An Amazing Fact: In the 2024 U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health, nearly
47 million Americans admitted to battling substance abuse—and 10.5 percent said
they struggle with alcoholism.
John
was homeless, hopeless, and overwhelmed by shame. He simply could not beat his
addictions. Multiple tragedies tempted him to find solace in old habits. But in
his darkest moments, he sensed God calling to his heart.
If
you’ve never been in the grip of an addiction, it’s hard to grasp the
loneliness, helplessness, and crippling shame an addict feels. John felt that God
would never take him back—but you brought healing truth into his mind.
When
the enemy tempts us to sin and we fall, he’s quick to whisper lies into our
ears. “You’re a loser. You’ll never overcome. God has given up on you.” But you and I know the secret to breaking these
lies—pure truth!
Do
you remember Jesus’ empowering words? “You shall know the truth, and the
truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). It is the Bible truth that breaks the
devil’s grasp on minds and hearts! Many hurt people think, “It’s no use. I’ll
never be free.” But Bible truth says, “With men this is impossible, but with
God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).
We
must continually present God’s saving truths to discouraged souls. John almost
gave up. But in one of his darkest hours, you brought him a message that caused
him to fall to his knees in tears and reach out for help …
A Godly Grandmother
As
a child, John always felt out of place. When his mother remarried and had more
kids, John felt like an outsider in his own family.
In
middle school, a move took the family to a new neighborhood, where John was the
only kid without a father. Seeking acceptance however he could, John began to
get in trouble. When his mother found drugs in his room, she sent him to live
with his grandmother in Honduras. Everything was different there, and John felt
out of place again.
But
John’s grandmother was a godly woman who attended church every Saturday. As
John listened to the preaching, he realized this church was dedicated to
teaching the Bible. He began studying his own Bible and fell in love with God. Before
long, he felt like he belonged.
Thank
God for godly grandparents! The apostle Paul saw in young Timothy a “genuine
faith … which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois” (2 Timothy 1:5). Through
Amazing Facts evangelism, you can provide nurturing faith and life-changing
truth 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 back
into his old habits of drugs and alcohol. “I lost the sense of purpose I had in
church,” he writes. “I felt a tremendous emptiness.”
Searching
for 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.
Then
tragedy struck. His wife was killed in a car accident. And when his daughter
was just three years old, she died suddenly.
Each
tragedy knocked John lower. For years, he was caught in a cycle of recovery and
relapse. “I ended up losing everything and living on the streets,” he shares. “I
was hopeless.” He couldn’t imagine truly recovering from addiction and believed
it was just a matter of time before he died of an overdose.
But
God wouldn’t let go of John …
A New Beginning
Even
during these darkest moments, John still believed in God. “I longed to be a
part of the family of God again,” he writes. “But I was trapped in shame. I
didn’t believe God would ever want me again.”
Yet
in his darkness, hearing me preach God’s Word offered light. “I would listen to
Pastor Doug every night,” John shares. “The way the truth was being preached
simply, calmly, with compassion and conviction, appealed to me.”
One
night, John believed that one of my sermons was meant just for him. He
dropped to his knees and begged God to take away the addiction, pain, and
meaninglessness. And God answered! “I have been completely sober since that
day,” John shares. He also began reading his Bible again.
Does
your heart rejoice like mine when you hear stories of transformed lives like
this one? You help create even more beautiful stories for broken souls who need
empowering faith!
Setting Captives Free
Friend,
God wants to partner with you to set more people free. Angels desire to work
beside you in giving hope to the despairing and breaking the shackles of
addiction.
When
you send a gift to Amazing Facts outreach, you uplift the living Word of God
worldwide. Your kind, co-laboring gifts cooperate with God in bringing people
like John to the nail-pierced hands of Jesus. Your compassion helps those in
bondage break free of crippling shame by sharing the truth about our loving
Father.
Will
you help break more chains that bind hearts this month? Your loving gift of $50
will provide 81 sharing resources to those crying for help. Your gift of $25 will
help 352 people watch evangelistic programs on YouTube that will put them on a
new pathway. And a bondage-breaking gift of $100 will provide 1,667 seekers
with truth-filled television programs.
Whatever
size gift you send this month, I’m grateful that you trust Amazing Facts enough
to put your hard-earned money to work—making as much of an eternal difference
as possible through our many evangelistic efforts.
John
was baptized, attended our AFCOE program and now works as a contractor. He
explains, “Amazing Facts planted seeds of truth in my life.” God put John on a
new path, and he’s now involved in church work. Will you help set more people
free to become dedicated servants of Jesus?
Leading
others to victory in Christ,
Pastor
Doug Batchelor
President,
Amazing Facts International