Welcome to RIC A Biblical Message!
"In 2017, I was addicted 😔, and a few months later, I became homeless for the fifth time. The photo below says more than a thousand words, but I have written about that time below the picture. ⬇️"
Below, I share my story. If you prefer to go directly to the weekly reflection, go to RIC Understandable Reflection. If you want to read biblical articles, go to RIC Biblical Articles.
At Ricardo Jansen Christian Books, some books are available for free. These have not yet been translated into English, but I hope to do so one day. Enjoy reading, and may the Lord bless you!
My Personal Story: From Despair to Hope
Dear reader
There was a time in my life when everything seemed dark. I was addicted to hard drugs, homeless, and my hope seemed completely gone. My days were filled with survival, without perspective or expectation.
I came into contact with guidance that not only helped me with practical matters but also pointed me to a hope that reaches beyond the here and now.
I finally found that hope in Christ. By God's grace, I received the strength to overcome my addiction and start a new life.
The lowest point of my life—sleeping behind a bush, with no home and no purpose—became a turning point. In that quiet and lonely moment, I truly prayed to God for the first time. That prayer changed my life.
After about four weeks, I was allowed to live independently with support from a Christian organization. That true prayer—and the prayers that followed—showed me that there is a God of grace.
My conclusion was: if God can do this, then who is this God? This God—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—was so much greater than I had ever imagined.
The same God who led His people out of Egypt led me out of the house of darkness in December 2017. He stopped me in the middle of a dark night, and there I repented, turned to God, and believed in the Son of God, who set me free.
Since then, everything has changed. My life is not without challenges, but I now live in trust in God. He has restored my brokenness and given me a new purpose.
John 3:16: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
This story is a summary of a previous article, supplemented with new insights. Would you like to read my full story? Click the link below.
Read the full story.
The story is in Dutch, but you can translate it using a translation tool.