congrats to the Graduating Class of 2020

Dear Class of 2020 (or, as some have begun to call it, “Class of COVID-19”),

Hi. I’m Denise. University of California, Davis, Class of 2006. Sociology major with a minor in Education. University of Phoenix, Class of 2011. Master’s degree in Psychology.

I remember being where you are right now, having completed an undergraduate and graduate degree. You’re at the cusp of what many believe is “adulthood.” The last few years were spent in preparation for the door to open to your dreams on the other side. How exciting!

Or, maybe not.

2020: the year that has yet to start. The year of the novel coronavirus. The year dreams are put on hold, and the world embraces the “elbow bump.”

You began this year with high hopes and, now, unable to cross the stage in celebration, you face the task of searching for a job during a pandemic AND a recession. Those of you who had jobs lined up, or had hoped to travel, are now uncertain. On top of the general anxiety about graduating college, you have these added fears that no one could have predicted when you started your senior year back in the Fall (2019 seems ages ago! I don’t even know what day it is today.)

Jessica Robinson, who graduated from the University of Melbourne, Victoria, SA in Mechanical Engineering, had her own college senior fears. “…even if there will be any job opportunities, the competition will be so high that it will be nearly impossible for freshers like me to sail through it. However hard I try to keep myself motivated, the sad reality of today pulls me down.”

Chase Devens of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, saw his living situation was affected. “My original plan was to live with friends in Chicago, which may not happen anymore due to the pandemic. No one is willing to sign to live anywhere at the moment because we don’t know how long the effects of the pandemic are going to last,” says Devens.

Advice for the Class of 2020

While the circumstances you face are extraordinary, you may find it useful to gain some perspective from people who have tread the waters of the post-grad world before you, and didn’t let uncertainty or failure define them:

“My original plan after college was to work for a year then go back to school. But I didn’t get accepted to school when I first applied, so I had to take a few more gap years. But because of the extra gap years, I was able to get more life experiences—move cross country, travel, spend more time at Church. I never would have gotten these experiences if what I originally planned happened. Making plans is important, but being flexible despite uncertainty is even more important.”

Kelvin Moncera

Class of 2014 University of Maryland, Microbiology

Currently studying to be a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences

“Don’t think you have to have it all figured out when you graduate. Pray to God for guidance, and that whatever path you take will allow you to still worship Him. Don’t worry so much about how much money you make because the pressure and motivation might cloud judgment. What is more important is [using the money you do have wisely]. God will always provide as long as we put Him first in our decision making. And sometimes when opportunities fall through, it is because He has something greater in store, so patience is key.”

Natasha Esguerra

Class of 2005 Princeton, Ecology

“Remember there is much power in resilience. There is a strong chance you will work hard for something, and despite all your talent, skill, and will, you still won’t get it. The ability to get back up and not doubt yourself or the process can be so powerful. Many of the best assets of your character will come through practice, and that includes practicing how to fail and how to pick yourself back up again.”

Eileen Dagdag

Class of 2010 CSU East Bay, double major in Sociology and Interpersonal Communication

Class of 2014 UC Davis, MA in Education

Trust God with your plans

Eileen may be on to something there. Both resilience and perseverance do guarantee some degree (see what I did there!) of success.

I say this because her advice coincides with what we’ve learned in the study of God’s Words in the worship services recently: how seemingly failed plans are perhaps just tests of faith and how persevering or being resilient during those tests leads to more success than the original plan itself.

The verse in the Bible, I Peter 1:6-7 (NLT), makes this clear:

⁶So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while. ⁷These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold – and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

Moreover, though you may think otherwise, there are still factors under your control: your ability to reach out to people and resources to help you adjust to the current situation of the world, and the source from which you draw strength. The latter packs a more powerful punch than you think. More people now are turning to prayer to help them get through this pandemic and whatever frustrations it brings along.

In lessons taught in recent worship services, we learned from Philippians 4:6 LDB:

Though this pandemic may have put your dreams on hold for the time being, you are not without hope. You will get through this.

As we look forward to the future, always keep in mind the Bible’s teaching that we should not depend on our own understanding, no matter how knowledgeable or educated we may be.

Let’s seek God’s will in everything we do and trust Him with all our heart, confident that He will show us the path to take. The Bible says that in Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT): Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

Interested in learning how God’s words can guide your plans? Set up an online appointment with a minister of the Church Of Christ and let’s start a conversation.

About the Writer:

This blog was written by Denise Alignay with biblical support by Richard Juatco, a Minister of the Gospel of the Church Of Christ. Denise graduated from college online before it was the trend. She enjoys the timeless advice of the Bible for life’s ups and downs. Her other full-time job is bubble blower for her recent preschool graduate and his 1-year-old sister.

Richard Juatco has been an ordained minister in the Church Of Christ (Iglesia Ni Cristo) since 2014.

Can You Prepare for Crisis and Uncertainty?

“When the news about the Coronavirus outbreak started to come out, I was 32 weeks [pregnant]. I was still working at that time, and a lot of things were running through my mind.”

Becoming a first-time mom was nerve-racking already for Adelfa Manguit. But the thought of starting that journey in the middle of a pandemic seemed terrifying.

“Being pregnant, my immune system was compromised, and with the little knowledge we know about the Coronavirus and the risks to pregnant individuals, it was scary.”

But she wasn’t alone in feeling scared.

In March, when news about the spread of the coronavirus intensified, so did searches about prayers.

And with uncertainty spreading just as quickly as the virus, many people were left wondering how you cope with something that feels entirely out of your hands.

Searching for answers in prayer

Maybe you tried Googling for answers? You’re not alone. According to Jeanet Sinding Bentzen, the executive director of the Association for the Study of Religion, Economics, and Culture at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, “Search intensity for prayer doubles for every 80,000 new registered cases of COVID-19.”

But people aren’t just searching about prayer, they’re praying. According to a survey done by Pew Research, 55% of Americans have prayed for the end of COVID.

Among those praying to end COVID were individuals who said they either seldom or never prayed before the pandemic, as well as people who say they do not belong to any religion.

Along with searches about prayer, the popular Bible app YouVersion saw spikes for searches for “fear not” by 299%. The coronavirus has made many rethink aspects of their life, including their belief in God and the Bible.

“I started by searching for a question I never really considered before: ‘Why does God let us feel pain?’ This is something I never considered during the blessedly few and far between moments when I was truly sick, but as this virus is happening on a global scale, I needed answers,” said Patricia Johnson, who identifies herself as a moderate Christian.

During times of uncertainty, as humans, we tend to look for answers. We look for a greater understanding of why things are happening. Many find themselves looking to God for answers. Researchers saw this type of renewed religious commitment in the aftermath of 9/11 and often during times of natural disasters.

This coronavirus pandemic was no different.

“I never really thought much about my belief in God until this pandemic hit, and then I wondered – ‘Why would a supposedly benevolent being allow something like this to happen? What could possibly be the purpose?’” – Patricia.

The pandemic shattered routines and normal lives in a way no one ever expected, leaving many in search of answers and reason.

“Literally, every aspect of our lives had to change so drastically and so fast.” – Madane Bastero, a stay at home mom from Kent, Washington a city just outside of Seattle, where the first outbreak in the US took hold.

As a member of the Church Of Christ, Madane and her family turned to the one place they knew they could find answers.

Finding Answers in A World Lacking Certainty

Twice a week members of the Church Of Christ gather for worship, and to hear God’s words written in the Bible. And while the pandemic disrupted every aspect of their lives, including their ability to gather together in the Iglesia Ni Cristo worship buildings, the ability to listen to God’s teachings twice a week was not disrupted.

