I got saved after graduating from high school in 1978. I remember being filled with joy and peace after reading God’s promises from the Bible.

But years later, I lost that feeling. I prayed, read the Bible, tithed, served, and fasted. I thought I was doing what I was supposed to do and could get closer to Jesus through them. Yet, all I felt was condemnation, fear, and confusion.

Once, my wife and I had a big fight with our sons—right after my three-day fast. I felt like a total failure as a father.

By the age of fifty-four, I felt that I was running a race that could never be won. I thought I was going to hell and woke up one morning questioning the point of being a Christian. When I read the verse: “My yoke is easy and My burden is light,” I laughed out loud and thought to myself, “How can this be? For others maybe, but not for me!”

Finally, my wife and I left the church that we had attended for over twenty-five years.  Months later, a friend asked me out for lunch. He told me that I had been on his heart and he felt God wanted him to tell me about Pastor Joseph Prince. He shared with me about grace but immediately I brushed it off because I was taught that the message was bad. However, on the account that he had bought me lunch, I promised to look up Pastor Prince on the Internet.

So I went back and listened to two messages from Pastor Prince and found them interesting but nothing special. I stopped listening for a month or so until I felt the urge to listen to it again. After that, I could not get enough of it! I listened and watched every video I could find. Suddenly, everything made sense!

I shared the gospel of grace with my wife and we were so happy to know that there was no more condemnation for us. The joy that once filled our hearts returned and we felt a burden lifted off our backs. Now, my wife and I both know that God loves us all the time and every day! We are His beloved and it has nothing to do with our performance but everything to do with what Jesus has done!

Now, my wife and I would always listen to Pastor Prince’s sermons, read his books, and study the Bible. We pray together every day and all throughout our day we try to focus on Jesus and His love for us. It brings us rest. We are attending church again and all I want to do now is share the gospel and talk about Jesus! No longer are we walking around focused on our own efforts. Yet, I’m praying and reading my Bible more now than I have in years! I don’t even have to try—the desire is just there!

I cannot fully tell you the freedom and security this has brought in my life. I used to begin confessing my sins as soon as I got out of bed or when I prayed, thinking that I was wiping the slate clean and I could press in to hopefully move God. But now, instead of confessing my sins, I confess my righteousness because of the finished work on the cross of Jesus! I confess God’s love and His favor and grace! The fears and anxieties I used to have in my mind are gone! I am able to have deep sleep with no more bizarre dreams filled with anxieties.

My wife and I are also enjoying a sweeter marriage. We are joking more than we have in years and doing more together than we have. It’s like we’ve become more carefree in our love for each other! We’re really having lots of fun together again like playing racquet ball—something we haven’t done since college!

We look at everything in our lives through the lens of grace now. No matter what comes our way, we know we are secure in God’s love and this revelation has brought us so much peace.

Thank You, Jesus!