It’s Freedom Friday on Perry and Shawna Mornings!  Today, the freedom of knowing God is with us in our pain, that he doesn’t condemn us for it or say, “Get over it!”  Pain is the path to getting more of Jesus, to becoming more like him,  and it’s the path to God pouring his power through us to heal the world.  Paul Newton of Grace Hispanic Baptist Bible Church in Grant joins the team to share about his life-long wrestling with loneliness and depression which is leading him into a faith that’s not just in his head, but deeply rooted in his heart. 

So first we hear Paul’s back story, how he started following Jesus as a boy and we find out some of the root causes of his loneliness and depression.  Then, it was the hard times in Paul’s marriage and the grief of seeing his son walk away from the faith that was the catalyst to Paul getting brutally honest with God which created deep heart change.  Next Paul shares how close he was to tossing his faith because of the pain and how the gentleness of Jesus kept his faith alive. 

Then, when the great prophet of God, Elijah was depressed and wanted to die, God didn’t rebuke him but spoke to him in a gentle healing whisper.  Then Paul shares the toughest message he’s ever had to preach—he got raw and real about his pain.  Most felt awkward as he finished, except one pastor who’s ministry was changed by that message.  And finally, perhaps we are most like Jesus, the man of sorrows, when we suffer.  Jesus sufferings were bursting with purpose, and so are ours!

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