If you feel distant from God try our Life Lesson “Finding Freedom”

When I was eight, I was into gymnastics. I loved to tumble, do cartwheels and round-offs. There was one rule: not in the house. But our living room was long and inviting (despite the knick-knacks and figurines my mother had inherited). It was the perfect place to do three cartwheels in a row, especially on a rainy, cold day. So, at the dare of a neighborhood friend, I did – almost.

Into the second cartwheel my big toe whacked the coffee table. It hurt, a lot, but I wobbled and finished the third one, then limped off to my room. My toe throbbed but I fought back the tears. I longed to run to my mother and have her make it all better, but I knew if I did my bottom side would be throbbing as well when I told her how I hurt my toe.

When my mother came into my room I didn’t run to greet her and let her love on me. I pretended I was taking a nap. The rest of the day I feared she’d call me to come do something for her. When she called us to dinner, I didn’t want to go because I’d limp to the table and the questions would start.

When I didn’t come, Mom came to me.  The walls of guilt crumbled in her presence and I held onto her waist, blubbered through tears about my pain and confessed the whole thing. I told her how sorry I was, and cried for her to help me. She hugged me all the way to the emergency room.

That is how I picture God when I have sinned. He wants to love on me and forgive me, but I am the one who shrinks away not wanting to own up to what I have said, or done or thought which is not in line with His will. I am ashamed, and sorry. Even though I know He sent His Son to die on the cross for my sins, and perhaps because of that, my guilt prevents me from being in His presence. The longer I go without confession, the more the hurt inside me throbs. But eventually He comes to me. How will I receive Him?

Some people feel they can never go to God, so they try to hide the pain and guilt in other ways – drugs, alcohol, sex, theft, adrenaline rush extremes. But cheap thrills only mask the pain for awhile. No matter how far you think you have distanced yourself from your Heavenly Father who loves you, it is never farther than His hand can reach to hold onto yours and draw you near. Until you reach out to Him, He will seek you.

There may be consequences to your sin.  Mine was wearing orthopedic saddle oxfords all summer long until my broken toe healed while everyone else was swimming and romping barefoot through the grass. But, Mom never stopped loving me and was there to sympathize when the tears flowed. I expect nothing less from God. Neither should you.

Question: What pain are you hiding from God, and perhaps yourself? Will you go to Him with it?

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Are you searching for a source of peace?  Take this study.

“He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners…” (Isaiah 61:1).

While at one of the most conservative schools in the nation, Texas A&M University, I served in the jail ministry. Every Sunday I would roll up my naive sleeves and drive downtown to lead a Women’s Bible Study.  Dressed in bright orange jumpsuits, slipper shoes, and Bible in tow these women would grace me with their presence.

One by one they would come and sit in plastic chairs that made a semi-circle in a concrete laid room with brick walls. The word that came to mind when looking at the decor was hopeless.   “Ladies, I would like to ask you to open your Bible to Isaiah 61:1. Would someone like to read it for us?”  Timidly, one woman who was fairly new to the class read the verse. Stumbling over a few of the words she finished reading.

“What does that mean to you?” I asked. Blank stares and hardened hearts seemed to fill the room, until one brave soul spoke up.  “Freedom means to me that I no longer have to live the street life–hooked on drugs, sex, and men. I can wake up with a sound mind and body knowing that I may be behind bars, but free in Jesus.”

Another woman said, “I am free from guilt of murdering someone.”   And with that transparency, I noticed a softness come over the women—one by one they began sharing with me how that Jesus is the change and freedom. Free from alcohol, lesbian relationships, pornography, and theft to name a few.   No one gasped–no one flickered a glare…not one. We knew that we were in the midst of breakthrough–where the power of God’s word intersected the lives of others to make them free.

Lady Liberty in New York could not even trump the freedom waved over this group of women this one Sunday morning.   Whether the jailhouse or the church house–Jesus wants to set you free. What areas of life do you desire freedom?

We try to convince ourselves that our areas of struggle are somehow better than the ones my ladies were experiencing. Are they really? Or just packaged more neatly? In God’s economy all of us are in need.   I glanced at the analog clock that reminded me of my childhood school days—it was time for our bible study to end. I left them with these words that are for us all–”You may be bound, but you are free.”

Questions: What areas of life do you desire freedom? How can you become free?

Searching for meaning to existence? Tell us your thoughts

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

The Chinese man shivered and pulled the collar of his shabby coat up around his neck to protect himself from the pelting rain.  Through the darkness of the night he saw the lights of a rescue mission, and they seemed to offer a place of shelter.  Following another man in, he found himself in a chapel.  He fell into a seat at the rear, groggily wondering why people were singing.

Then some men stood up to tell about how Jesus Christ had saved them from a life of sin, alcohol and drugs, from the power those things once had over their lives.  The miserable man looked up hopefully.  How long he had sought release from the bondage of opium–the “demon on his back”!  After twenty-three times in sanitariums, he was still a slave.

