Tag Archives: hope

Jesus Became My Home

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On Wednesday, I sat across the table from Misty Collett as she confessed, “I cannot live without Jesus.” When Jesus transforms a life, it shows. Misty glows. She can’t help it. Because I love sharing stories of how God redeems the things we thought were lost, I’ve asked Misty to share her story with our blog community. I pray that you are blessed. Juliet~

No matter the situation, Jesus will love you through it.

He whispers, “Trust me my dear child, and I will straighten your path. My grace abounds in you, my love comforts you and my blood covers it all.”

When I was ten, my mother shot and killed my father. I was only twelve when she died of cancer. From ten to thirty-one years old, I was a full-blown drug addicted mess. For years, I was in and out of institutions and behind bars. Most of all, I was locked up inside the hell I called myself.Church Window

In the winter of 2011, I gave my life fully to the one main love of my life today, JESUS CHRIST, but that is not all… I also gave Him the drugs, the hate, the hurt and the habits that I fought since I was a kid.

Today, I stand here IN LOVE with my savior, ON FIRE to do the work of the Lord ! Not only do I have the Holy Spirit in my ole bones, but I also have HOPE that binds up my wounds. I am living proof that the words of Jesus Christ do not come back void, they are living water my friends, LIVING WATER!

Jesus became my home when so many gave me away. He promised that if I came to Him, He would be my strength and I would not grow weary. When I saw myself as a lost, hopeless drug addicted junkie, a failure full of sin and poison – JESUS CHRIST saw me as a KING’S DAUGHTER, A VESSEL with a BLOOD COVERED TESTIMONY, A RIGHTEOUS CHILD OF THE LIVING GOD.

He is the Father to the fatherless, the one Hope to the hopeless, and when you utter, even utter the name JESUS CHRIST, situations change, chains are snapped, foundations shake!

There is only one true God. When we accept His Love, it is in that very moment that He gives us a new name. Once you invite Jesus into your heart, He will never stop pursuing you with His amazing love. He stands at the door and knocks, but I tell you the truth, if you open the door and give him a chance, your life will be made new. No demon in hell can change that. There is nothing that can compare to the LOVE of my Father in Heaven. I can guarantee you that!

Misty Headshot

My name is Misty Collett. I am 33 yrs old and I am married to a wonderful man, Preston. We have an amazing son, Payton, who is twelve years old. Misty & PaytonWe live simply and do not take one day for granted. It wasn’t always this way. My son had two addicted parents and his whole life was full of chaos.God healed our family and we now help others as God gives us the eyes to see them as He saw us….As His.

You will be deeply impacted if you take 30 minutes to watch Misty’s full testimony here: http://youtu.be/FqBSAYeEoPg

 

Life Is Fragile…But Hold On To Hope

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Personal testimony is mighty. No one can take our story away from us. It’s ours. When we share what is ours with others, we hand them hope. And hope is a powerful thing when life feels particularly fragile. Hope keeps people alive. Today I’d like to share the testimony of my friend and prayer partner, Candace Kohler. It was her Facebook post a couple of days ago. Candace’s words struck a chord with me, so I asked her permission to share it on my blog.

“Almost 10 years clean from Cocaine, I am humbly thankful for the powerful name of Jesus – Can I get an Amen? I don’t post this stuff on FB, but look, do you know someone on drugs or alcohol? Do you judge them? Make no mistake, no one ever says they want to grow up and be addicted. It’s a powerful stronghold from the devil that can be broken through intercessional prayer and fasting. Be encouraged today, God has a plan for their life too. A good plan, with a good end. Just look at how my life has totally made a 180 degree turn – glory be to God.” Candace Kohler

If you love someone who is addicted, I just want to encourage you with my friend’s words. I know it is difficult to hold on to hope, because you’ve been “burned” so many times and believed so many lies. But I want to encourage not to let go of hope. Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” We become heartsick when our hopes are dashed time and time again, especially if we are the spouse of an addicted person. I well remember that sickening, sinking feeling of realizing once again, that I had been “duped.” That I had believed the lies. That I had been gullible and had enabled the user to sink further into the pit of self-destructive behavior because I had misplaced my hope to the point of blindness.

I’m not talking about placing hope on the shoulders of a human being. I am speaking about hoping, believing… trusting in the Life..ability of almighty God to transform the life of our addicted loved one. Candace’s testimony is powerful because it demonstrates the potential of God in a surrendered life. His word says that with Him nothing shall be impossible (Luke 1:37).

The key words there are with Him. When we ally ourselves with the King of the Universe, NOTHING is impossible. And when we surrender our lives completely to Him, He will finish the work He began in us. When we surrender our addicted loved one to Him, we can trust that our prayers for that precious soul are being heard. God loves them more than we do. He has wonderful plans for their lives. Don’t give up on them. He’s not finished. Relinquish them to Him. And allow Jesus to be their Savior. We cannot take that role upon ourselves.

But we can pray. Candace’s words of hope are these, addiction is “ a powerful stronghold from the devil that can be broken through intercessional prayer and fasting.” Dear friend, let me encourage you to find a prayer partner and begin interceding and fasting for your addicted loved one. Hold on to hope. Be encouraged today…Candace is living proof that God’s tools work.

I am proud of you, Candace Kohler. Keep the faith, sister. Your story gives hope to many who  may just feel like giving up.

Photo Credit for “Life Is Fragile” goes to my sister and iphonographer Ami Novak. More of her beautiful work can be found at www.twenty20.com/winter_can_wait