Today is the first of our Testimony Tuesdays!

Our first “witness” has asked to remain anonymous, as his story is very personal. He is sharing his testimony with the hope that it helps others that are in the same place in life he was, and that Jesus gives them freedom as well.

“I had been struggling with an addiction for 40 years and although it never caused any legal issues, it kept creeping into my relationships with others. More importantly, it was crushing my self esteem and self worth.

I attended church with my family and the kids would wonder why tears were rolling down my cheeks, but I would pass it off by saying it was a song or the message that touched me. Really, it was the guilt and shame. I was lying, cheating, and stealing for my addiction. That is, lying to my wife about the money, cheating my family of my time, and stealing away by myself for myself. I had gotten to the point that I was contemplating leaving, and was going to make up a story that I was in love with another so that my family would hate me and not feel in any way responsible for it.

That’s when I prayed, maybe for the first time very earnestly, and decided to give God all my heart as a last ditch effort, because my guilt and shame was too much for me to bear. I prayed and prayed for an answer, and the following night, Jesus came to me in a dream. He was simply smiling at me, with his crown of thorns on his head (but no blood), and without words, he let me know that everything was going to be OK.

After that night, I threw out everything tied to my addiction, and a weight that was so immense, was lifted! My life has never been the same and my joy is overflowing! Everything now seems like a blessing. I have been reading the Bible with a new clarity and understanding.

God really does answer prayers and Jesus does save. It’s people like Kari that reinforce my faith. I have been saved twice! It is my prayer now that everyone that’s struggling be given the same gift I was and that they experience the same joy which can be theirs for the asking.

God is great and Jesus is the path to his righteousness.”

“But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Matthew 19:26

“Jesus answered, ‘The most important is, ‘Hear O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as your self.”
Mark 12:29-31

Food for thought: Addictions come in all forms; from drugs, alcohol and tobacco, to porn and sex, to coffee, eating and video games. If you have any of these or some other addiction or addictive behavior, please seek help. Even better, talk to the greatest Healer and Psychiatrist of all time, Jesus. Read His WORD. He can and will help you!

Facts: An estimated 20.5 million Americans suffer from an addiction. (I don’t believe that number includes all forms of addiction such as behavioral addictions either.)

Photo by: Chaney Zimmerman – Man at night