The Well | Childhood Archives

Mez (Ireland)

February 26, 2020
Childhood Childhood, abandoned Childhood, from an alcoholic home Childhood, moved around a lot Childhood, neglected Childhood, traumatic Childhood, unloved Childhood, wealthy Drug abuse Drug abuse Drug abuse, addiction Drug abuse, addiction Family Family, unloving Imprisonment Parents Parents, neglected Uncategorized
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Meet Mez

Mez’ had an extremely traumatic childhood and he spent his early adult life behind bars. God sent a faithful Christian into Mez’s life to love him and share the gospel with him. Mez turned to Christ and now he’s passionate about pursuing marginalized people in society with the love of Jesus.

Mez describes the extremely dysfunctional family from which he came and how he was abandoned in a box as a two-year-old. He lived in over 30 homes and shelters until ending up on the streets as a teenager. Mez became a drug user aged 12, then becoming a drug dealer by his later teenage years. Mez’ choices resulted in his imprisonment in a maximum-security prison.

While living on the streets, Mez was approached by Christians who shared the gospel with him. At the time Mez responded with hostility. However, while in prison one of the same Christians offered Mez a home to go to for his parole. It was in this Christian home, reading the Bible and Bible commentaries, where Mez accepted he was a sinner and turned to Christ.

God has radically changed Mez’ life. He went to Bible college and got married. God has also given him a heart to reach the most socially excluded groups in society with the Gospel. Mez has set up a church in Northern Brazil among prostitutes and street children. He has also started a church in one of the most economically deprived areas of Scotland. His desire is to train up others to take the Gospel to people living in extreme poverty.

Gospel

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Mez’ story was produced by Together for the Gospel (T4G).

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Tags: Childhood - abandoned, Childhood - fostered, Childhood - from an alcoholic home, Childhood - unstable, Christian ministry life - evangelist, Christian ministry life - missionary, Christian ministry life - pastor, Christians - dislike or hostility, Drug abuse, Drug addiction, Drug dealing, Father - rejection, Homelessness, Imprisonment, Mother - rejection, Sex industry, Sheltered accommodation, Sin - accepting I'm a sinner, The Bible, The gospel (God's message to the world), The gospel - don't know it

February 26, 2020 0

Heath (USA)

Meet Heath

Heath tells his story of finding forgiveness through Jesus Christ towards his mother who viciously abused him as a kid.

Heath had a very traumatic and violent childhood at the hands of his alcoholic mother. He suffered severe physical, emotional and mental abuse. He thought his mother would kill him. She also hatefully revealed to him that the man he thought was his father (who he loved dearly) was not his father. Heath was traumatized by being taken away from him.

As a teenager, Heath heard the gospel and received Jesus as his Lord and Savior. In time, Jesus showed Heath that he needed to let go of his anger towards his mother and forgive her. Jesus healed Heath’s heart. He spent a decade visiting his mother and telling her the gospel. He got to witness her place her faith in Jesus also.

God also moved in Heath’s heart to find his biological father, so he could share the gospel with him. Heath found him and visited the man. He discovered that his biological father had become a Christian a long time ago and wanted a relationship with him but didn’t know how.

Heath says his story is not about hatred and abuse, but really about the love and grace of Jesus Christ.

Gospel

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This story was produced by the Association of Certified Biblical Counsellors (ACBC), Kansas City, Missouri, USA.

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Tags: Childhood - from a violent home, Childhood - from an alcoholic home, Childhood - neglected, Custody, Emotional pain, Father, Fear, Hatred, Illegal gun use, Mother - abusive, Mother - forgiving her, Mother - rejection, Verbal abuse

November 6, 2019 0

Steve (USA)

Meet Steve

Steve describes the tragedy of his mother dying while he was a baby, and his father’s alcoholism and inability to care for him and his siblings. As a young person, Steve developed an addiction to alcohol. His marriage failed and his life spun out of control. Steve remarried and he was invited to do a Bible study. The pastor explained the gospel in a way Steve could understand. Steve accepted Jesus’ work to make him right with God. Steve asked Jesus to take away his alcohol addiction, which Jesus did. Steve knows God can radically change a person with his power.

Gospel

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This story was produced by Lakeside Fellowship, Polk City, Iowa, USA.

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Tags: Alcohol addiction, Childhood - raised by a family member, Childhood - traumatic, Divorce, Father - rejection, Father - strained relations, Home loss, Hopelessness, Job loss, Mother - death, Selfishness, The gospel - don't know it

May 9, 2019 0

Matt (USA)

Meet Matt

Matt didn’t grow up in a Christian home. He experienced trauma as a teenager when his father died in an accident. Matt had bouts of depression at college and turned to alcohol. After he met his wife, they both started attending church. Matt says it was simply box ticking. In time, he got more curious about Christianity and the Bible. With the help of a pastor, he finally understood what the gospel was and what Jesus’ death and righteousness meant for him. He now wants Christ’s light to shine through him.

Gospel

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This story was produced by Soteria Church, Des Moines, Iowa, USA.

