John Collins

by John C. I come from a farming background. My family is a traditional catholic family. I had always felt restricted with my life on the farm so from a very early age I would get away whenever I could. I had been told that I would never settle down. My adolescence years were years of confusion, doubt and questions. Everything I did was to prove something. I became good at football because my dad said I was useless at it. I did well at school because one of my relatives said I was the “thick one�? of the family. I thought that I was a homosexual because I couldn’t get a girlfriend, so I kissed a girl to convince myself I wasn’t gay. I was a reactor. The point to life I went to boarding school for my final year of school. It was great. I was away from home. I enjoyed chats with the guys and set study times were good for me. But I couldn’t help thinking what the point to life was. One day at the convent I met an old friend from secondary school who told me about prayer meetings and the Holy Spirit. I went to a meeting the next Monday and really enjoyed it. I knew that the other people had something I didn’t have. I came to realize that there was a great gap between God and me. I needed something to bridge the gap. I decided to go to a Christian seminar. I hoped it would bridge the gap. A direction for life On the second night of the seminar, the speaker prayed for my brother Patrick, who had limp due to a hip operation that had left him with one leg shorter than the other. The speaker showed the audience my brother’s legs. Then he prayed and I saw my brother’s shorter leg growing to the same length as the other one! It was then that I was zapped. From that moment on I had direction in life. Jesus was alive. He was no longer a concept in my head but was a living Lord who died for me and rose from the dead. Since then my relationships have greatly improved. My self-esteem has improved dramatically. I have become a better person and become the person God wants me to be. A scripture that has been very meaningful to me is 1 Corinthians 13:4 “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered…�? I find this kind of love challenging on an ongoing basis. I am not there yet but I know I can be with God’s help.

Take a look at your life. How would you describe it? Contented? Rushed? Exciting? Stressful? Moving forward? Holding back? For many of us it’s all of the above at times. There are things we dream of doing one day, there are things we wish we could forget. In the Bible, it says that Jesus came to make all things new. What would your life look like if you could start over with a clean slate?

Living with hope If you are looking for peace, there is a way to balance your life. No one can be perfect, or have a perfect life. But every one of us has the opportunity to experience perfect grace through a personal relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ. You can receive Christ right now by faith through prayer. Praying is simply talking to God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. Here’s a suggested prayer:

Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be.

Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? You can pray it right now, and Jesus Christ will come into your life, just as He promised.

Is this the life for you?

If you invited Christ into your life, thank God often that He is in your life, that He will never leave you and that you have eternal life. As you learn more about your relationship with God, and how much He loves you, you’ll experience life to the fullest.

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Next Steps: Experience the Power to change for yourself! Decide. Was Jesus a liar? A lunatic? God? Read frequently asked questions and answers Ask us a questionFurther Reading: My Story Winning Isn’t Enough