Rooted in Love, Anchored in Hope

Pulling her car to the side of the road, Jennifer buried her face in the steering wheel and began sobbing. She hated her life and her work as an exotic dancer. Jennifer cried out to God to be delivered, and He answered her prayer—through people like you.

Jennifer grew up in a broken home ravaged by alcoholism. She spent years enduring abuse as she moved in and out of foster care. “I grew up with so much hostility in me,” she says today. “I didn’t understand why I had so much pain inside, why I had to go through what I did. I grew up without an identity. I tried hard to find my purpose in life, but I just couldn’t make sense of the world.”

Her mom regained custody when Jennifer was seven years old, and they eventually began attending a Sabbath-keeping church. But Jennifer never developed a personal relationship with Jesus. She felt rebellious, selfish, depressed, and damaged.

At age 18, Jennifer had her first child. To support herself and her son, she began working as an exotic dancer. She hoped it would be a temporary job, but it stretched into years. “My life was filled with one bad decision after another,” she says.

Seeking to fill the painful void in her heart, Jennifer also explored New Age spirituality and occult practices. “I hated life,” Jennifer admits. “I would do anything to try to attain happiness.” And she did just about anything. But all the happiness she found was short-lived and left her feeling worse than before.

“I Immediately Felt His Presence”

Meanwhile, Jennifer’s mother continually interceded in prayer for her. She also sent Jennifer videos and articles from Amazing Facts. Jennifer decided to give them a try because she was bored and this was a way to pass time. But she didn’t expect what happened next.

“The ministry instantly had an effect on me,” she shares. It was the first time ever that Jennifer actually felt hope in her heart for a better life. Even though she was still working as an exotic dancer, she felt God gently convicting her heart through the Bible truths presented by Amazing Facts.

She began to believe that Jesus cared about even the smallest details of her life—and that she could trust her heavenly Father, who would never let her down. She even believed that He could redeem her pain and suffering. “I clung to the promise that He would turn all things around for my good.”

Jennifer’s attention was particularly captured when Pastor Doug preached about Revelation and the end times. “My eyes were opened to the reality that we’re living in the last days and that this world is quickly coming to an end. Heaven will be a reality one day soon. Everything that the devil had offered me through sin and selfish living paled in comparison to what Jesus had to offer me.”

During this time, Jennifer still went to work but began feeling an increasing presence of evil in the club. She hated being there. “I was filled with so much disgust that one day on my way to work, I pulled over to the side of the road and started sobbing—pouring my heart out to God. I surrendered to Him at that very moment.” She went home, fell to her knees, and once more cried out to God, “Please deliver me out of this lifestyle.”

Jennifer then made a promise to God that she would be His disciple and that He could mold and use her for His kingdom and glory—that she would serve Him for the rest of her life.

“I immediately felt His presence. He overwhelmed me with so much joy and peace. I felt truly loved and understood for the first time in my life. Here I was—living so sinfully, but He still loved me. He still pursued me, before I ever pursued Him. He gave my life a purpose. He had a hope and future for me just as He does for all His children.”

Truth Stands the Test of Time

Jennifer never went back to work at the club. Instead, she studied deeper into the myriad resources available from Amazing Facts—made possible through faithful donors. She soon found relief from the pain that had dominated her life for so long. She began to understand God’s grace.

She felt a particular sense of freedom when she learned about the importance of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and how no one can live in the will of God without His help. She says, “I understood that it’s not what I do, but what Christ has done for me, and what He’s doing in me. Today, I am a believer motivated by love and powered by the Spirit. I truly know what it means to rest in Jesus.”

As her walk with God grew stronger, Jennifer was called by the Lord to participate in the Amazing Facts Center of Evangelism (AFCOE) training. “The very ministry that God used to get hold of me is the very ministry He used to educate and equip me in evangelism. Now I share Amazing Facts resources with my friends, family, and others. Their material is always eye-opening, and it stands the test of time. The Amazing Facts Study Guides and videos make the Bible come alive.” She’s always eager for more resources to become available so that she can study and share them with others.

Only Jesus Fills the Void

Today, Jennifer’s life overflows with peace, security, and hope. “I am content and genuinely happy! Only Jesus can fill the void in the human heart because He’s the one who created us.”

She also remembers how her mother once worried about the effects of Jennifer’s rebellious lifestyle. “When I was twenty years old, my mother told me she didn’t think I would live to be thirty because of the way I was living my life. But two days after my thirtieth birthday, I was baptized by Wyatt Allen of Amazing Facts and the pastor of my church.”

Now Jennifer’s biggest joy is pointing others to Jesus. She is committed to evangelism—sharing the life of freedom only found in the Hope of the world.

Four years ago, Jennifer was thrilled to meet Pastor Doug and personally thank him for being obedient to God’s call in his life. She says, “God used Amazing Facts to bring light to me and I am forever grateful. Hope changed my whole life. This hope is found in Jesus—His love for me and His soon return. Today my motto is ‘Rooted in Love and Anchored in Hope.’”

Through people like you who support Amazing Facts, Jennifer is a testimony to the living God who brings peace through forgiveness of sin and restoration. Thank you for your kindness!

Amazing Facts is a non-profit, donor-supported ministry.
We greatly appreciate your prayers and financial support.
Comments

When you post, you agree to the terms and conditions of our comments policy.

If you have a Bible question for Pastor Doug Batchelor or the Amazing Facts Bible answer team, please submit it by clicking here. Due to staff size, we are unable to answer Bible questions posted in the comments.
To help maintain a Christian environment, we closely moderate all comments.

  1. Please be patient. We strive to approve comments the day they are made, but please allow at least 24 hours for your comment to appear. Comments made on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday may not be approved until the following Monday.

  2. Comments that include name-calling, profanity, harassment, ridicule, etc. will be automatically deleted and the invitation to participate revoked.

  3. Comments containing URLs outside the family of Amazing Facts websites will not be approved.

  4. Comments containing telephone numbers or email addresses will not be approved.

  5. Comments off topic may be deleted.

  6. Please do not comment in languages other than English.

Please note: Approved comments do not constitute an endorsement by the ministry of Amazing Facts or by Pastor Doug Batchelor. This website allows dissenting comments and beliefs, but our comment sections are not a forum for ongoing debate.


Need assistance? Please give us a call at 877-506-1751 or e-mail us at PartnerRelations@AmazingFacts.org. Please note our office hours are Monday to Thursday 8:30am to 6:00pm Pacific Time. You can also print this form and mail your donation to Amazing Facts, PO Box 1058, Roseville, CA 95678. Please remember Amazing Facts in your will or trust.