This is the Good Life

…

The past forgiven

The present healed

The future controlled

I am a Cook Islander, born and bred with a wonderful heritage, but reality kicked in when my family and I moved to New Zealand in search of the elusive ‘good life’.  We relocated in Glen Innes and I started at school at Tamaki College.  High school was great; I was a top athlete and had been selected as a possible member of an Olympic team.

A fantastic door opened for this girl from a small island group in the Pacific.  However other attractions won the battle for my attention and I started to make a series of wrong decisions. Training was put aside and drugs, alcohol, parties, boys and a gang took over as priority in my life.

I eventually married and a difficult time followed.  I became an alcoholic and then as a drug addict I indulged in cocaine for a number of years… anything to dull the verbal, physical, mental and sexual abuse I suffered.  I became suicidal and eventually tried to end my life.  I still have the scars to prove how truly desperate I became. 

I had always believed in God but I hadn’t known that I could have a personal relationship with his son Jesus. When I attended a church service with my cousin in 1980 I received Jesus as my personal Lord and Saviour and became a child of God.  Life took on new meaning and I was finally free from the burdens of the world. I hadn’t been able to trust anyone for years, but at last I found that I could trust and put my hope in God, my heavenly father.  These verses from the Bible had particular significance for me: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him (God) and He will make your path straight.” Proverbs 3:5,6

I had been a Christian for three years and had enjoyed a wonderful new freedom when I was raped.  This was a significant time as I was forced to ask how relevant God really was in my life.  I chose to continue to follow Jesus and to trust Him to give me a hope and a future. I knew that God had forgiven me and that I must forgive those who had hurt me.  By choosing to forgive I learnt the power of forgiveness and I discovered a new level of freedom. I moved to Waiheke Island where I met Pastors Graham and Glenda and family and they became an important part of my life as they encouraged me to continue my Christian walk of faith.

After ten years I returned full circle to Glen Innes with Pastors Graham and Glenda as they planted a church.  It has been home to me ever since. Jesus has set me free and healed me through His power.  I love to share what the Lord has done for me; there are so many others in the community in similar situations and I want them to experience the power of Christ and the power of forgiveness.

The devil comes to kill, steal and destroy, but Jesus came to give life in all its fullness.  John 10:10  

My prayer for you is that you would know this fullness of life in Jesus too.

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