It was the one sure thing worshippers like Madane could rely on.

“To be able to still worship, even if it’s at home, gave a sense of normalcy even just for a short moment.”

Even for Adelfa, who was admitted into the hospital twice before giving birth the week the state of Florida went into lockdown, the worship service was the one thing that kept her calm during an already rocky time.

Each time she was admitted, she prayed to be discharged just in time for the worship service, which illustrates just how important it was for her and her husband especially during this time to hear God’s words.

“It is so essential for us to receive God’s words because it is through His words that we obtain the hope and peace that we need. We can gain the strength and fortified faith to face whatever trials and hardships in this life. We are reminded of His promises that in difficult times His love and His protection will keep us safe.

A man and woman in front of a place of worship. A baby wrapped tightly in a blanket with overlay text Hope and Peace. — *Adelfa and Adrian Manguit at the Church Of Christ worship building in Miami weeks before the lockdown. Adelfa gave birth to a healthy baby on April 4, 2020.*

A repeating image of a man and woman smiling with overlay text, Beacon of Hope.

For Richard Carr, a grandfather from Seattle who still had to go into the office during the shutdown, the worship service served as a beacon of hope as the rising death rate in the US left little to be hopeful for.

“Every worship service has a very timely message, and even though we were not at the chapel, where we painfully longed to be, the message was not only comforting, but it was a joy to be able to listen to God’s words.” – Richard Carr, Seattle, Washington.

And for Jennifer Polintan from Rockland, New York, who saw almost every member in her family test positive with the coronavirus, the worship service was not just a source of hope, but something that bound her family together, despite being physically apart, especially when her 76- year old father was rushed to the hospital.

“Being able to connect with the worship services is tremendous. Knowing that they were in the hospital they were still able to hear the words of God and were connected through the preaching.”

Jennifer’s father recovered after being on a ventilator for 12 days. Other members of her family recovered as well. Unfortunately, her mother-in-law who also contracted the virus passed away.

A repeating family photo with overlay text that reads, Stronger.

But the same way the words of God gave them the strength to face the sickness, it was God’s words that gave her and her family comfort during their time of grief.

“There’s going to be good and there’s going to be bad. But it’s always a test of faith. I remember one of the lessons we heard, that this was a test. This was only going to make us stronger.”

What she [my mother-in-law] leaves behind to us is her faith, her legacy. She said [to us] “ I will fight but it’s not as I will but as God wills… That’s what I’m going to remember. And that’s what I want my children to remember when they wonder why this is happening.”

These individuals are like many around the world facing the uncertainty of this pandemic.

Parents trying to homeschool their kids during the pandemic. Grandparents who hoped to spend time watching their grandchildren grow up. People scared to go out because they live in a hot zone. New parents, scared of the prospect of bringing their kids in the world.

And while these ordinary people struggle with the same feelings of loss and grief, the words of God they received during the worship service offers a certainty they could not find anywhere else.

“Worshipping God gives us a sense of security and assurance that, although we can only do so much, God can do so much more.” – Madane

Preparing for the future: An opportunity to change

According to the American Enterprise Institute, 37% of Americans who believe in God say the coronavirus outbreak has made them feel closer to God. But the same researchers aren’t sure how long this renewed religious commitment will last, or if it’s just a human reaction to the uncertainty they’re feeling right now.

As restrictions begin to relax and people work towards recovering some sense of normal life, we’re already seeing searches for prayer level off after spiking in March and April.

Google Trends graph of different prayer terms. — *Source: Google Trends 5/20/2020*

Yet, ask anyone around, there are still a lot of unknowns out there.

A New York Times headline that reads, U.S. Now Has More Known Cases Than Any Other Country, along with a graph below the headline

Is there a way to guarantee that this will be the last pandemic we face? Will the economy bounce back? What will the future look like for you? How will our new normal look like a year from now? Even as we write this, a new type of unrest is taking over the headlines.

While no one can answer these questions with 100% assurance, the words of God can help us face these unknowns and whatever else the future holds, knowing you have the ultimate guide directing your life.

Why do we feel such strength and comfort as we offer worship? Jesus said this:

Verse graphic that reads "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28 NIV

That’s how Madane is making it through. She is thankful for the preparation she receives in the worship service for whatever may come up next in our very uncertain future.

“Thinking back to the [Biblical] lessons before this all took place, they were all so timely. I know there is no such thing as coincidence, I know God was preparing us for this. I also knew that the [Biblical] lessons being taught during these times will address the things we are experiencing and that’s exactly how it’s been.

The [Biblical] lessons have made it “easy” to live through all this scary stuff. I didn’t need to search anywhere else outside the [Biblical] teachings of God taught during the worship services.”

A repeating image of a family with overlay text that reads, Lessons. — *Madane and her family after attending a worship service in Kent, Washington prior to COVID and shelter in place.*

Is this a wake-up call and who is it for?

Some say that this pandemic is a wake-up call—an opportunity for us to reassess our lives and the paths we’re taking. If you’ve gotten this far, perhaps the wake-up call is for you?

Perhaps you’re looking for a way to prepare for the next crisis that comes your way. It doesn’t even have to be another pandemic, a natural disaster, or something big. There are so many difficult things to face in life, perhaps next time you won’t have to go through it alone.

If you’re ready to find out how learning God’s words can help you face whatever life will bring, get in touch with us on incmedia.org, and let’s talk about it.

About the Writer:

This blog was co-written by Renezen Benedicto with biblical support by Bob Pellien, a minister of the gospel of the Church Of Christ.

Renezen is that introvert you probably saw in the corner reading articles on her phone. She worked in Human Resources for over 8 years until she found her true purpose of sharing God’s words to people around the world. When she’s not on her computer or her phone, she’s usually out running in San Francisco or trying something that makes her uncomfortable, like socializing and boxing.

Bob has been an ordained minister in the Church Of Christ (Iglesia Ni Cristo) for over 30 years.

Una Nueva Normalidad En Santiago De Chile

Cuando el coronavirus apaga la mayor parte de Santiago, Chile, los hermanos Cortes equilibran la incertidumbre con su fe en Dios mientras ellos navegan esa nueva normalidad. [As the coronavirus shuts down most of Santiago, Chile, the Cortes siblings balance the uncertainty with their faith in God as they navigate this new normal.]

Show/Hide Transcript

[Apertura del programa]

[Video empieza]

Un montaje de clips de Kevin en su trabajo.

[Video termina]

Kevin Cortes: Estamos viviendo una situación muy difícil. Un cambio de paradigma…

Ha cambiado bastante muchas cosas. La gente tiende tener ese paranoia de que uno tiene coronavirus, o cualquier otra cosa. Hay autos, y gente caminando, pero es mucho menos de lo que era antes. La mayoría de las horas médicas fueron suspendidas y las mayorías de los médicos tienen que hacer como un trabajo de telemedicina.

Thea Cortes: Este es mi último año en el colegio que sería un cuarto medio. Y acá estamos en pensando en cómo voy a pasar mi curso este año.

Krest-Anne Cortes: Yo creo que en este sentido, esta pandemia nos dio la otra faceta de la vida que no conocíamos, es mejor tener un poquito de progreso que tener nada y cómo ayudarle en sentido de que las cosas negativas en cómo hacerlos ver en el lado positivo.

Angélica Fisher (narración): La incertidumbre que rodea al coronavirus ahora está redefiniendo la forma en que vivimos, trabajamos y estudiamos. Jóvenes profesionales y estudiantes como Kevin, Krest y Thea ahora se enfrentan a descubrir cómo navegar en este nuevo mundo. Me reuní con la familia Cortés en línea para hablar con ellos sobre cómo están lidiando con esta situación.

