{"id":733,"date":"2019-04-02T06:00:15","date_gmt":"2019-04-02T06:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.tyndale.com\/unfoldingfaithblog\/?p=733"},"modified":"2019-07-19T08:01:24","modified_gmt":"2019-07-19T08:01:24","slug":"unfolding-stories-podcast-episode-ten-from-street-gang-to-gods-child","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.tyndale.com\/unfoldingfaithblog\/2019\/04\/02\/unfolding-stories-podcast-episode-ten-from-street-gang-to-gods-child\/","title":{"rendered":"Unfolding Stories Podcast, Episode Ten: From Street Gang to God\u2019s Child."},"content":{"rendered":"

This is it! The final episode of our Christian testimony podcast Unfolding Stories<\/em><\/strong>, season one, is here! It\u2019s available to download from your favorite podcast platform today. See below for links to download.<\/p>\n

This week we meet Michelangelo, who recalls for us a life that started with little direction; and even fewer expectations. He finds himself running on the streets with a gang, getting up to no good. He spirals into depression, addiction, and debt until God sends a message to him through some coworkers.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a long, emotional journey, and one\u2014as you will hear\u2014that takes many turns; but eventually Michelangelo finds his hope in the Lord and gives his life to Jesus.<\/p>\n

\"Photo<\/p>\n

This captivating episode of Unfolding Stories<\/em><\/strong> demonstrates the power of sharing the gospel with others, supporting faith seekers on their journey, and leaning into a relationship with God for strength and wisdom. We really are at our best when we know that all good comes from God, and He is worth placing our trust and our lives in.<\/p>\n

You can read the transcript from Michelangelo\u2019s Unfolding Story<\/em><\/strong> below.<\/p>\n

Download episode ten here:<\/p>\n

iTunes<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Google Play<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

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While we may not all be able to relate to Michelangelo\u2019s life in a street gang, there are takeaways from his story that we can apply in our own lives.<\/p>\n

Trusting God and His promises, especially when you\u2019re new to faith, can be a challenge. How do we seek reassurance in this? Well, for one we hope this podcast has been a source of reassurance that God is fighting for you and He loves you unconditionally. More important, however, we can turn to God\u2019s Word, the Bible. The Bible is God\u2019s means for speaking to us, for speaking truth into our lives and helping us to navigate all of life\u2019s challenges.<\/p>\n

\"Front<\/a>In Bible Promises to Live By<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, by Amy E. Mason, you\u2019ll find over 500 promises from the Bible arranged alphabetically by topic for quick and easy access. God\u2019s promises are as current and fresh as they are ancient, which means they apply not only to your past and present but also to your future. Living by God\u2019s promises will put your heart at ease. And it will give you the desire to trust in His Word, even in seasons of struggle and challenge.<\/p>\n

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\"Front<\/a>If you enjoyed Michelangelo\u2019s story, you may also like this autobiographical book from Dimas Salaberrios: Street God<\/em><\/strong><\/a>. It is the true story of one man\u2019s against-all-odds journey from the streets to the altar and back again. Salaberrios\u2019s story reveals that we\u2019re never too far gone for God to change us\u2014and shows how a single spark can illuminate even the darkest existence.<\/p>\n

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Read the transcript from Michelangelo’s Unfolding Story<\/strong><\/em>:<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

I grew up in a caring but disciplined, Italian non-practicing Catholic family near Chicago, Illinois.<\/p>\n

As a child, I often felt very lonely, and never really accepted in my home or at school. I was teased by my family for being a skinny kid, making me self-conscious, even ashamed. I wouldn\u2019t even wear shorts around them. In school I was a very timid kid, steeped in shame because I didn\u2019t do well in class. I just couldn\u2019t understand and learn in the way they wanted me to. I think as a result, I just assumed that everyone thought I wasn\u2019t good enough for them, so I avoided making friends or getting close to anyone.<\/p>\n

Had I realized then how self-destructive that thought was; that I wasn\u2019t good enough, my life probably would have been very different.<\/p>\n

I eventually met some kids in high school who finally made me feel a part of a group. We would mess around causing a bit trouble, smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol and laugh over pornographic magazines together. I came across hardcore pornography at a very young age. I began fantasizing about acting out what I saw in the films, even managing to convince a couple girls to try some of these things; my young mind had been so polluted by the unreal imagery.<\/p>\n

Just as I was struggling with that, I met some other, far more dangerous \u2018friends\u2019 and pretty soon dropped out of school. I began \u2018gang banging\u2019, regularly taking part in violent criminal activities, I started stealing anything worth taking and experimenting with hard drugs. I went from one casual sexual relationship to another, never realizing how destructive this all was.<\/p>\n

I struggled constantly with inner fears, battled with depression, anxiety and constant feelings of loneliness. I was freewheeling, going from dead-end job to dead-end job. My life was out of control, but I had no idea how to fix it, or even that I needed to fix it. When you\u2019re in that kind of lifestyle, sometimes it\u2019s hard to see it from the other side, the side that offers real peace, happiness and fulfillment. I thought I had those things; I was having fun, or so I thought, being my own person and living real life. I thought I was doing just fine, despite the negative effects of my chaotic lifestyle.<\/p>\n

I spiraled even further and began gambling regularly. Of course, I really enjoyed it and it became a heavy addiction. It was an escape, much like the drugs, booze and sex.<\/p>\n

