My path to RLI started last July when I found myself in a very difficult season in which many areas of my life had started “crumbling” around me. Unfortunately it was not the first time I had fallen. Despite the fact that I had been in various types of ministry, I had battled addiction, chronic illness and other personal demons. Through the grace of a loving God I overcame and conquered each of those obstacles. I am clean, sober, and my illnesses are things of the past but this last situation left me feeling defeated, worthless, doubting myself and wondering why I was continuing to be tried. I mean – why would a God of love allow so many things to happen?
Through it all I had the counsel of a wonderful pastor, Pastor Phil Nelson of Elevation Community Church. He lifted me up and walked with me as I struggled for answers. I remember first speaking with him in July about my problem and him asking what I most wanted to which I replied “to be restored.” God heard my answer and responded.
As time passed God worked in my life and in the lives of my family. I felt and experienced grace and forgiveness like I never had before; a wonderful peace and the closeness of Christ. Still underneath all of that there was a part of me that was struggling. Pastor Nelson was sensitive to this and called me in December. He said that he wanted to me to meet some people who might be able to help me. Those people were Bryn and Mike. I agreed to meet and with my Pastor by my side I walked into their office. In the back of my mind I had questions and doubts. I thought “just another deliverance ministry”. I was so wrong – so wonderfully wrong. I found two of the most sincere, caring, compassionate servants I had ever encountered. They invited me to the conference. It is no coincidence that my want of restoration brought me to “Restoring” Lives International.
With 25 plus years in ministry I have been to many Christian conferences, workshops, seminars and training sessions. Many times I felt that there was more man’s word than God’s truth being presented, so over time I developed a bit of what I termed “healthy skepticism”. I freely admit that I carried many doubts and questions in with me on the first day of the RLI conference.
The conference was a week of nothing but God, nothing but Kingdom truth and nothing but love. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Bryn and Mike Kelly as well as all of the other men and women who were part of the Restoring Life Conference.
I found my restoration and deliverance. I found out that God did not allow anything to happen to me. I found that there were reasons that doors had been opened that allowed bad in. I found how to release the past and close the doors; I discovered the tools to keep them closed. Most importantly I found this:
I may not be perfect but I am perfectly made. It’s not about what was done to me; it’s about what Jesus did for me. It’s not about my earthly parents; it’s about my Heavenly Father. It’s not about how far I’ve come; it’s about how far He went. My past doesn’t matter because, you see, my past doesn’t exist. So it’s not about what I was; it’s about who He is. When I am ALL IN Him, He is ALL IN me. When He is all in me there is not room for anything but what He is – and what He is, is LOVE.