Kevin: Mi nombre completo es Kevin Cortes.

Angélica: Y como usted trabaja en una farmacia, por favor, díganos un poco de cómo se considera su trabajo como un trabajo esencial allí en Chile.

Kevin: Las farmacias no podemos cerrar. Nuestras fuerzas a los pacientes y nuestros usuarios porque somos lo único fuente de información de salud que esté más disponible para la gente en común.

Kevin: Yo vivo ahora aquí en Santiago de Chile. Voy en camino para trabajar en la Farmacia Comunal de San Miguel. Es una farmacia del gobierno de Chile, bajo de la jurisdicción de la corporación municipal de San Miguel. Esta como se ven, cómo cordón de peligro. Muchos accesos de ese parque o se a de ese plaza. Para que los niños especialmente y la gente no los utilice.

[Gráfico en pantalla]

Los días de semana, Kevin viaja de su casa a la farmacia comunitaria en San Miguel para su trabajo principal como asistente de farmacia.

Kevin: Esto es el Plano, o sea, el Plano Red de Metro de Santiago. (Metro: “Próxima Estación, Parque O’Higgins.”) En ese momento, en general, en días normales, esta calle está llena de gente, pero es mucho menos de lo que era antes. Como lo tenemos que hacer siempre, tenemos que desinfectar nuestras cosas, especialmente la mochila, cómo que veníamos de transporte público.

Angélica: A partir del 6 de mayo de 2020, el área más afectada en Chile es la región metropolitana de Santiago, donde se encuentra la capital. Cada fin de semana, Kevin viaja a la región metropolitana para trabajar en una farmacia privada en Las Condes, ayudando a los clientes a mantenerse saludables en medio de la crisis.

Kevin: Eso hoy día, es nuestro equipo de trabajo aquí en Farmacia Ahumada donde trabajo los fines de semana. Está también nuestro guardia de seguridad. Ahí está mi compañera Jessica, la jefa, la química farmacéutico en la farmacia, y mi compañero, Zo. Somos como el otro “front-liner” en esta situación porque, por ejemplo, en general los pacientes que tienen los síntomas del COVID-19 obviamente tienen que recurrir directamente a los Centros de Salud. Pero, hay casos que no son—no son respiratorios. Por ejemplo, dolor de cabeza, o otros problemas. Quizás los podemos solucionar con los medicamentos que no necesitan receta así evitar que recurran a estos centros.

TEXTO: Kevin vive con su familia en casa, donde sus dos hermanas, Krest-Anne y Thea, están lidiando con el impacto de COVID-19 en sus propias vidas. Especialmente en su educación.

Krest: “If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done”. (En Espanol) Esto lo descargue desde la página web de incmedia.org y es perfecto para motivarme cuando estoy estudiando.

Angélica: Con la situación en la que vivimos ahorita, ¿cómo ha cambiado la atmósfera en su vecindad o en la ciudad de donde usted vive?

Krest: Está un poco tensa igual hermana, porque todos tenemos miedos a contagiarnos de esta enfermedad ¿no?

[Gráfico en pantalla]

Krest-Anne es estudiante y estaría completando su tercer año a la Universidad de Chile.

Angélica: ¿Qué tipo de recursos han sido dados a los estudiantes a que ahora estudien en casa? Y ¿qué son cosas todavía no tienen?

Krest: Uno de los como—adversidades? por decirlo, unas complicaciones que tenemos en Chile es que la gran mayoría de las personas no poseen internet estable para poder estudiar. Lamentablemente no tienen sus propios computadores en casa no tienen tablets en donde pueden estudiar y no tienen internet. O sea si tienen datos móviles pero es limitado entonces si vas a estar en clase y en algún momento si es una clase de una hora y se te van a acabar los datos y ya tienes no tienes cómo acceder a las clases online. En mi caso ha sido muy, muy difícil, hermana, siendote sincera, porque mi internet en mi casa se pone poner bastante débil en el sentido de que somos dos estudiantes universitarios que están estudiando al mismo tiempo.

Angélica: En respuesta al virus, el gobierno chileno lanzó “Aprendo en línea”, una plataforma de aprendizaje en línea, que se asegura de que las descargas no agotaría los datos de sus planes. También se distribuyeron materiales impresos de aprendizaje para estudiantes en áreas con poca o ninguna conectividad.

Krest: Estoy leyendo los textos que me mandaron de la universidad para poder estudiar. Una medida que ha tomado el gobierno es que a través de canales de televisión nacionales van a tener programas especiales de estudios para estudiantes. Así de esta forma todos tenemos televisión en nuestra casa y por ejemplo mi hermana pequeña está en High School.

Thea: Este es mi último año en el colegio Y acá estamos en pensando en cómo voy a pasar mi curso este año. Esta situación, aparte de que los sentimos muy frustrados y cómo con tanta ansiedad, sientes como si “¿Qué vas a hacer? ¿Cómo voy a hacer esto?

Krest: Estudiar en la universidad ya es muy difícil, estando en el propio establecimiento; imagínate ahora que estás como sola en decirlo. Estás sola enfrentando todo eso.

Madre: Ese mi favorita pequeñita jardín, ese es mi “stress reliever”.

Krest: Tiene aqui cebollita, tiene cactus. Muchos cactus. Muchas flores. Bugambilias.

Madre: Bugambilias.

Angélica: ¿Qué cree usted con esta pandemia que Dios quiere que aprendamos durante este tiempo?

Kevin: Cada estudiante no solo está preocupando de sus estudios sino también de su familia, de cómo van a sobrevivir especialmente ahora que muchas no pueden trabajar por el tema de la pandemia. Para estar junto con nuestra familia, orar con nuestra familia, y hacer los servicios [de adoración] a pesar de distancia.

Krest: Entonces yo creo que en cierto sentido esta pandemia nos dio como la otra faceta de la vida que no conocíamos. Este es nuestro bella vista que tenemos ahí, como ven ahi el punto que está en medio es Torre Intel. Uno de los torres más emblemáticos o más famoso de Chile.

Angélica: ¿Cuáles son las bendiciones has podido ver durante esta situación?

Krest: Muchas, de hecho uno de muchos bendiciones que he recibido de nuestro señor Dios es que tengo a mi familia sanos y salvos.

Kevin: Últimamente, en los últimos tres años con trabajando en diferentes lugares, también estudiando en la universidad, hasta el momento no sé cómo estoy sobreviviendo, y ahora cómo desde cuando empezó todo esta situación aunque tengo un poquito de miedo. Pero, sé que estoy—que tengo a nuestro Dios a mi lado. Así que me siento que solo tengo que seguir, creyendo en Él, y todas las cosas, yo sé que me va a proteger de cualquier complicaciones o problemas, especialmente de esa pandemia. Sé que todos estos problemas, todos estos dificultades que vamos a experimentar, son las cosas que a nuestro Dios nos da para hacernos como más fuerte, porque los diamantes, los oros o otras—las joyas no son bonitas en su forma pura sino tienen que pasar en diferentes acciones o diferentes, como problemas entre otras cosas para hacerlo brillar, para hacerlo lucir como en su forma que todos conocemos como es una joya.

Angélica: A pesar de que el tiempo en cuarentena se alarga cada vez más, es importante recordar de que esta pandemia va a terminar y que con ello, seremos aún más fuertes. Nosotros podemos depender en nuestro Señor Dios, con Su ayuda. Y por eso, tenemos que aprovechar al máximo este tiempo que tenemos con nuestras familias y nuestros amigos, y juntos, podemos superar esto.

