Door of Hope Testimony: Tom

My mentor is Richard Krantz, a true blessing from God! As long as I can remember, I have been stuck in the habitual sin of lust and self gratification. Because of this sin, I was separated from God and His love and forgiveness. I knew all along that what I needed was Christ, but I could not let myself be forgiven and I was afraid to give my life to Christ for fear of being "found out." That all changed the day my wife found me out. I thought my life was over. In my desparartion, I went online to find something to "fix me." I signed up for several things, one of them being Setting Captives Free. I completed my first lesson and sent it in. My mentor responded in love and understanding and for the first time in my life I felt like I wasn't alone. He guided me through salvation (I would have told you that I was a follower of Christ) and helped me to accept the forgiveness that Christ had to offer. Once I allowed myself to be forgiven, I was free. John 8:36. "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." These words of Jesus still ring so true to me. All along, I was trying to stop; trying to fix the sin myself. I had to get to a point where I had to give God control. It was scary. I struggled a lot in the beginning with fear. But Jesus was always faithful to remove the fear and in place give me faith. Giving God control of my life has been amazing. Not only do I no longer have to carry the pressure and stress of what is going to happen, I am now forgiven. He has made me clean. It is like one big "do-over". The sense of guilt and shame and feeling dirty and filthy is no longer. I can be free of the lies of satan, free of the bondage of habitual sin and self gratification. God has restored my family, my marriage (better than ever now that Christ is the center of my life) and my sense of self worth. I KNOW that he loves me. I KNOW that he forgives me. I know that he has a plan for my life. I feel like God has been waiting my whole life to bless me. And my whole life I fought it. Now, for 5 months, I have been free from this habitual sin. Christ continues to daily do miracles in my life. My walk with Him is firm in the Word. I wish I could talk to every man who is out there right now trapped in the bondage of homosexual sin and the sin of lust and self gratification. I KNOW your struggle. I know your shame and guilt. I KNOW the power of Christ to heal and change us. He CHANGED ME! There is hope!