Changed lives

Some people grow up believing in God; some keep believing, some stop. Others never believed.

Some people’s lives go according to plan, and everything seems to work out right for them. But many others find that life takes them into dark places. Relationships break, or loved ones die; sickness strikes them down or they fall into an addiction. Or maybe it is something less obvious – they lose their way, or life seems pointless. Perhaps they are successful, and they wonder if that’s all there is.

Sometimes people find that God comes to them in their weakness and disillusion, and somehow heals them, gives them hope and lifts them up, and their lives take on meaning again.

These stories

These stories are about people like this.

Anna McGahan. Anna’s stories has many twsits and is still a work in progress. She grew up a sensitive, gifted and unusual girl, but suffered from poor body image and eating disorders. As a young actor, she found herself struggling with “ownership of her femininity, sexuality and physicality”. Then, totally unexpectedly, God intervened in her life, showed her he wasn’t at all like she feared. And then just as unexpectedly, her queer sexuality and disappointment with God and Christianity led to out of faith and into uncertainty.

Conversion stories. Four people, two suffering from addictions and with a prison term behind them, one needing healing and one whose life was going just as he wanted, experience God intervening to put things right and give them new hope.

A young Muslim intellectual changes course. Nabeel was smart and well-read. He discussed belief with a christian friend and appreciated the answers he received. But he wasn’t ready to change belief until God intervened via a vision and three dreams.

Philosophy is not enough. Alison was a bright young university student who thought she had worked life out – until a devastating loss forced a re-think. She found that christian faith provided answers that no other worldview was able to do.

It lasts! Jordan’s story is harrowing at the start, as she is poorly treated by the men in her life. But it ends up full of hope as she stumbles upon a way out of her dead end, finds people who trust her and treat her gently. And finds that God heals the hurts and gives her a new family.

“I still keep to Jesus this night”. Winson was a drug addict, fighter and triad gang member in the notorious Hong Kong walled city when his gang leader gave him the task of protecting a foreigner, who was trying to help their community. But none of them ever dreamed he would find a new boss as a result!

Fall in love and fall apart. Sufjan Stevens wrote: Fall in love and fall apart, things will end before they start. For Laura, it took a little longer to fall apart …. and for her to get it together again. But this story has a happy ending.