Gracias por ver.

____________________________________________________________________________

A New Normal In Santiago, Chile

[ENGLISH TRANSCRIPT]

Show Opening GFX

Kevin Cortes: We are living in a very difficult situation. A paradigm shift… A lot of things have changed. people tend to have this paranoia that one has the coronavirus or some other thing. There are still cars, and people walking, but it is much less than it was before. Most of the medical hours have been suspended and most of the doctors have to work in telemedicine.

Thea Cortes: This is my last year in school, which would be a half year. Here we are thinking about how I am going to pass my course this year.

Krest-Anne Cortes: In a sense this pandemic gave us another facet of life that we did not know. It is better to have a little progress than to have nothing and how to help you in those negative things in how to do them to see the positive side.

Angelica Fisher: The uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus is now redefining the way we live, work and study. Young professionals and students like Kevin, Krest, and Thea are now faced with figuring out how to navigate this new world. I caught up with the Cortes family from Santiago, Chile, to talk with them about how they are dealing with this situation.

Kevin: My full name is Kevin Cortes.

Angelica: And as you work in a pharmacy, please tell us a little bit how your work is essential there in Chile?

Kevin: Pharmacies cannot close. Our strength to patients and our users is that we are the only source of health information that is most available to ordinary people.

Kevin: I currently live in Santiago, Chile. I am on my way to work at the San Miguel Community Pharmacy. It is a pharmacy of the government of Chile, under the jurisdiction of the municipality of San Miguel. This is how it looks, how there’s a warning barrier. Many entrances to that park or to that plaza. So that kids especially and people can’t use them.

[On-Screen Graphics]

On weekdays, Kevin commutes from his home to the community pharmacy in San Miguel for his first job as a pharmacy assistant.

Kevin: This is the map, that is, the Santiago Metro Network map (Metro: “Next Station, Parque O’Higgins”.) At that time, generally, on normal days, the street is full of people. but it is much less than it was before. Like we always do, we have to disinfect our things, especially the backpack, since we come here by public transportation.

Angelica: As of May 6, 2020, the most affected area in Chile is the metropolitan region of Santiago, where the capital is located. Each weekend, Kevin travels to the metropolitan region to work at a private pharmacy in Las Condes, helping customers to stay healthy in the middle of the crisis.

Kevin: Today, it’s our work team here at Farmacia Ahumada, where I work on weekends. There is also our security guard. There’s my co-worker Jessica, the boss, the pharmacist chemist at the pharmacy, and my co-worker, Zo. We are like the other “front-liner” in this situation because, for example, patients who have the symptoms of COVID-19 obviously have to go directly to the Health Centers. But, there are cases that are not— are not respiratory. For example, headache, or other problems. Perhaps we can solve them with medicines that do not need a prescription so that we can avoid using these centers.

[On-Screen Graphics]

Kevin lives with his family at home, where his two sisters, Krest-Anne and Thea, are dealing with COVID-19’s impact on their lives. Especially on their education.

Krest: “If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done.” (In Spanish) I downloaded this from the incmedia.org website and it is perfect to motivate me when I am studying.

Angie: With the situation like we are living in now, how has the atmosphere in your neighborhood or in the city changed?

Krest: it’s a little tense just like, sister. We are all afraid of catching this disease, right?

VIDEO TEXT: Krest-Anne is a student and would have finished her third year at the University of Chile.

Angelica: What types of resources have they given to students who study at home now? And what things do they not have yet?

Krest: One of the like—adversities? so to speak, some complications we have in Chile is that the vast majority of people don’t have a stable internet to study. Unfortunately, they do not have their own computers at home, they don’t have tablets where they can study and they don’t have Internet. That is, if they have mobile data but it is limited, then if you are going to be in class and at some point if it is a one-hour class and your data is going to run out and you already have no access to your classes online. In my case it has been very, very difficult, sister, I feel sincerely, because internet at home can get quite weak in the sense that we are two university students who are studying at the same time.

Angelica: In response to the virus, the Chilean government launched “Aprendo en línea” (I learn online) an online learning platform, ensuring that downloads would not use up data from their data plans. Printed learning materials were also distributed for students in areas with little to no connectivity.

Krest: I am reading the texts that they sent me from the university to be able to study. One measure the government has taken is that through national television channels they will have special study programs for students, so in this way we all have television in our homes. For example, my little sister is in High School.

Thea: This is my last year in school, and here we are thinking about how I am going to pass my course this year. This situation, apart from how we feel very frustrated and so anxious, you feel like “What are you going to do? How am I going to do this? “

Krest: Studying in the university is already difficult, being in the establishment itself; imagine now that you are alone, to say the least. You are alone facing everything.

Mom: This is my favorite, my little garden, this is my stress reliever.

Krest: It has little onion here, it has cacti. Many cacti. Many flowers.

Mom: Bugambilias.

Angelica: What do you think (during this pandemic) God wants us to learn?

Kevin: Each student is not only worrying about their studies but also about their family, about how to survive, especially that many cannot work due to the pandemic issue. To be together with our family, to pray with our family, and to do [worship] services regardless of distance.

Krest: So in a sense this pandemic gave us the other facet of life that we did not know. This is our beautiful view that we have there, as you can see there the point that is in the middle is Intel Tower. One of the most iconic or famous towers in Chile.

Angelica: What blessings have you been able to see during this situation?

Krest: One of the many blessings that I have received from our Lord God is that I have my family safe and sound.

Kevin: Lately, in the last three years, with working in different places, and also studying at the university, so far I do not know how I am surviving, and now how since when this whole situation began, although I am a little scared. But, I know that I am — that I have our God by my side. I feel that I just have to continue, believing in Him, and all things. I know that He will protect me from any complications or problems, especially from that pandemic. I know that all of these problems, all of these difficulties that we’re going to experience, are the things our God gives us to make us stronger, because diamonds, gold or others — jewels are not pretty in their pure form but they have to go through different actions or different problems, among other things, to make it shine, to make it look like in its form that we all know as a jewel.

Angelica: Even as time in quarantine stretches longer and longer, remember that this pandemic will end, and we will all be stronger for it. Remember that we can always depend on our Lord God. Let’s make the most of our time with our family and friends, and get through this together.

Thanks for watching.

Life For Health Care Workers During COVID-19

Like many people at this time, I’ve been glued to the news. Listening to podcasts, watching videos, and reading Twitter updates about how the current pandemic is affecting people all throughout the world.

Now, some of our Heart and Soul listeners, who are healthcare professionals, are sharing what they’ve experienced everyday. The struggles they face are unique to their location, their respective hospitals, and the make-up of their lives…but what keeps them going is one and the same.

Here are their stories.

Mental and Emotional Stress

Yllana admits that living and working in the Philippines as a nurse hasn’t been easy. Because she grew up in L.A., her closest friends live on the other side of the world. She’s spent the last eight months adjusting to the cultural norms, the way of life, and even the weather in Manila—all of which, she confesses, has been a challenge. Even at St. Luke’s Hospital, where she works as a registered nurse, she notices the inequality between the impoverished, the middle class, and the wealthy.

“Many people in poverty come in day in and day out…they feel hopeless and they feel like nobody is paying attention to them. [It’s sad to say] but there are healthcare workers who pay more attention to those who have a little bit of money, as opposed to those living in poverty.”

Combine all of this with increasing fear of getting sick and passing on the virus to her parents—like many healthcare workers, Yllana is growing anxious about the shortage of Personal Protective Equipment at her hospital.

