This is achingly beautiful. What a testimony of the vast love of God who can hold us in our deepest pains and find us when we were not looking for him. Our God who is above all created things and supreme over every power and authority in the spiritual realms. Praise him and may your story be used to bring many captives into freedom. I have so many thoughts to chew on, but for now - thank you Stefano, and thank you Jesus 🙏🏼
Thank you so much for this comment, Anna. I’m so glad it spoke to you. It was very healing for me to write it. I’m still processing and receiving new insights from it myself... continuing to see the goodness of God in all that I’ve been through and experienced. Including the memories that I sometimes wish I didn’t have. He is the Redeemer of all and causes everything to work together for good. God be praised!
Getting saved out of New Age is no joke. Horrific stuff. My now-wife and I met in Boulder CO, deep in the occult, shortly before each of us got saved. We had to leave EVERYTHING and EVERYONE behind. The Lord has radically turned our lives around, but man oh man... I am eagerly looking forward to to see Him coming in the clouds, let me say it that way!
You have a beautiful testimony. GOD has a beautiful testimony THROUGH you. Praise His work! This was so encouraging and inspiring to read. May you grow strong as you continue to walk in this new relationship with Him, and may your impact for His kingdom bring Him much glory. God bless you, brother!
Stefano, I really appreciated hearing your story and background. I am sorry you went through such a painful, tough relationship, but I do believe God uses things like this to bring people to a place of really understanding and embracing the gift of life in Christ. I loved how you shared about how the New Age ideas really didn't have the answers you hoped they would. I think your testimony is powerful and your honesty was something I believe will help others. I would like to share this story with someone I know. You explained so clearly the difference between "manifesting" and allowing God to move powerfully in our lives. I am thankful to have gotten to know you better through reading this. Praying God continues to do His healing work in you. You're a very good writer and I'm grateful you're my brother in Christ.
Thank you for your always kind and tender words of encouragement, Susan. It's been quite the journey, and I'm very much still in the thick of it... but I know God can still use me, so long as I'm open and willing. There's so much more to say about all of the New Age stuff, and this is usually where I focus my testimony story. I'll likely write more about this in future posts. Likewise - grateful to have connected with another faithful sister in Christ, and thank you so much for your prayers! God bless you.
My pleasure to pray for you. I appreciate you. I watched one of your you tubes (on Ignatius) yesterday as I did some things out in my office. I enjoy your teaching style and am very glad we are connected. It's great to be able to encourage one another in our walk with God. As for being in the thick of it, I once did a study about the phrase "in the midst of..." I think life holds many things that can potentially throw off our balance and even throw us off course. But He can restore us to stability and balance as we learn to abide in Him and draw strength from His infinite resources.
You writing is wonderful regardless of the content so it didn't feel that long to to read. Your story made me wonder if my last relationship was meant to lead me to Jesus as well. However, part of me find it unfair for God to use a toxic relationship to draw people to Him🥲
So glad you enjoyed the read, Alice! I understand your sentiment regarding the unfairness of God using something like a toxic relationship to draw people to Him, but the truth is that God can (and does) use *anything* to draw people to Him. It's really not about what He uses, it's more about our own sincerity and humility in finding Him. For me, this is what it took to finally get to that point. It's certainly not the only way God draws people to Himself, but I think the more proud a person is, the more difficult of an experience they often have to go through before they are humbled enough to truly seek Him above all else. Hope that makes sense!
Thank you for sharing this beautiful story with us. I imagine that as a man it must be harder for you to admit that you were abused. But, you’re a brave person.
I love that line: “What the Devil meant for evil… God used fir good.” I, too, believe that God can take a bad situation and let something good come out of it.
I think that certainly played a large role in my initial denial and unwillingness to accept the reality of what was happening. But once I started to open up and hear stories from other people, including other men, who had been through something similar, that was very healing and comforting to know I wasn’t the only one.
God is so much more powerful than our problems, than our brokenness, and than any evil in this world. I hope my story communicates that message to someone who really needs to hear it.
Wow what a phenomenal testimony! Thank you so much for your vulnerability. I am so encouraged.
You're so welcome, Sarah. So happy to hear that. May God be praised and may He bless you and continue to encourage you.
