Crippled by Shame, Empowered by Faith

An Amazing Fact: In the 2024 U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health, nearly47 million Americans admitted to battling substance abuse—and 10.5 percent saidthey struggle with alcoholism.

  

Johnwas homeless, hopeless, and overwhelmed by shame. He simply could not beat hisaddictions. Multiple tragedies tempted him to find solace in old habits. But inhis darkest moments, he sensed God calling to his heart.

 

Ifyou’ve never been in the grip of an addiction, it’s hard to grasp theloneliness, helplessness, and crippling shame an addict feels. John felt that Godwould never take him back—but you brought healing truth into his mind.

 

Whenthe enemy tempts us to sin and we fall, he’s quick to whisper lies into ourears. “You’re a loser. You’ll never overcome. God has given up on you.”  But you and I know the secret to breaking theselies—pure truth!

 

Doyou remember Jesus’ empowering words? “You shall know the truth, and thetruth shall make you free” (John 8:32). It is the Bible truth that breaks thedevil’s grasp on minds and hearts! Many hurt people think, “It’s no use. I’llnever be free.” But Bible truth says, “With men this is impossible, but withGod all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).

 

Wemust continually present God’s saving truths to discouraged souls. John almostgave up. But in one of his darkest hours, you brought him a message that causedhim to fall to his knees in tears and reach out for help …

 

A Godly Grandmother

Asa child, John always felt out of place. When his mother remarried and had morekids, John felt like an outsider in his own family.

 

Inmiddle school, a move took the family to a new neighborhood, where John was theonly kid without a father. Seeking acceptance however he could, John began toget in trouble. When his mother found drugs in his room, she sent him to livewith his grandmother in Honduras. Everything was different there, and John feltout of place again.

 

ButJohn’s grandmother was a godly woman who attended church every Saturday. AsJohn listened to the preaching, he realized this church was dedicated toteaching the Bible. He began studying his own Bible and fell in love with God. Beforelong, he felt like he belonged.

 

ThankGod for godly grandparents! The apostle Paul saw in young Timothy a “genuinefaith … which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois” (2 Timothy 1:5). ThroughAmazing Facts evangelism, you can provide nurturing faith and life-changingtruth and be like family to those without godly influences.

 

Broken by Tragedy

Eventually,when his girlfriend broke up with him, John became depressed and slipped backinto his old habits of drugs and alcohol. “I lost the sense of purpose I had inchurch,” he writes. “I felt a tremendous emptiness.”

 

Searchingfor meaning, John decided to enlist. While in the army, he fell in love,married, and started a family. For a while, these new pursuits helped.

 

Thentragedy struck. His wife was killed in a car accident. And when his daughterwas just three years old, she died suddenly.

 

Eachtragedy knocked John lower. For years, he was caught in a cycle of recovery andrelapse. “I ended up losing everything and living on the streets,” he shares. “Iwas hopeless.” He couldn’t imagine truly recovering from addiction and believedit was just a matter of time before he died of an overdose.

 

ButGod wouldn’t let go of John …

 

A New Beginning

Evenduring these darkest moments, John still believed in God. “I longed to be apart of the family of God again,” he writes. “But I was trapped in shame. Ididn’t believe God would ever want me again.”

 

Yetin his darkness, hearing me preach God’s Word offered light. “I would listen toPastor Doug every night,” John shares. “The way the truth was being preachedsimply, calmly, with compassion and conviction, appealed to me.”

 

Onenight, John believed that one of my sermons was meant just for him. Hedropped to his knees and begged God to take away the addiction, pain, andmeaninglessness. And God answered! “I have been completely sober since thatday,” John shares. He also began reading his Bible again.

 

Doesyour heart rejoice like mine when you hear stories of transformed lives likethis one? You help create even more beautiful stories for broken souls who needempowering faith!

 

Setting Captives Free

Friend,God wants to partner with you to set more people free. Angels desire to workbeside you in giving hope to the despairing and breaking the shackles ofaddiction.

 

Whenyou send a gift to Amazing Facts outreach, you uplift the living Word of Godworldwide. Your kind, co-laboring gifts cooperate with God in bringing peoplelike John to the nail-pierced hands of Jesus. Your compassion helps those inbondage break free of crippling shame by sharing the truth about our lovingFather.

 

Willyou help break more chains that bind hearts this month? Your loving gift of $50will provide 81 sharing resources to those crying for help. Your gift of $25 willhelp 352 people watch evangelistic programs on YouTube that will put them on anew pathway. And a bondage-breaking gift of $100 will provide 1,667 seekerswith truth-filled television programs.

 

Whateversize gift you send this month, I’m grateful that you trust Amazing Facts enoughto put your hard-earned money to work—making as much of an eternal differenceas possible through our many evangelistic efforts.

 

Johnwas baptized, attended our AFCOE program and now works as a contractor. Heexplains, “Amazing Facts planted seeds of truth in my life.” God put John on anew path, and he’s now involved in church work. Will you help set more peoplefree to become dedicated servants of Jesus?

 

Leadingothers to victory in Christ,

 

PastorDoug Batchelor

President,Amazing Facts International