“This past week, I had to use one gown for my entire 12-hour shift which was really horrible. And I couldn’t wait to get out of my PPE and my scrubs, and just throw it in a bag.”

Yllana confesses that she’s had a difficult time dealing with all of these complications.

“I have mental breakdowns every night. I just feel alone, because I am alone most of the time. And there’s just this uncertainty that’s out there, day in and day out, when I go to the hospital. And it just [affects me] mentally, emotionally.”

Unexpected Treatment

In Sydney, Australia, Xandria, a registered nurse at a children’s hospital, has come to learn of a new challenge that she never thought she would have to face in her hometown.

While people all over the world are expressing their gratitude to nurses, doctors, and other healthcare workers, Xandria shares an unfortunate incident happening to nurses in her city.

“Nurses here, unfortunately, are being assaulted and verbally abused in public because we’re seen as dirty, [if we] wear our scrubs in public. And so we have to deal with that as well.”

Xandria admits that although she hasn’t personally experienced this herself, a friend of hers was yelled at on her way to work. As a precaution, nurses at her hospital have been advised not to wear their scrubs in public, even before going to work.

And while this occurrence is (as far as I know) unique to her city, the other challenges that she faces as a frontline worker are not.

“It’s been a very anxious time for me. You don’t really want to think about it, but you do want to be prepared. If I were to get sick, I would have to leave [my home] and go elsewhere in order to protect my family.”

Showing Compassion During a Pandemic

Growing concerned about one’s family is something many people, most especially healthcare workers, are experiencing. Llewy, a charge nurse and mother of three, from Atlanta, Georgia, admits that since they started to test patients for Covid-19, her anxiety level has increased. Like many nurses, she’s also afraid of putting her family and children in harm’s way.

But her concerns go beyond her own family.

“Seeing patients struggling to breathe, then having to transport them to a higher level of care—and there’s nobody at their bedside [because] their family members are not allowed to visit them—it’s just heartbreaking.”

It’s been hard, she said, to see patients deteriorate “sometimes in less than an hour.” But as difficult as it is to see this first-hand, Llewy still goes out of her way to show compassion to her patients.

“We just let them know that we are here, that we’re going to try our very best to make sure they get through this. And that we’ll also try to keep their family updated [with their condition].”

Often, this means arranging a video chat with family members. Maybe even using FaceTime if possible, she says, so that her patients can still see their family.

What Keeps Them Going

Llewyn Sermana

For Yllana, Xandria, and Llewy, working as frontline workers during this current pandemic is one of the most difficult things they’ve ever done. And while every day at work can cause a lot of stress and uncertainty, their relationship with God continues to give them solace.

“The one thing that keeps me going,” Yllana shares, “is when [my parents and I are] together for our worship services. I just know that God’s always by my side and He’ll never forsake me.”

Since the pandemic hit, worship services in the Church Of Christ worldwide are now held online, to follow the instructions of health care officials and the government. And most importantly, to give members, like Xandria, the spiritual upliftment they need during this pandemic.

“I can still have peace, to ease my anxieties—I can remain connected to God during this time.”

If you’re a frontline worker, or someone who is experiencing a lot of anxiety or worries during this pandemic, and want to know how to get through it all, take the first step today.

Stay tuned to @incmedianews on social media and follow #HeartandSoulConversations to hear more stories about individuals coping with Covid-19.

Michelle Barreda is the fresh cup of coffee that you need in the morning, but can’t handle in the afternoon. Aside from kickboxing, she geeks out about writing, books, and music. She’s a staff writer and producer at INC Media Services.

What Young Adults Found in this Church

Is your relationship with God growing weak? Not sure what to look for in a church? See what these young adults discovered when they gave the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) a chance.

Show/Hide Transcript

What Young Adults Found in this Church

[On-screen text graphic – Source: American Perspective Surveys]

30% of young adults raised in a religious tradition growing up say they no longer affiliate with one as an adult.

Allisa Austin: I think young adults are turning away from their faith because the hardships of living in the world right now are so concrete.

Tianna Tillman: Because of cynicism.

Brian Ramirez: The value placed on spiritual well-being, on spiritual journeys, has greatly diminished over time.

Jasmine Canales: Or because they just had bad experiences within their church or the people in it.

PJ Bradley: Perhaps they tried to ask questions and weren’t satisfied with the answers.

Tianna: Or they see bad things happening in the world, and they feel as though God has forgotten them.

[On-screen text graphic – Source: PSmag.com]

Generation Z is the least religious generation. About one third have no religion—about the same proportion as among millennials.

Richard Hughes: I grew up as a Catholic. I actually left the Catholic church when I was quite young.

Jasmine: I would say that I didn’t grow up going to church. I wasn’t religious. I wasn’t spiritual.

Tyler Asuncion: My family didn’t go to church.

Tianna: I grew up going to church.

PJ: I grew up going to church occasionally. But it didn’t really mean all that much to me.

Allisa: I remember growing up, I started going to church because of family and tradition.

Brian: I did actually grow up in a church, you can say I grew up in a church since birth.

[On-screen text graphic Source: apa.org]

Studies found Gen Z is also the loneliest generation. 9 out of 10 Gen Z adults have experienced depression or lack of motivation.

Tianna: I was in a very, very dark place. I started to feel as though I had no purpose, what’s the point, it was hard for me to get out of bed.

Allisa: When I started looking for a church on my own, I just— I was relying on like a gut feeling like going in, and for it to, to align with the things that I already knew to be true.

Richard: I felt like I needed to improve my values, I was questioning life. Everything happens and a lot of dark things happen and it’s very hard to justify those things if there’s not a bigger picture. For me I needed an answer.

Tianna: I didn’t have purpose. I just was kind of floating around without any direction. When I was introduced to the Church Of Christ, and the doctrine and the faith and the brethren, it all came to me at such an important time.

[On-screen text graphic – Source: Barna Research 2019]

61% of young Christians say they attend a church to learn about God.

Tianna: What did you find in the Church Of Christ that you couldn’t find anywhere else? Actual doctrine! I found actual doctrine in the Church Of Christ.

PJ: It’s a no brainer that the Church Of Christ was the right Church for me because the moment I walked in, I felt loved. It wasn’t loud. It wasn’t disorderly, the order was impeccable, everything just seemed to fit right into place.

Allisa: It really helps me to feel at peace and like I can really focus on my faith. It also keeps me from neglecting God and my duties and worshiping Him in the chaos of life.

Richard: The minister reads everything to you, explains everything to you. The ministers teach it in the most pristine fashion. And you always go away knowing what the lesson is about, what values it’s supposed to instill within you.

Brian: So when I saw this Church I realized how everything was consistent. Everything had a basis in the Bible. So it was that much easier for me to see why I would join the Church Of Christ.

Tianna: I think it’s important to have God, my faith and the Church because it gave me a purpose. I wasn’t wandering around anymore, searching for happiness, I didn’t feel lonely anymore. Being given that purpose and that drive and motivation back again was really, really important to me. The life itself that I’ve been given, the time, you know, all that I feel like there are moments where I just wake up and I’m just happy. I’m just happy for no reason and it’s just because I’m, I’m thankful.

[On-screen text graphic – Source:Christian Post]

39% of Gen Z feels ‘spirituality’ is important to them.

Richard: The Church gave me the tools that I needed to tackle any hard times that came. And the understanding that God does exist and God is very real and working in this world. And you have all those tools to then face life with, which makes it a lot easier, makes you a lot more determined makes you a lot more focused, driven.

