“I needed to cry. No, I needed to weep. Deep, abandoned sobs. What on earth have I done to deserve all this pain?”

Whether it’s physical or spiritual, a new heart brings new life. John was a healthy, active person until shortness of breath led to a diagnosis of an extremely rare heart disease that required a transplant. The spiritual insight of Jesus giving all who believe a “new heart” became very real to John as he awaited his physical transplant.

Becky’s life was a mess. Once she found what she’d been looking for, she knew she had to share it. “I wanted a deep, meaningful, rich life for the Lord;” and she found it in loving others well.

Angel believed the lies the world told her. She felt worthless and ugly. Her life became a swirling mess of men, booze, and drugs until one day she cried out to God, “Kill me or save me. But don’t let me live like this anymore.”

Doing for God took the place of being with God. Until he learned to be still and listen.

In the Maasai community, young girls typically marry men chosen by their fathers. But Alice had a different calling. Through a sponsorship and an unexpected opportunity her brother’s school provided, she was able to get an education and learn about Jesus. It changed her life. He gave her a spirit of courage to follow His calling on her life. Alice said, “I have a task to do….

A rough childhood which included repeated abuse at the hands of religious leaders made Vic Mitchell a very confused and angry person. When he went into the service after high school and they asked him what he wanted to be, he replied, “I want to become the meanest man possible.” He hung out with the wrong crowd and took pleasure in beating people up. But one Sunday…

As an actress, Gwendolyn Briley-Strand was used to playing strong female roles—women of faith and perseverance. But playing a resilient character is far easier than being one in real life. Two rounds of cancer, including exhausting chemotherapy and radiation treatments, reinforced Gwen’s belief that she needed to turn to the healing words of the Bible for her strength.