The speaker also told how Jesus Christ delivers from sin and enslaving habits.  At an invitation, the man stumbled forward to seek deliverance.  It took the workers at the mission three days to bring the man to a coherent state.  Then they asked him, “Did you really mean it when you came forward to receive Jesus Christ?”

“I have just one question,” the man said.  “Did Jesus Christ die for the Chinese too?”

“Yes,” came the answer.  “Christ died for all people.”

“Then I want Him for my Savior,” said the man.  Instantly and finally delivered from his long enslavement, the happy man became a faithful witness for Christ, telling all he met about how Christ had delivered him from the drug habit and had saved his soul and life.

What a wonderful thing it is to realize that the gospel of Jesus Christ is not limited to only one nation or for only one type of person.  The Bible says, “And they sang a new song: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation’” (Revelation 5:9).

God’s Salvation Plan
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

“To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

“The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ” (Romans 6:23).

“If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved…Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:9, 13).

Are You Saved?

Many people think they are Christians, but what if they have never truly received Jesus Christ as their Savior?  How about you? Do you hope you will go to heaven someday, perhaps because you think you are a good person, or go to church, or got baptized? Well, to get to heaven, we have to do it God’s way, as the above Scriptures specify. On the other hand, do you think that you are too bad to be saved, too unworthy?

Well, no one is worthy!  The good news is that Jesus Christ died for your sins on the cross just as He did for that poor enslaved Chinese.  Why not bow your head right now and, humbly repenting, receive Jesus Christ as your Savior. Ask Him to save you and transform your life.  And He will! He’s only a prayer away.

TAKE THE NEXT STEP: How to be sure you are a Christian

Questions: Have you accepted Jesus as your personal savior? Why don’t you tell us about a time when you first decided to follow Jesus.

About the Author Muriel Larson

Is anger defining your relationships?  Take this study.

As a mentor with TruthMedia I answer emails from troubled people of all ages. A number of them are troubled because they have few, if any, friends. “I feel so alone,” some say. “I can’t understand why people don’t like me!”

Young people from ages 11 on up may handle it by cutting themselves. It’s a form of self-punishment, and since it relieves them a bit, they get pulled into addiction to it. So they have to wear clothing with sleeves. They know it’s bad, but they can’t kick the habit.  Adults may also develop addictions such as anorexia, bulimia, drugs  or alcohol to deal with their lack of self-esteem.

Think about it for a minute. What kind of person do you like? You’d probably answer, “Well, I like someone who makes me feel I’m wanted.” Yes, we all like to be made feel “wanted” or loved, don’t we! The advice our Lord Jesus Christ gave in His sermon on the mount certainly holds true here: “And just as you want people to do to you, you also do to them likewise” (Luke 6:31, NKJV).

Actually Christians should find it easier than non-Christians to be friendly and cheerful. Since our Father in heaven is love, then we His children have it in us to reflect that love. If we do, then others will want to warm themselves by it. Jesus also said He would give the contagious quality of joy to those who follow Him. The key to getting that joy, of course, is to follow and obey Jesus.

The most successful church is one characterized by friendliness, which shows Christian love. At greeting time at my church, I have a wonderful opportunity to do that. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans that they should be hospitable, should help people out.  (Romans 12:13)

Peter used a companion Greek word that carries the meaning of fondness for guests when he wrote, “Use hospitality one to another without grudging.” (1 Peter 4:9) If we do this, we will joyfully open our hearts to fellow Christians, as well as to those who need Christ. Let’s show other people we care with a warm smile and friendly word! I notice that everyone I smile at smiles back at me!

“Love is the doorway through which the human soul passes from selfishness to serve and from solitude to kinship with all mankind.” (Anonymous)

Questions: Do you find that people are attracted to you? What is it about you that makes them want to be with you? As Christians, what should others observe about us?

About the Author Muriel Larson

Soul Cravings Webcards. These are an easy way to invite someone to be mentored. Pin them on notice boards, leave a few in a waiting room or hand them out to friends. Order here >>>

When I think back to my freshman year at university, it’s surprising that not one of my floormates dropped out of school.

Jackie Burrell of About.com reports on some sobering statistics regarding college drinking:

Drinks Per Week: The average male freshman … consumes 7.39 drinks – a bottle of beer, glass of wine, shot or mixed drink – per week, while the average female has 3.86.

Academic Impact: 31% of college students missed a class due to substance abuse, according to the Core statistics, and 22% tanked an exam or essay. And some 159,000 of the nation’s current freshmen will drop out of school because of alcohol or drug use.

Booze and Sex: Alcohol and sex make for a particularly unhealthy cocktail. Alcohol has been involved in 90% of all campus rapes – either the rapist and/or the victim were under the influence … 70% of college kids say they had unplanned sex – sex they wouldn’t otherwise have had – while under the influence, and 20% didn’t take precautions, even though they practice safe sex when sober.

Many bright young students enter this sort of environment unready for what they will encounter. One student who found this out the hard way was Tenisha Gainey. She didn’t enter college thinking she would become a prostitute, but eventually that’s what happened. After several semesters spent drinking and partying she was able to do what many unfortunately do not: Turn her life around. Read her story here to find out more.