Eventually, I started to feel a need to settle down, just to get some basic security in my life. Everyone around me was doing it, so it felt like I should do the same. I left the gang and got a full time job at O\u2019Hare airport, one that I actually enjoyed and stuck with for 18 years.<\/p>\n

I met my wife, got married and had 2 beautiful children.<\/p>\n

Despite my life taking a better turn, I continued to self-destruct. I was still engaging in all sorts of casual sexual hookups, continued to steal and was gambling till I had no money left. I was getting myself into trouble with massive debts racked up to feed my addictions.<\/p>\n

One day, after a weekend of gambling and taking massive losses that lead to outbursts of anger at home and deep depression over my situation, I decided to talk to some trusted co-workers.<\/p>\n

My colleagues at the airport had, at one time, lived very similar, debauched lifestyles \u2013 lots of stealing, partying and drugs, gambling and sex. But I knew they now followed God and I sensed a huge change in them, they had turned their lives around and seemed much happier for it. I\u2019m not sure what I was looking for from them, but it was the first time anyone had made me feel safe enough to admit to my addictions. I felt like they genuinely heard me, understood me and wanted to help. That day, for the first time in my life, someone prayed with me.<\/p>\n

In 2004, my life took another sharp turn, when my wife of 7 years suddenly told me she was no longer in love with me and filed for divorce. At the same time, I was told that I would be losing my job at the airport after 18 years of work there, and then, on top of all that, I was diagnosed with both Crohn\u2019s disease, a chronic inflammatory intestinal disease and a bone loss condition called osteopenia.<\/p>\n

It was a very dark time in my life. I lost my family unit, lost my house, had to find another job and move back in with my now elderly parents.<\/p>\n

I thought of suicide, something to take away this enormous pain. Now I recognize that it was more a cry for help and attention but at the time, it was very real. How could I survive this life? What did I do to deserve this? It all felt so hopeless.<\/p>\n

I started attending a church hoping that God would fix everything for me, but, of course, that didn\u2019t happen. Something was still missing, I couldn\u2019t understand why the life I thought I would have with God; one of instant happiness, health and wholeness \u2013 why that wasn\u2019t just happening for me? I know now that I wasn\u2019t really looking for a relationship<\/em> with God, I was trying to find a genie in a bottle, something to magic away my problems and make me feel better, without having to put any work into my own recovery.<\/p>\n

I met a guy at my church who was also going through a divorce at that time and could relate to my journey. He had been walking with the Lord for some time already and introduced me to a different church. It was there I finally heard, connected with and understood the gospel message. It was there that I came to faith, I truly believed in and understood God\u2019s love for me and His forgiveness of sins through the sacrifice of his son Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n

I was eager to know Him more, to serve him as best I could and really live my life for him. I no longer expected anything from God, but I knew with His love, and my belief, things would get better.<\/p>\n

Since giving my heart to the Lord, my life has radically changed. And while it hasn\u2019t been easy by any means, with the strength of my faith, my church family\u2019s help and the blessings of God, I can now genuinely say that my life really is changed for the better.<\/p>\n

I have stopped gambling altogether and given up the drugs and the destructive lifestyle. I have a full time, permanent job at a Christian company where I have been working and serving the Lord for the last few years. I met and married a woman at my church who is supportive and loving, she had a similar story to mine, so she understood what I had been through, and I am so proud to call her my wife.<\/p>\n

I am blessed to serve additionally in my local community, through my church\u2019s outreach programs where I get great joy volunteering with kids. My osteopenia has become so well managed, you wouldn\u2019t even know I had it, plus my Crohn\u2019s disease is now virtually undetectable. I can\u2019t say this a miracle, I don\u2019t know if this is the work of God\u2019s healing hands, but I thoroughly believe He sent the right care team to help me.<\/p>\n

This was what was missing from the beginning, my recognition of God and His love. Had I been aware of God\u2019s love for me in my childhood, I\u2019m almost certain my life would have been very different. That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to me to pass this message onto my family and the kids I serve through my church. Please, know that you are loved! You are never alone, because God is always with you. And despite all my failings, addictions and sins, He has always loved me too.<\/p>\n

–<\/p>\n

God will forgive all sins, except one. . . . Click here <\/a>to see which sin is the only one God cannot forgive>> Is There Anything God Won\u2019t Forgive?<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is it! The final episode of our Christian testimony podcast Unfolding Stories, season one, is here! It\u2019s available to download from your favorite podcast platform today. See below for links to download. This week we meet Michelangelo, who recalls for us a life that started with little direction; and even fewer expectations. He finds […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":654,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0},"categories":[193,86,156,8,133,125,157,57,63,152],"tags":[159,20,6,205,14,43,24,59,60,80,204,64,203,153],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.tyndale.com\/unfoldingfaithblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/733"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.tyndale.com\/unfoldingfaithblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.tyndale.com\/unfoldingfaithblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.tyndale.com\/unfoldingfaithblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.tyndale.com\/unfoldingfaithblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=733"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/sites.tyndale.com\/unfoldingfaithblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/733\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1207,"href":"https:\/\/sites.tyndale.com\/unfoldingfaithblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/733\/revisions\/1207"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.tyndale.com\/unfoldingfaithblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/654"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.tyndale.com\/unfoldingfaithblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=733"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.tyndale.com\/unfoldingfaithblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=733"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.tyndale.com\/unfoldingfaithblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=733"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}