Allisa: And that surety, it took away that fear, I haven’t felt it since I’ve joined the Church. And that’s a huge thing for me. So it used to keep me up at night, that I wasn’t living my life properly. So I think that that’s how I knew that this was the right church for me.

Brian: I have been in many Christian churches, different denominations and the only one that was able to complete my search, was this church which is the Church Of Christ.

Allisa: The advice that I would give to someone that’s in search for God, and faith and the church, is to keep an open mind.

PJ: I would recommend, go inside, talk to a minister, find a place of worship near you. And as soon as you hear that first Bible lesson, oh man, that is just going to be one of the greatest moments of your life, it surely was one of the greatest moments of my life.

Tianna: Do not be afraid to ask questions, because the right, the right church will be able to answer these questions. No problem.

Jasmine: And also don’t be scared or shy to go by yourself. You know, that’s the excuse I had regarding church and stuff. I was always too scared to go by myself.

Tianna: Do not settle. Don’t settle for, for feel-good answers. You shouldn’t settle until you find the truth.

Jasmine: And finally the time I actually had the courage to go, I found the most amazing Church in the world, Iglesia Ni Cristo.

[On-screen text graphic]

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How To Overcome Self-Harm

Why self-punishment is not the solution to unbearable emotional pain

Five to fifteen minutes a day. Routinely cutting herself. Watching herself bleed. “Reese” is a young woman who shared how she engaged in self-punishment, as if controlling the onset of fleeting physical pain would temporarily soothe all that was hurting her emotionally and psychologically.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT SELF-HARM?

Recently, I’ve come to learn of the growing number of young people who are engaging in self-harm or self-punishment such as cutting or burning themselves.

Several studies that point towards an alarming statistic: about 1 in 5 adolescents have admitted to harming themselves in an effort to ease emotional pain.

Some admit to it anonymously on Reddit, openly discussing why they resort to cutting or hurting themselves, while some feel the need to reach out and ask for help.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT TROUBLES?

I wish I could speak to Reese at that very moment when she is compelled to injure herself. When it comes to troubles in the Bible, we learn:

“But man is born to have trouble, as sure as sparks fly up from a fire. …if I were you, I would turn to God and tell him about my problems.” – Job 5:7-8 ETRV

If Reese would trade self-punishment for prayer, she could experience the deliverance of the Lord God. After all, He is the one who invites us to turn to Him in times of trouble.

Call to me when trouble comes; I will save you, and you will praise me.” – Psalms 50: 15 TEV

Drawing closer to the Lord is so important, especially if we understand how man’s life became fraught with troubles in the first place:

“The people have defiled the earth by breaking God’s laws and by violating the covenant he made to last forever. So God has pronounced a curse on the earth. Its people are paying for what they have done. Fewer and fewer remain alive.”- Isaiah. 24:5-6 GNB.

Why are so many people sad, distressed, grieving, or lonely? And among those, why do millions fall into depression? Man’s life is so full of problems and worries due to his disobedience. Sometimes the pressure is too much, and people like Reese begin to lose hope.

IS SELF-HARM AN ACCEPTABLE OUTLET?

But is self-harm an acceptable outlet? As seen in the above post, overcoming self-harm is something that individuals, as young as twelve, are struggling with. Is it really something that we should inflict on ourselves? There’s one thing that we should understand about our bodies:

“Don’t you know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit? The Spirit is in you. You have received him from God. You do not belong to yourselves. Christ has paid the price for you. So use your bodies in a way that honors God.” – I Corinthians 6:19-20 NIRV

Our body is what we use to serve our Lord God, and no matter how distraught we may be, we need to preserve it, and more importantly, preserve our lives.

And it may help us to remember that, although troubles per se cannot be avoided, due to the curse that God has inflicted upon man’s life, He finds no joy in seeing us suffer.

“The Lord knows when our spirits are crushed in prison; He takes no pleasure in causing us grief or pain.” – Lamentations 3:34 & 33 TEV

The Lord knows when “our spirits are crushed,” so we should place our hope and trust in Him. Even though we may feel isolated and as if no one cares, the Lord God knows exactly how we feel. He does not enjoy seeing us in pain.

TO WHOM DO WE TURN?

So instead of resorting to self-punishment, we should pray to God:

“I am insignificant and despised, but I don’t forget your commandments. Your justice is eternal, and your instructions are perfectly true. As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands. Your laws are always right; help me to understand them so I may live. I pray with all my heart; answer me, LORD! I will obey your decrees. I cry out to you; rescue me, that I may obey your laws. I rise early, before the sun is up; I cry out for help and put my hope in your words.” – Psalms 119:141-147 NLT

God is so merciful. He is always prepared to forgive those who may have committed sins. How much more is He prepared to accept those who, due to stress, may have harmed themselves in the past?

HOW DO WE DEAL WITH OUR GUILT?

Still, sometimes I hear about young people who are overcome with guilt after they hurt themselves (as seen above). They ask, “How do I get these thoughts out of my head?” and “Why would God still love me after this?” Well, we can read from the Bible:

“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.” – Isaiah 1:18 NKJV

When we are down in the dumps, when we are at our worst, we need to cry out to God.

WILL GOD REALLY SAVE US?

What if we have already tried prayer? Sometimes I’ll hear a young person say “I pray, but the thoughts come back — what do I do?” Well, this is what the Bible says:

“We want to remind you, brothers, of the trouble we had in the province of Asia. The burdens laid upon us were so great and so heavy that we gave up all hope of staying alive. We felt that the death sentence had been passed on us. But this happened so that we should rely, not on ourselves, but only on God, who raises the dead. From such terrible dangers of death he saved us, and will save us; and we have placed our hope in him that he will save us again.” – II Corinthians 1:8-10 TEV

God will save His people as many times as we need saving. Before we do anything negative or harmful to our body and life, which we should use primarily to serve Him, we should let go of all the guilt and unbearable emotional pain we’re feeling and hand it over to Him.

However, the deliverance that the Almighty God promises is reserved for those whom He has given to our Lord Jesus Christ (John 17:9 NKJV), whom in turn Christ recognizes as His sheep gathered in one flock (John 10:16 NKJV)— the flock being the Church Of Christ, according to the Apostles (Acts 20:28 Lamsa).

This is why it is imperative for one to search for, learn more about, and eventually, join the true Church Of Christ.

Want to learn more about how God can help you with your troubles? Have questions on what to do next? Set up a time to talk with a minister of the gospel in the Church of Christ, today.

This blog was written by Donald Pinnock, a minister of the gospel in the Church Of Christ. He has been an ordained minister for over 27 years. He hosts the show The Solution, where he helps individuals find solutions to life’s problems using only the Bible.

I Once Had No Direction in Life

Growing up without a dad, Jonathan felt hopeless and had no sense of direction. But after turning to God, he receives guidance and a sense of self-worth.

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Jonathan Nguyen: At the age of seven, my dad left. Growing-up, I was dark, I was bitter. I was angry and I was hopeless. How can someone, you know, just leave their child? I was more—I felt unwanted. I didn’t have any guidance.

I never could understand the idea of a God. There was a moment where I was like, “Do I just let everything go?” You know, do I…what’s worth…

[Deep exhale]

Life wasn’t worth living anymore.

[Show open]

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Stories of Faith

My name is Jonathan Nguyen. I was born in San Jose, California but I was raised in Sacramento, California.

I kind of grew up alone, even though I had three siblings. We’re all seven years apart so I always felt like the only child sometimes. And then at the age of seven, I was even more alone because my dad left. So it was just my mom and I in Sacramento together and my siblings were all gone.

