Remember When You Were a Child and You Couldn't Wait Until Christmas Morning? the Anticipation

September 2014

Dear

Remember when you were a child and you couldn't wait until Christmas morning? The anticipation, the excitement, the hope of having all your dreams come true? That is how we feel at Greater Piedmont Teen Challenge. We are excited about what God is doing and going to do. The anticipation, excitement and hope is contagious.

I remember my Grandmother telling me as a small child, "Bobby, Proverbs 11:23 says, He who winneth souls is wise." My grandmother quoted that scripture many, many times. She was a wise woman of God and a great soul winner. We are excited about winning the lost for Jesus. I want to share Patrick Link's testimony with you. Let's continue to win souls for the Kingdom.

I was born into an amazing family. My parents loved the Lord, loved each other, and loved my sister and me. I can remember being in church as a kid. I knew that Jesus Christ was my Savior, but there was something missing. I knew God in my head, but it had not yet reached my heart. I believed but; there was no repentance. James 2:19 says, “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that- and shudder.”

By the time I was in high school, I developed a rebellious spirit. I was smoking weed and ignorant of the destruction. Looking back, I can see how the enemy was trying to steal my faith, my hope and purpose. I had fooled myself into thinking that all Christians were hypocrites, resulting in a root of bitterness towards the Church. When the time came for me to graduate from high school, I decided to go to Appalachian State University. At this point, I had moved on to cocaine and pain pills. I had no purpose and I was hopeless. I did not last very long at college and I was kicked out. This began a cycle of destruction brought on by drug abuse. I lost friends to overdoses and shootings. I went to a few different rehab centers, but my sobriety was always short-lived.

My parents kept telling me that God had something special for me. That has stuck with me. Words create worlds. In the middle of my mess, I began to hear God calling me. I could relate to Jonah. The Lord was calling me and I was running. I went to an amazing discipleship training school through

Youth with a Mission, followed by a two month mission trip in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. God did some amazing things. Many miracles were performed in His name! I was a baby Christian and became full of pride. I told everyone I was going to go back to High Point to get my friends saved. I was going to do this, I was going to do that, I, I, I… I had pushed God out of the picture and was totally relying on myself. Pride definitely comes before the fall.

One compromise after the other, and I was right back in the pit, selling drugs and hooked on opiates ten times worse than before. Romans 1:25 says, “They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator- who is forever to be praised.” That is exactly what I had done, and I was miserable. I knew the truth, but was so full of shame. I was constantly numbing myself with drugs. I thank God He had mercy on me and gave me a wake-up call.

I found myself in a jail cell, crying out to the Lord, completely broken. This is where I heard the Lord saying, “Now are you ready?” I had to come to the end of myself.

That is when I decided to come to Teen Challenge. Besides accepting Christ as my Savior, that was the best decision I have ever made. God used Teen Challenge in a mighty way in my life. His hand is definitely on this ministry! Through the transforming power of Jesus Christ, I can stand here today and praise the Lord that I am a new creation. The first scripture we learn in Teen Challenge is 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old is gone, the new has come!” I cannot think of a more fitting scripture for what God is doing through Teen Challenge. The Spirit of the Lord is in this place, there is freedom in this place! Praise the Lord!

Thank you for giving to the Lord. Patrick is just one who was changed because YOU gave. Please continue to pray, give and partner with Greater Piedmont Teen Challenge. Let's stay excited about what God is doing and going to do. Let's be wise. Let's be soul sinners. To God be all the Glory.

Blessings,

Dr. Bob Harman

Executive Director

P.O. Box 77914 • 1912 Boulevard St. (27407) • Greensboro, NC 27417 • 336 292-7795

FAX 336 292-9613 • Email: • web: www.gpteenchallenge.com