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction or other problems affecting their school success, or you fear that they will in the future, online mentors are available to talk with privately via email. Your emails will be kept strictly confidential but you will receive a personalized reply from an online mentor.

When I graduated high school in 2001 and went off to college, I would have never believed I would become a prostitute.

I was excited to go away to school because it seemed more interesting than staying home and going to community college. While there I enjoyed the college scene: the parties, the freedom, and the opportunity to get a higher education. Going away to college was one of my greatest accomplishments and graduating was my number one goal.

Ill-prepared for college

But somehow I was ill-prepared for what was about to happen. My first semester I found out I was pregnant, and my second semester I started to party wildly all the time, and my third semester I figured I really just wanted three things: to make money, have nice things, and be “happy”. After talking to some guys on campus who worked at a local strip club, I figured becoming an exotic dancer was the easiest way to get all three.

One of the guys’ father owned the strip club. He was driving a nice BMW and had all the latest electronics: flat screen TVs, state of the art computers, everything I could have ever dreamed of. Soon I was at the club checking it out. Once I looked around and thought about all the things I could buy with the money I said, “I’ll try it out”. And after a couple of weekends I got the hang of it. But that was only the beginning, because I kept talking to people and got in deeper and deeper into making fast money. Not long after I started, I began “taking dates” which is prostituting.

But about nine months later, my life was about to take an unexpected 180 degree turn when Jesus stepped in.

I never would have expected …

One of my guys put a down payment on a car for me, but I had to get money for the car payment and the down payment for the insurance. I was returning to my car when a pearl colored, late model Lincoln towncar pulled next to me. There was a 50-something year old white guy in the car. We made small talk and he invited me to have lunch with him. I got into his car and we went to a diner around the corner. We talked, laughed, and ate. At the end of the meal he invited me to join him at his church’s Wednesday Night Bible Study. I felt like I just got caught selling drugs to an undercover cop, but I agreed to go. That night at church God dealt with me about all that I had been doing. And I always stood on the excuses, “God knows my heart. I’m a good person. I have to eat” but I knew that enough was enough. I went to the altar and gave my life to Jesus Christ. That was July 2003.

I was very excited by the choice I made and I told all my friends and my family. I also told the guys who would call me for dates that I was no longer into that because I was living my life as a Christian. I did my best to figure out how I was going to pay for the car but I could not afford it so I returned it to the dealer. I cut all ties with working at the club so I didn’t have a job. On a daily basis I read my Bible, prayed, and believed that God would work it out. And eventually God did.

My new life

After the three semesters away from home at college, I returned to go to a local community college instead. I completed one semester there and then was unable to get to the campus because I did not have a car. But I kept the faith that better days were ahead and everything would be okay. Even with my newly acquired trust in God I still found myself confused, depressed, and worried. I was confused because I thought that if I just prayed and believed everything would be a bed of roses but that was not the case. I felt depressed about the circumstances in my life not having some of the material things I felt I needed. And I was worried because I had no idea how things were going to get back on track.

The end of August rolled around and I did not have a car so I did not enroll in college. I got a job in the dining hall at the Naval base in the next town over but I had a hard time find a ride to work so after a month or so I quit. I felt confident that things were going to get better so I continued to go to church, kept reading the Word, kept praying and trusting Him.

In February of the next year I got an inheritance check in the mail from the death of my grandmother so I was able to buy a car and return to school. In May 2007 I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting. I now work in the healthcare industry and my car is running fine!

You can know this changed life too

I am looking forward to publishing my testimony in a book entitled, 19 Years Old and 19 Men Later: How Someone Truly Loved Me and hopefully it will open doors for me to speak to young people and all types of people to encourage them to give their hearts to Jesus Christ and not to chase material things because it’s a dead end. It doesn’t mean your life will become a bed of roses but trusting God and what Jesus did for us will transform your life and save you from your sins.

Have you been chasing material things? Have you had enough of your current life? Take a look at your life. How would you describe it? Exciting? Frustrating? Anxious? 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.

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.

If you have prayed this prayer, we would like to hear from you! Please click the button below to contact us, or click the link if you still have questions.

Over 16million Americans suffer from alcoholism

The problem is also widespread in Canada and other countries as well. It doesn’t help that alcohol advertisers constantly remind those struggling with alcohol about their problem and tempting them to abandon their attempts to quit.

Is it even possible to quit drinking? For many people it may seem almost impossible. Alcoholism (or “alcohol dependence”) is even termed by some organizations which study and seek to combat it a “chronic disease.”

Sometimes it can help to read the story of someone who has struggled with this disease and emerged victorious. Cam is just such a person who was able to overcome his addiction. In telling his story, he says that he “was hooked on alcohol on the first try” which eventually led to drugs, being hauled off to the drunk tank, and stumbling in late & hungover for work. Those days are behind him now though, and knowing him now you would never guess at his past.

Read Cam’s story, “A New Man” to learn how this change happened, and his new life.

If you are struggling with addictions, you may want to try our Dealing with Addictions interactive life lesson, or if you’d like someone to talk to (confidentially) please email an online mentor today to talk.