Growing-up without a dad, in the beginning I was confused. I was more—I felt unwanted. The lack of a father—a father figure—really affected me. So at times I would just run away, and I ran away from a lot of problems.

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“I Needed Something More”

When I was growing-up with my mom, we weren’t really religious. We were religious when we wanted to be religious. My mom was Buddhist, so we would go to the temple. People would be there and pray. But I was always confused.

Growing [up] Vietnamese-American we celebrated, we celebrated Chinese New Years or Lunar New Years so we would go to the temple. You know, growing-up without a father figure, growing-up with religion or a God—I didn’t have any guidance. I lived it one day at a time. And I was just looking out—I let my emotions rule my decisions. I let, you know, how I felt and how I did things that made me feel good. And so whatever decisions, [whomever] I hung out with it was based [on] emotions, and not teachings, not guidance, not wisdom from anybody. But it was when I never found happiness hanging out with friends that did, you know, did questionable things. And something was always missing.

I always had a friend that was some kind of—had some kind of Christianity belief. Whether it was Protestant, whether it was Catholic. And at times to please that friend I would go with them to a worship service, to a gathering but I never took—I never could understand the idea of a God. Or I never really embraced it and it was—something was always missing. It was a—I felt this void in my heart that I was like, “I needed something more.” And I’m just not truly happy. And there was a moment where I was like, “Do I just let everything go?”

Life wasn’t worth living anymore. And it wasn’t until I met someone that introduced me to the Church Of Christ.

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“I Started Attending Bible Studies”

I don’t want to say that there was no God but I definitely saw there was just, you know, [I was] agnostic, not atheist and so I started attending worship service—the teachings were nice. And at first, it was this big house of worship in San Jose, California. And for years I would drive past it and I just didn’t think about it. Even my mom—when I was growing-up, or right before I was born, my mom had a restaurant right next to it. At the plaza right next to the San Jose house of worship my mom had a restaurant.

There was this time I was playing volleyball, I’m a big volleyball—I love volleyball. And during a—while I was going to college I was in this volleyball class and I was playing but there [were] these four (two male, two female), and they came up to me and they’re like, “Hey, you attend the Church Of Christ, right? You attend—” Then they’re like, “You should play in this tournament we have. We have this volleyball tournament, you know, it’s just good friendly, brotherhood competition.”

And that opened my eyes. And I was like, “Wow, I want to play, many I want to play.” So I started attending Bible studies.

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“It Just Opened Up My Eyes”

At the same time I was going to school and I was going through the Bible studies and during my history class, there were talking about the Catholic inquisition. And at the same time I was learning about that in the Bible studies and it just connected. It was just this, it was this parallel. It was these two, you know, how do you say—it just opened my eyes and I was like, “Wow, this is the Bible, it’s—there’s something to it.

[The Bible] prophesied about things that happened and things that would happen, I mean. And I just kept going and I wanted more. I was thirsting for it. I just wanted to learn more. And it was amazing. Everytime like, I would just around afterwards, I would ask the minister questions, he would answer it from the Bible. But it just felt good to have—to be taught truth.

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“I Was Able To See The Bigger Picture”

There was a specific lesson, it just clicked, it just—it’s the lightbulb in my head just, it just turned on and everything else just started to make sense. All the Bible studies started to make sense, everything just came together and it was about all the prophecies of World War I and World War II. And not just, not just the—about the start of the war, different diseases or famine. The instruments of war. The time period in between World War I and World War II. It just blew my mind and that lesson, there was another lesson that we learned about the true meaning behind 666. And me thirsting for knowledge, thirsting for truth, it was just amazing to hear. I invited my brother to that lesson. So once I learned those lessons everything else just had—it was credible. So I never questioned it because it just came from the Bible. I was like, “This is true. So there’s no—I’m not going to question God’s words, that’s wisdom right there.”

It just made me believe in the Bible even more. You know, when I was going through the Bible studies I didn’t have any moment of resistance. I think coming from a non-religious upbringing, it allowed my mind to be open, fresh for ideas that just made sense. It was logical. So when I was going through the Bible studies, everything just made sense and it connected. Like one lesson after another, after another. And so it was—I never had any doubt. You know, I never had questioned any of the teachings because they all logically made sense. Everything just came together and I finally, I finally got to see the bigger picture.

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“I Cleaned Up”

After joining the Church Of Christ, I just—I cleaned up; I didn’t hang out with the same friends anymore because they didn’t help my faith grow. Anybody that didn’t help my faith grow I just—sad to say but I had to cut them off. And I wanted to become a better person and I loved the person I was and I wanted to become better, especially in my faith.

Growing-up I was dark, I was bitter, I was angry and I was hopeless. You know, now I just have peace. Peace in my heart, peace in my mind. And that everything will be alright. And that our problems [are]—they’re not really that bad. They’re not that big.

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“The Church Of Christ Gave Me Guidance”

You know, after I joined the Church Of Christ and I had more guidance and I had a vision of where I wanted to go—of what I wanted and life ahead of me—I was going towards salvation, of course, working towards salvation, working towards eternal life. Because you know, God saved me. So I wanted to focus my life on Him. And my services to Him.

When I joined the Church [Of Christ] I never knew how to pray. Whether it was just praying to something, to the universe or praying to you know helping in the—praying in the Buddhist prayers. You know, joining the Church [Of Christ] it really helped me learn how to talk to God and ask [Him] for my needs. To open my heart to Him. You know, I’m thankful that the minister really taught me how to pray from my heart and not mere—and not just pray from my brain. Just, you know, let my heart speak and God will listen. It just felt good to—it felt good to tell Him about my day. And how happy I was.

Growing-up without a father and now having children of my own I… I’m grateful that I have God in my life. I’m grateful that I have the Church Of Christ in my life because it helped appreciate what I have and I just want to be the best father for them. I want to be there for them. They’re my blessing from God [that] I wanted but never prayed for. And He gave it to me. I’m just, I’m just grateful.

I’m glad that I’m in the Church Of Christ because it gives me guidance [on] how to be a parent, and how to raise them the right way. And then I know that I’ll do my best so that they can always be under God’s protection and love.

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“God is Wonderful”

If I never joined the Church [Of Christ] I think when times got tough, I wouldn’t know what to do and I would [have] quit. Like what I’ve done most of my life and I would’ve failed my family. I wouldn’t have endured the troubles and I would [have] just quit. But I’m thankful because I know that there’s no quitting. Especially with family, you push through it. It’s just an opportunity to turn to God. It’s just that knowing that everything will be okay. And that God is there to protect you, and that you’ll become stronger out of this and anything that happens in our lives, good or bad, we’re just thankful for it, you know, my family and I. And we just use that opportunity to thank God. And that when—either I’m gone or we’re separated [from our kids] when [our kids] grow older that they will love God more than me. And that they’ll always pray to Him. I can’t just—there’s just, words can’t explain just how much I love, you know, [I] love God and I’m just thankful.

I love… I love sharing my faith and I find it so important to share my faith because I want more people to experience God, to experience what I experienced. And to have God in their life and to protect them. And just the peace and happiness it brings when you finally serve God the right way. I want more people to really experience that because He’s the only one that can save us. God is always there. God is my protector. God is amazing, God is just wonderful, kind. He’s my Father. He’s the one that guides me. You don’t have to worry about anything because you know God has your back.

[Show close]

Forgiving My Alcoholic Father

Growing-up with an alcoholic dad, Jessica needed to find a way to let go of her anger and resentment to avoid the same troubled path her dad took.

