Faith Story - Tony Wells
My name is Tony Wells. I live in the United States. My whole life I had religion but I did not have a relationship with Jesus Christ until I was 27.
For a short period in my early 20s, I was basically homeless. I was struggling with being an alcoholic, did not have a steady job, and one of my close friend’s parents, out of love, had just kicked me out of their house. A co-worker of mine had a one-bedroom apartment and said I could come and stay at his place. I ended up sleeping in this man’s closet because he did not have any blinds in his living room. I choose to live in his closet because of the darkness. It was in that man’s closet that, in my unhappiness, I prayed to God, Please don’t let me wake up in the morning. My prayer was not answered, so I started to think about what would make my life happier. I made a list of all the things I would need to be happy. They were primarily material things.
By 27, much of the externals in my life were pieced together. I was married and my wife and I had just moved back to Minnesota from Arizona. We purchased a home, we had a substantial amount of money in the bank, as well as nice cars, jewelry, and I was completely miserable. After realizing I had obtained everything that I thought would make me happy and they hadn’t, I prayed to God that same prayer of a few years before, Please God, take my life because I don’t want to live anymore. I was still miserable and I had hit my bottom.
My wife encouraged me to go to services at our local community church and I resisted, because my beliefs were that a church had to look and act a certain way and that clearly wasn’t Westwood. But I finally began to attend with her and it was through hearing the faith stories of others that I learned the love and compassion that Jesus has for all of us.
God started working in my life giving me different trials and tribulations that helped break down my pride and ego, to show me what it means to be humble, and to surrender, to have complete trust and faith in Him. My wife and I started volunteering at a downtown homeless shelter and I learned what it means to be grateful. I went through a 12-step program and learned how to have serenity. I read the Bible to learn more about Jesus Christ, and I learned the importance of forgiveness, salvation and the importance of reaching out to others with love and compassion. Through the grace of God allowing me to be Alive, my wife and I now have a beautiful daughter.
I share my faith story with you today because I want you to have the same serenity, hope, love, and happiness that I now experience. I believe it does not matter how far away from the Lord you have walked, just turn around, ask for forgiveness, and Jesus Christ will embrace you, except Jesus into your heart, and you too can be reborn!
Walk with Jesus,
Tony Wells
Comments
tony wells, God Bless you my brother, i was waiting for you to turn your butt around. and was standing there when you turned around. one love!
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