You are home- www.agp-internet.com/react- sermonroom english
	A God of New Beginnings For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. -- Jer. 29:11. --------------------- God's plans for us are better than we can imagine. He is the God of a bright tomorrow. He is the God of a promising future. God can take over shattered dreams and make something beautiful out of our lives. He has the amazing ability to rebuild our lives. He is the God of new beginnings. A young woman whom I will call Leslie sent this incredible letter to our It Is Written office. It testifies to God's power to completely transform our lives. I am a committed child of God, but it wasn't always this way. My parents divorced when I was 10. I was abused and finally left home at age 14. I was in and out of mental and penal institutions until 18. I married, but after a few years was divorced from my first husband. I fell heavily into drug and alcohol abuse. I suffered through abusive relationships. I hated myself and didn't trust God, either. I used prostitution to get drug money. In 1993 I was homeless and married to a drug addict. At different times I contemplated suicide. In 1994, after another divorce, I came to the end of the line. I decided to check myself into a drug rehabilitation facility. "There I met John. When we left the facility, we moved into an apartment and both got jobs. We seemed to be doing fine. The only problem was that there was nothing to take the place of the drugs and alcohol. Four months later we were consuming them again. "One night after an argument we discussed what we had learned about a 'higher power.' We got down on our knees and said the most sincere prayer of our lives! The next day, when John was tempted to take a drink of alcohol, he heard a voice say as plainly as if someone were right next to him, 'You asked Me to take it away, and I took it away.' That began our journey home. From there we began reading our Bibles and watching Christian television. Our offerings were being sent to different ministries we saw on TV, one of which was It Is Written! "The journey to the truth began in July 1995. In August we received a flyer in the mail for a Revelation Seminar at a local hotel. Much to our delight, everything taught came strictly from the precious Word of God. We didn't miss one night. We accepted with open arms, minds, and hearts all the truths placed before us. Learning of the Sabbath was such a joy. It all made sense, and we rejoiced that God would share His love, His truth, with people as unworthy as we are. The hand of Providence had led us to His remnant, the Seventh-day Adventist Church. We were married and baptized at the end of 1995. We are enjoying our new lives together in hopeful anticipation of Christ's second coming. Thank you for having a part in our conversion story." What a testimony. God can do "exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us" (Eph. 3:20). His power is greater than the evil chains that bind us. His power is greater than the ugly habits that enslave us. Open your heart to Him today. Let His power flow in. He is the God of new beginnings.