Cover Third edition_Layout 1 06/08/2013 10:23 Page 1 HAVE YOU REAL PEOPLE EVER WONDERED IF THERE IS A GOD? REAL GOD And, if there is, True Stories from West Wales can you get to know him? The stories in these pages are from people who would say “there is” and “you can.” They are just a tiny selection of the millions of people worldwide today, and throughout all centuries, who have had a life-changing experience of the God of the Bible. This booklet is for anyone who wants to know if God is real and what he can do in the lives of ordinary people in Wales today. THIRD EDITION Cover Third edition_Layout 1 06/08/2013 10:23 Page 2 First Edition published in Great Britain in 2007 This Edition 2013 Contents © Elaine Sharples All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted at any time or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher Quay Street, Cardigan, Ceredigion. SA43 1HU Where indicated Scriptures are taken from The Message. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Email: [email protected] Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group Phone: 01239 615 864 Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, UN MM IT copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Wheaton, O Y C P Illinois 60189. All rights reserved E R F O I J L E C w With thanks to the Carmarthen Journal for permission to use the quote in Janet’s story T e S N Stories compiled by Elaine Sharples Booklet designed and typeset by www.typesetter.org.uk Printed in Wales In the community with you and for you Introduction The stories in this booklet are the experiences of real people living in west Wales who have found the relationship they were made for – a relationship with the living God, through His Son, Jesus Christ. Faith isn’t complicated; it is simply a matter of putting your trust in someone who is completely trustworthy. And I’m not talking about ‘blind faith’. There are good reasons why people believe in Jesus. The Bible says that God created the world. It takes much more faith to believe that there is no Creator – that all this came out of nothing – by accident. Secondly, there is very good sound historical evidence for the life, teaching, miracles, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Also there is the evidence of believers all over the world and throughout the centuries who would claim that Jesus is alive, that they know Him and He knows them. This booklet contains just a small selection of their stories. The people featured in this booklet are ordinary people. They may live in your village. They are people you might queue alongside in the supermarket or sit next to on the bus. Their stories are told simply and honestly in their own words. The variety of experiences is amazing.. It is wonderful how God deals with everyone differently but at the same time He loves everyone equally. The same God who loves them loves you and He wants you to enjoy the relationship with Him that He made you for – a relationship more deep and intimate than any you have ever known. Nothing in your whole life is more important than getting to know God. There is nothing and no-one like Him. – 1 – …to all who believed in Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God. John 1:10 (NLT) Melanie’s Story I first started experimenting with drugs and alcohol when I was 15 years old – drinking vodka with my friends and smoking cannabis: this was pretty normal every weekend. Although my parents had brought me up not to behave in such a way I was completely rebellious. My parents separated when I was 15 but this is not why I drank or took drugs. I liked the effect and loved going out with my friends. I lived with my dad when they separated and he worked hard. This meant he couldn’t really keep an eye on me 24 hours a day and, although my big sister took over my mum’s role in the house, she was also unable to stop me from being so rebellious. On the night of my 16th birthday party I got very drunk. Many people brought alcohol and there were soon at least 60 people at my house. I had liked this guy for some time and he knew I liked him. He was drinking gin and must have been about 25 years old. We all left the house and went to someone else’s. I was so drunk I could hardly keep my eyes open and I remember being in a room with the bed against the door. That night I lost my virginity. Even this did not deter me from getting drunk. I then met someone and lived with him, on and off, for nearly four years. It became abusive and it ended when I had enough and got extremely drunk at a wedding and kissed another man. I continued getting drunk and taking all kinds of drugs: ecstasy, acid, mushrooms, amphetamines and other uppers. I tried to get my life together when I was 19 years old and went to the doctor for help. I had a CPN (Community Psychiatric Nurse) and would have regular sessions talking about my problems. They also prescribed me anti-depressants and sleeping tablets. I went college to do an Access course as I wanted to become a nurse. I passed the course, but that’s as far as I went. Throughout this time I was searching for an answer and often thought to myself that there was more to life than taking drugs and drinking. I read lots of inspirational self-help books and tried many alternative new-age religions – a bit from everything. – 3 – Drifting along I started really to try and make a change. I worked for a year but really struggled to keep it together. Eventually I had to give the job up as I had been admitted to a psychiatric ward several times. Each time in hospital I wanted to get better and hated the person I’d become and the things I had done. I remember one time I was in a psychiatric ward and my mum was on the phone begging me not to keep doing drugs. I know I meant it in my heart when I said to her that I wouldn’t do it again but, the very next day when I was released, I went to a party and got trashed. So I ended up in the same place again. I missed out on so much with my family and my friends and became a lone wolf. The last time I went into hospital a place came up for me in a rehabilitation centre. Although I still wasn’t convinced that I had a problem I went as a last resort. I was there for three months and then moved on to secondary treatment for drug and alcohol abuse. I stayed clean for four years but was still really unhappy and full of fear. I would wake up and think to myself, “If this is life clean and sober I don’t want it.” I knew that a drink would lead to another drink and then more drug abuse so I took lots of painkillers and ended up in hospital. How very dark it is before the dawn! The day I got out I was resigned to the fact that I might always be mentally ill and need medication or help in some way. But – God had a plan for me and I met three girls who were clean and sober and attending 12-Step meetings and church. Life got so much better as a result of being around these people and they told me that God could do for me what I couldn’t do for myself and that He was the answer. But I was still preoccupied with my ex- boyfriend. I thought I could help him get clean. One day I went to see him and was full of anger and resentment that he could not stop for me – so I relapsed. I drank some whisky and that lead to nine more months of turmoil. The physical craving was beyond my mental control; I could not stop, even if I wanted to, because the craving for drugs was so strong. Eventually my boyfriend went into rehab and I decided to try and give up again. I went back to those girls I’d met before and carried on doing support groups. I was prescribed Codeine Phosphate for the pain of withdrawal by a doctor and got hooked onto – 4 – them – and so did my boyfriend. It took a year for us to separate and get clean again but this time I knew that I needed something more so I cried out to God, “help me please.” I was in Cardigan, walking down to the supermarket one day, and just felt as though someone was prompting me to go into New Life Church, so I went over and soon found myself inside being prayed for. Thus my journey with God really began. Little did I know that my boyfriend, who had left that same week, was going through detox ‘raw’ with prayer and he also rang me up in the same week to say, “I love Jesus.” I was shocked and excited because I knew then that God really did have a plan.