Finding Jesus

I was born in a loving Greek family who once had a lot of money and lived comfortably. I had been raised in an Orthodox Christian family but I didn't have a meaningful relationship with God. Still, we were a very happy family until one day we heard on the news that my father had died. Our world then completely changed. We each suffered emotionally and mentally as our family tore apart. I was kicked out of school at the age of 15 for my consistent mistakes. Likewise, much of our family on our island alienated us for mistakes that I would make during my grief. I longed for these people to show me grace, love or forgiveness and never found it.

I fell into a lifestyle of selling class A drugs to make money. All the while, I felt a hole in my soul longing for forgiveness. One day, after packing a Gucci shoebox full of £50 notes I lay back on my bed and stared at the sky out of my window. I spoke out to God in despair, angrily protesting that life was shallow and meaningless. It is at that moment where I encountered God. From out of nowhere, my despair and lack of hope was quickly filled with strong feelings of hope and peace. I felt so much security that I was overwhelmed and I felt an acknowledgment that God knew my pain and had never left me. I saw that it was I who walked away from God, but that he always loved and heard me. I felt convicted in that moment that God had plans to prosper me and that I needed to end this life of crime. So I did. I broke my 3 mobile phones and applied to university with no A levels and confidence.

3 years later I graduated and got a job as a primary school teacher. The following years I taught classes of 30 in a school with the highest rating possible. I later met the girl of my dreams, we got married and daily I learn more about life.

I'm not perfect, I'm oversensitive, I battle depression and still make mistakes. But He is perfect, He is gracious, He is loving, He is strong and He never changes.

He loves me because of his grace, not because of anything I've done correctly. If He loved me based on my merits then it would not be love at all. Instead He loves me, a sinner, broken and still healing because He is a loving God who historically has always used the weak and lowly. That's the power of Jesus. That He took my failures and traded me His perfection.

Life is still hard at times and life can still hurt but I know I've already won because Jesus has. Sin and trials have no dominion of me because I'm forgiven and I have victory. All that's left to do is live this race in the footsteps of my Saviour who has already won.