“Show/Hide

I got woke up in the middle of the night by my brother and I knew that something wasn’t right. All I said was, “Dad?”, and my brother said, “Yes.” I just started crying, I just knew he didn’t make it, he had passed. I was in a lot of disbelief, a lot of denial, a lot of anger. Anger was the biggest thing that went through me for a really long time. I had had such a wall built around my heart, I didn’t want to let anybody in again. Especially not God.

[Show open]

My name is Jessica, I’m 25 years old. I was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and I moved to Maui in 2006.

My childhood was… it was good. I had a great mom who did everything she possibly could being a single mom raising two girls. She was… I never went without anything. My father, on the other hand, he was a great dad, as well, but he struggled with alcohol addiction and mental health issues. And so my life was very unstable. He was there for three months, not there for three months, so it was really hard as a young child to watch your dad go out and be drunk on the street. Today is actually his ten year death anniversary so I’m really emotional.

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He Chose Alcohol Over Me

My relationship with my dad, we were really tight. I loved him. My mom always said that he spoiled me. If I didn’t want to do the dishes I would just say, “But daddy, please!” and he would do it for me. But there was also a lot of heartache in that relationship, a lot of feelings of abandonment.

I never understood why he chose alcohol over me. And I still struggle with that to this day. I felt like I wasn’t perfect enough because he was still going out on the streets and drinking. If I was perfect enough, or better, that would be his driving force to overcome his addiction. It took me a really long time to, you know, learn that even though he was, he did have this addiction, that nothing I did would’ve fixed that. But he needed to be the one willing to make the change. I still struggle to this day with wanting to feel perfect or to feel like I’m the best…because of that.

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A Lot of Anger

My brother, he’s a police officer. He came over one night, and I got [woken] up in the middle of the night by my brother and I knew that something wasn’t right. All I said was, “Dad?”, and my brother said, “Yes.” I just started crying, I just knew he didn’t make it, he had passed. I was in a lot of disbelief, a lot of denial, a lot of anger. Anger was the biggest thing that went through me for a really long time.

My family and I, it was rough. My sister and I, we did a lot of things that we really shouldn’t have done, we rebelled. It strained the relationship with my mother, I had a lot of resentment towards her just because I could never understand why she married my father. Just a lot of anger. I took it out on her, I took it out on my sister. I took it out on everyone around me.

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Is God Real?

My mom was Christian, so we did go to church. But when my father passed away that’s when I turned my back on everything. But I just had so much hate, I felt so empty. I was searching for where I belonged, where I felt whole again. The last church that I went to is The Salvation Army and I felt like I didn’t belong there. There was definitely something missing, I felt empty.

As I got older I started questioning things. I started to question if God was real, who He was, why He brought me here. I had had such a wall built around my heart. I didn’t want to let anybody in again. Especially not God.

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A Dark Spot in My Life

I found myself seeking because I felt like there was a piece of me missing, that I wasn’t complete, that there was a dark spot in my life. And so I was seeking for that, I was seeking for the place that would fill.

After my father passed away I really went through a period of soul searching, trying to find out who I was, how I belonged in this world. I never felt like I had a place where I belonged, or a place where I was loved or wanted… until I found the Church [Of Christ].

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I Was Curious

In 2015 I was introduced to the Church Of Christ. I met Anna and she invited me to a Bible study. And I was curious and wanted to know more. And I did look online and went to the website (incmedia), I did watch a couple evangelical missions that were posted, and I really liked how everything that the minister was speaking about was straight from the Bible. I was like, “wow! That’s kind of cool!” And so I decided to give it a shot and go.

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Biblically-Based

I think the first lesson that I had went to was about the Church Of Christ being the true Church from God, and then I was like, “Well how was that? Why is that?” And he read the Bible and he would say the way to be saved is to enter through Christ, and to enter through Christ you enter through His flock or His fold, and that’s the Church. And I was just like, “Wow! That really makes sense!” Everything was just so in order, and I was like anything I was questioning was just immediately answered, and I had no—I mean, how could you have a doubt about what was being said?

It was different for me that day because the lesson was so biblically-based, and it was just different for me because I had never been to a church where as soon as I walk in everybody is coming up to me, asking me what my name is, telling me that they’re so thankful that I’m here, that, you know, they hope to see me again. And I just felt so loved.

At that time I had really been struggling with my identity and who I was, my identity in Christ. And where I belonged, I had a lot…a sense of not belonging anywhere, not fitting in. I felt this could be where I’m supposed to be.

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The Healing

After my father died and when I was 18, I started working at a place that everybody was partiers, and I, unfortunately, went out with them. And I would drink, myself, and one time I did get behind the [wheel] after I had drank a little bit. And it made me realize that I’m going on the same path as my dad, and I don’t want to do that. You know, my dad was killed by a drunk driver while he was drunk, and here I am, I’m just continuing this destructive cycle that my dad started.

And that really hit home to me, when the minister read in the Bible that we’re not supposed to drink or do drugs.

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“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,…drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

[Galatians 5:19-21 New King James Version]

I felt ashamed and guilty. I think for the Church, what made me know that this is where I’m meant to be was all of the lessons, cumulatively. They all were in line with each other, they were all based on the Bible. I did start to feel the healing. It’s been a long process but I can thankfully say as of today that I’ve forgiven everybody that I had held resentment towards. It was a long road. A long long painful road to forgiveness.

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What Led Me to Forgiveness

I think the hardest to forgive was my father, and the man, you know, that hit him. We saw him maybe 5 years after my dad died, eating in a restaurant. I just ran out crying, I just couldn’t even see him. I hated him. He had been drinking at the baseball field, there were three other cars in the accident and they were all able to avoid my dad, he was the only one. I mean my dad had his fault in the accident, as well. But yea, it was hard to forgive him.

What led me to forgiveness was when I started to learn how to pray in the Church [Of Christ]. And I would just pray to God, “Please take this burden. I’m ready to give it to You. I’m ready to let go. I’m ready to feel whole again, feel complete. The only way to do that is to give my burden, my feeling of resentment and pain to You.” And I just felt like after I prayed that He answered, and He put the grace and forgiveness in my heart.

Praying gave me a sense of knowing that someone was there for me, that I was always surrounded by the Holy Spirit, that God was always with me, and that I never had to worry because He was right there, by my side. He was my Father. In the Church Of Christ I felt my prayers are being answered.

Learning how to pray changed my life. It really changed my life.

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I Found My Wholeness

The Church Of Christ offered a place that I could come to no matter what was going on in my life. I could come there and it offered me a place to talk to God, to get closer to God, to listen to His messages. And it offered a place where I could find who I was, who I was in God. And it offered me a place where I could find my healing.

For me entering the Church meant that I found my healing, I found myself, I found my wholeness. I want everybody to know that, you know, if they’re searching for themselves, or they’re searching for their identity that it can be found through Christ, and through the Church. Through the Church Of Christ.

What I know now is: I know myself. I know who I am, I know why I was created. I know that there’s something better out there and I wish I would have known that when I was younger. And I wish that I would have known so that I could have had this feeling for a lot longer.

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Prayer of Forgiveness

My favorite answered prayer is the prayer of forgiveness—when I asked God to help me forgive. He helped me to forgive my mom, my dad…forgive myself, forgive the man who killed my dad. Without faith I wouldn’t have forgiven, I wouldn’t have met peace.

God is my rescuer. God is my healer. God is love. God is my strength.

To know that I’m not alone, it’s the greatest feeling. It’s something I’ve searched for my whole life. I felt like I finally found that missing piece that I was searching for for so long.

It’s important for me to make it to heaven because I want to meet God, who created me. I want to worship Him, I want to just love Him, just thank Him for everything that He’s done for me.

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