A real God working in real people's lives...

Housebound to Church Planting in 5 years

My Story...

Five years ago, I was agoraphobic and was housebound for 2 years before hand, and that prevented me from working, etc and had to get taxi's everywhere, I was very depressed and new only a few people. I started going to Gateway Church in Leeds, and in my first service was invited to join the football team and volunteer to help run a shop at Grapevine Celebration which I went on. And it was just like normal church things until the penultimate day of the event, when I was walking in the prayer tent and a verse jumped out at me " Do not give up on the gift that The Lord has given to you through Grace". I then went to the service that night and I realised what exactly Jesus had done for me by dying on a cross for my sins. And gave my life to the Lord on the 29th August 2006!

My depression lifted, and was really happy again, and meeting lots of people through church and making lots of friends. Then on the 25th March 2007, I, my mum and my brother got baptised together and started to grow has a family. Then in August 2008 God spoke to me about giving over to him my addictions to cigarettes and that same day, I had my last packet and then had a really bad craving, then I prayed and asked God to take the cravings away, which He did with immediate effect, and from that moment on 19th August I have never smoked or drunk alcohol ever again. And the fact that God had done this was made clear has I was living with my dad whom is a heaver drinker and smoker and I never had a craving at all. Then in December that year I moved to live with my mum and brother and my agoraphobia got better and I then could go out on my own little bits. And decided to look for a job in Care work which what I have a real gift for from God, and God told a friend that if I apply for 3 different jobs, then I would find work! So I applied for 3 jobs in hospitals and got nowhere, until out of the blue I got a job nearby in a care home. I then passed my driving test, and I was happy in Gateway church until God then spoke to me about going to joint the Harrogate church plant, and I got a job transfer to Harrogate and found a flat that was affordable ( even for Harrogate ) and nearby work, so went to live on my own in a new town and am quite happy doing so. Then God changed my attitudes and turned me in to man that serves others, and have since joined the church plant. So from being housebound to church planting in 5 years, is only the the Grace of God that has made these wonderful changes in my life! Amen. Praise God.
AMEN

by Tristan Grainger from Harrogate