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Tags: Accident, Alcohol abuse, Childhood - non-spiritual home, Christianity - curiosity, Christians - good examples, Depression, Emotional pain, Father - death, Religious life - going through the motions, Salvation - declared righteous by God, The Bible – curiosity, The gospel - don't know it

April 30, 2019 0

Julia (USA)

Meet Julia

Julia had a difficult childhood growing up in a home with her father who struggled with drugs and her mom who had to keep everything together. As an adult, Julia felt shame about her dad, and did things to win approval from others. Julia was brought up in the Catholic church and went through the motions of going to church. Her eyes were completely opened to the truth of the gospel when she learned that works would not get her into heaven. She also discovered she was lacking a personal relationship with Jesus. Julia accepted Jesus’ work on the cross to make her right with God, and now she knows she will get to heaven because of what He has done.

Gospel

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This story was produced by Soteria Church, Des Moines, USA.

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Tags: Anger - general, Approval from others, Catholicism, Childhood - from a drug home, Childhood - traumatic, Christians - good examples, Doing good deeds, Father - abusive, God - personal relationship with God, Low self-esteem, My Christian life - I thought I was a Christian, Religious life - going through the motions, Self-worth based on performance, Shame, Works-based religion

April 29, 2019 0

Cody (USA)

Meet Cody

Cody talks about growing up in a home with good morals but no God. As an adult, he didn’t think he needed help to know God. Cody got invited to a gospel-preaching church and found out that he had deep curiosity and longing to learn more about the Bible and spiritual things. Cody heard and accepted the fact that Jesus died for his sins. Cody describes how God has changed his heart. He feels joy, and so much love towards his wife.

Gospel

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This story was produced by Soteria Church, Des Moines, Iowa, USA.

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Tags: Childhood - non-spiritual home, Christianity - curiosity, Christianity - lack of knowledge, Hard-heartedness, Jesus - is He God?, Joy, Marriage, Spirituality - don't care

April 29, 2019 0

David (USA)

Meet David

David describes a very traumatic upbringing which made him think God couldn’t exist. David joined the army and devoted his life to it. He shares how he hated Christians and Christianity. However, God intervened in David’s life and through a radio broadcast, God opened David’s eyes so he could see how much God loved him. David responded and placed his faith in Jesus’ work to make him right with God. Though David has been through difficult circumstances, he feels unburdened and knows God loves him. He is passionate about telling others about what Jesus offers them too.

Gospel

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This story was produced by Lakeside Fellowship, Polk City, Iowa, USA.

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Tags: Burdened, Careers - army, Childhood - abduction, Childhood - from a violent home, Childhood - traumatic, Childhood - unstable, Christianity - dislike or hostility, Christians - dislike or hostility, Christians - good examples, God - forgiven by God, God - hostile towards God, God - relying on God, God - skeptical about God, Home loss, Job loss, My Christian life – coping with trials

March 26, 2019 0

Nathan (USA)

Meet Nathan

Nathan shares how an older kid sexually abused him while he was very young. He talks about the guilt and shame he felt. Nathan describes that the abuse awakened a curiosity in him – which moved from pornography – to paying for sex – by the time he was a young adult. He knew he had gone too far, and he felt utterly hopeless. Just as he was about to throw himself onto train tracks, God brought to mind a verse from the Bible he had learned as a kid – “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:32). This was the turning point in Nathan’s life. He believed in the gospel and God started rebuilding Nathan’s life. Today Nathan is married with children and works as a family counseling pastor.

Gospel

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This story was produced by Park Community Church, Chicago, USA.

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Tags: Approval from others, Christian ministry life - counseling pastor, Guilt, Hopelessness, Pornography use, Secrecy, Sex addiction, Sexual abuse, Sexual life - paying for sex, Shame, Suicidal, Suicide attempt

March 8, 2019 0

Mal (New Zealand)

Meet Mal

This video is an interview with Mal Gill about his salvation story. The video ends with prayers. Mal shares how he grew up in a model Christian home where he seen the gospel lived out in the lives of his parents. His father had been shot multiple times and survived. He took Mal along to prison visits to do Bible studies with the young guys who had shot him. Despite this, Mal did not personalize the gospel. As a teenager, he attended a Bible camp so he could spend time with a girl. But it was there that God convicted Mal of his need of forgiveness, and Mal trusted in Christ’s work on the cross. Mal went on to become a pastor. He shares how he got through cancer treatment leaning on God.

Gospel

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This story was produced by MBM Rooty Hill, Sydney, Australia.

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Tags: Childhood - traumatic event, Christian ministry life - pastor, Christian upbringing - not owning faith, Christians - good examples, Coping with physical suffering, Doing good deeds, God - relying on God, Lymphoma

March 4, 2019 0

Lori (USA)

Meet Lori

Lori shares how she experienced a very unstable upbringing in an alcoholic home. Lori describes how drugs and alcohol became a part of her teenage and adult life. She experienced divorce, and crisis in her second marriage. Lori shares how God reached out to her and brought her to an understanding of how to enter into an eternal relationship with Him. Lori describes how God has restored her marriage and blessed her and her family.