This is achingly beautiful. What a testimony of the vast love of God who can hold us in our deepest pains and find us when we were not looking for him. Our God who is above all created things and supreme over every power and authority in the spiritual realms. Praise him and may your story be used to bring many captives into freedom. I have so many thoughts to chew on, but for now - thank you Stefano, and thank you Jesus 🙏🏼
Thank you so much for this comment, Anna. I’m so glad it spoke to you. It was very healing for me to write it. I’m still processing and receiving new insights from it myself... continuing to see the goodness of God in all that I’ve been through and experienced. Including the memories that I sometimes wish I didn’t have. He is the Redeemer of all and causes everything to work together for good. God be praised!
Getting saved out of New Age is no joke. Horrific stuff. My now-wife and I met in Boulder CO, deep in the occult, shortly before each of us got saved. We had to leave EVERYTHING and EVERYONE behind. The Lord has radically turned our lives around, but man oh man... I am eagerly looking forward to to see Him coming in the clouds, let me say it that way!
Praise the Lord for saving you and your wife out of the occult/New Age! So glad to hear it. Amen, brother… eyes fixed on eternity 🙏🏻✝️
You have a beautiful testimony. GOD has a beautiful testimony THROUGH you. Praise His work! This was so encouraging and inspiring to read. May you grow strong as you continue to walk in this new relationship with Him, and may your impact for His kingdom bring Him much glory. God bless you, brother!
So glad to hear this encouraged and inspired you, Sierra. Praise the Lord! Thank you so much for the prayer and God bless you, sister!
What an amazing testimony of Jesus and His work in your life. Philippians 1:6. I’ll be praying for you, my brother in Christ!
All glory be to God! Thank you so much. God bless you
Stefano, I really appreciated hearing your story and background. I am sorry you went through such a painful, tough relationship, but I do believe God uses things like this to bring people to a place of really understanding and embracing the gift of life in Christ. I loved how you shared about how the New Age ideas really didn't have the answers you hoped they would. I think your testimony is powerful and your honesty was something I believe will help others. I would like to share this story with someone I know. You explained so clearly the difference between "manifesting" and allowing God to move powerfully in our lives. I am thankful to have gotten to know you better through reading this. Praying God continues to do His healing work in you. You're a very good writer and I'm grateful you're my brother in Christ.
Thank you for your always kind and tender words of encouragement, Susan. It's been quite the journey, and I'm very much still in the thick of it... but I know God can still use me, so long as I'm open and willing. There's so much more to say about all of the New Age stuff, and this is usually where I focus my testimony story. I'll likely write more about this in future posts. Likewise - grateful to have connected with another faithful sister in Christ, and thank you so much for your prayers! God bless you.
My pleasure to pray for you. I appreciate you. I watched one of your you tubes (on Ignatius) yesterday as I did some things out in my office. I enjoy your teaching style and am very glad we are connected. It's great to be able to encourage one another in our walk with God. As for being in the thick of it, I once did a study about the phrase "in the midst of..." I think life holds many things that can potentially throw off our balance and even throw us off course. But He can restore us to stability and balance as we learn to abide in Him and draw strength from His infinite resources.
Wow. Thank you so much for your transparency and vulnerability.
Thank you for reading, Brago! God bless you.
You writing is wonderful regardless of the content so it didn't feel that long to to read. Your story made me wonder if my last relationship was meant to lead me to Jesus as well. However, part of me find it unfair for God to use a toxic relationship to draw people to Him🥲
So glad you enjoyed the read, Alice! I understand your sentiment regarding the unfairness of God using something like a toxic relationship to draw people to Him, but the truth is that God can (and does) use *anything* to draw people to Him. It's really not about what He uses, it's more about our own sincerity and humility in finding Him. For me, this is what it took to finally get to that point. It's certainly not the only way God draws people to Himself, but I think the more proud a person is, the more difficult of an experience they often have to go through before they are humbled enough to truly seek Him above all else. Hope that makes sense!
Yes it makes a lot of sense. God has different remedies for tax collectors and Pharisees.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful story with us. I imagine that as a man it must be harder for you to admit that you were abused. But, you’re a brave person.
I love that line: “What the Devil meant for evil… God used fir good.” I, too, believe that God can take a bad situation and let something good come out of it.
I think that certainly played a large role in my initial denial and unwillingness to accept the reality of what was happening. But once I started to open up and hear stories from other people, including other men, who had been through something similar, that was very healing and comforting to know I wasn’t the only one.
God is so much more powerful than our problems, than our brokenness, and than any evil in this world. I hope my story communicates that message to someone who really needs to hear it.
Thank you for reading, God bless!