God Gave Us A Fresh Start by CommunityValuesMagazines

GOD GAVE US A FRESH START If you’d like a Fresh Start turn to page 21

I Said God Was Dead, But He Gave Me a Fresh Start I was raised in church. I knew all the Bible stories. I believed in God, but I didn’t know God. When I was 15, I started smoking weed and getting drunk, mostly with my friends from church. My parents were leaders in the church, but they got divorced and that made me drink more to escape all the pain and confusion I felt. Because my church was dead, I assumed God was dead. I started studying other religions and joined Transcendental Meditation. When I was 17, I moved out. When I was 18, I got my girlfriend pregnant so we got married. I had no job, no faith and no future. I went as far away from God as I possibly could. I dove deep into every sin imaginable but never found fulfillment, peace or purpose. I had NO interest in ever stepping foot into another church for the rest of my life, but

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God had other plans for me. We visited a church that was different. It was alive. They had a band and people seemed excited to sing about God. The people had joy. Real joy. I didn’t know what to think, but the next Sunday we went back. We kept going back and one day God reached down from heaven and grabbed my heart and my wife’s heart at the same time and we both recommitted our lives to Christ. From that day on we began to not just believe in Jesus, but to follow Him. Eventually God called me into ministry and later into world missions. Now, the guy who thought church was dead and God was dead, is the pastor of Fresh Start Church. I hope you’ll read all the stories in this little booklet. These are real people just like you. We’re all broken and we’ve all messed up, but God has given us a Fresh Start. Pastor Bruce Cadle, Melbourne, FL

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My Marriage Was Over But He Gave Us a Fresh Start I was baptized as a baby and raised Lutheran. Mom and Dad dropped us off at church on Sunday mornings for “Sunday School” and picked us up when it was over. I was confirmed, not because I had a relationship with Christ. I had religion, but I did not have Jesus. Once I was confirmed, I put God away with my certificate. I spent the next 20 years lost. Many of those years were spent living the life of a pseudo “Rock Star” Fame and fortune never took root but the addictions, lies and other ism’s sure did. I may have even burned a Bible or two along the way. Finding and following Jesus wasn’t even on my radar. I thought that if I went back to church the roof would literally fall in on my head. Seriously. My journey to Christ began with my wife, Karen, and my best friend, Roger. Roger was my co worker and he knew Jesus. As

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our relationship grew, he planted seeds long before I knew it! Then my wife came along and watere d those seeds. Since becoming a Christ Follower I have found Peace. Even in the darkest moments, Peace. Let me tell you how God gave me a Fresh Start in my marriage a few years back. Our marriage was over. We couldn’t be in the same room, the same house or even the same town. The separation was ugly, bitter and painful. There was no way things were ever going to be anything other than broken. Or so I thought. I spent the next year on my knees. I didn’t ask the Lord to reunite us. I didn’t pray for forgiveness. I didn’t pray to be vindicated. I prayed for my wife. I prayed for healing. I prayed for His will, not mine. The Lord answered EVERYTHING. He restored our marriage...and more. Michael, Palm Bay, FL

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I Tried Witchcraft, Drugs and Crime, But Jesus Set Me Free! Before I became a Christ Follower, I had no direction or guidance. I was into witchcraft, drugs, alcohol, thievery, and I ended up in jail. I knew there was a God, but didn’t know Him. As a child no one really sat me down a nd explained what it meant to believe in Jesus. My grandmother would drop my siblings and I off at church and then we’d walk home after Sunday School. My parents never put a priority on church/God. If they didn’t think it was important, why should I? I found Jesus in jail. Well, He found me there. A prison ministry visited the jail I was in and preached the gospel. While listening, I gnashed my teeth and turned my back on God and said, “I believed in You and look where I ended up!” At that moment, Jesu s opened my eyes to what was really going on. At that moment, I repented

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and was saved. Jesus was with me throughout all my life and continues to be with me. Jesus was quietly and patiently waiting for me to acknowledge Him. As soon as I did, He opened His arms, and I became part of His family. After I was saved my life got...worse!!!!! It was Satan trying to pull me away. I threw out all of my witchcraft books, cards, etc. My life as a baby Christian was very difficult; but Jesus has been with me every minute since I surrendered to Him. I’m so happy I stayed near Jesus all these decades. I can see all the times throughout my life where Jesus has been with me. I don’t know where I’m going in my life; but if it’s with Jesus, I can’t say no! God gave me a Fresh Start when I left my physically, emotionally and mentally abusive, non believing husband of 15 years and he subsequently divorced me. I was now free to attend church, Bible classes, home studies, serve in church; and I experienced freedom and joy that only comes with Jesus. When I escaped my situation, I left with virtually nothing on the outside; but with Jesus I was full of love and joy on the inside. I am truly blessed. Sandy, Palm Bay, FL If you’d like a Fresh Start turn to page 21

I Chose Dealing Drugs, Over My Family But He God Gave Me a Fresh Start

For many years I only cared about my needs and my desires. I was into all types of drugs and addictions. I sold drugs so I could use drugs. I never used the “family money”, only my drug money to support my behavior. I justified everything and removed God from my life. There was a time that I was in the hospital with viral pneumonia and my Mom brought a Priest to anoint me and pray over me. I actually threw both of them out of the hospital room; yelling at them that I didn’t need nor want their God. I wasn’t the least bit interested in Jesus! My life and lifestyle revolved around me, myself and I. Everything and everyone else was secondary until my wife told me she was done with me dealing drugs out of our home. I had to choose to either stop using and selling drugs or divorce my wife and lose my family.

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Suddenly I realized that my family was more important to me than I had thought. Choosing my family over drugs led me to Jesus. From the first time that I entered a church service where the Bible was taught, I had an appetite to read God’s Word. God has turned my world right side up ever since I committed my life to Him. I have been in a Bible study for the past 20 years. God gave me a Fresh Start and he has proved His faithfulness to me over and over. God took away my desire for negative addictions and replaced them with an addiction to grow closer to Him. This is where my true satisfaction is found. Coming to Jesus Christ is the greatest gift you can receive. You don’t have to wait to be good enough because no one is. You just come as you are and ask Him to meet your needs. He is more than able. It is Jesus Christ who brought you to read this and it will be Jesus Christ who will help you be the man or w oman you were created to be. Harry, Palm Bay, FL If you’d like a Fresh Start turn to page 21

I Went To Church Every Sunday But I Didn’t Know Jesus I grew up in a Christian home. We went as a family to Sunday School and church every Sunday. I learned a lot of great songs about Jesus. I colored a lot of story pages about Jesus. But I didn’t know Jesus and I didn’t know I had to make a decision to follow him. The denomination I grew up in was very liberal and growing further away from God’s word by leaps and bounds. The first time I heard the Gospel presented was at a friend’s church camp, and at the age of 12, I accepted Jesus as my Savior. Problem was the next Sunday I was back at my old, dead church. I found Jesus, but I had no clue what it meant to follow him. Jesus was my Savior, but he wasn’t my Lord. I spent the next nine years straddling the fence of Christianity. I remember thinking, when I was first saved, that I really wasn’t that sinful. I have spent a lot of time

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repenting for the years that followed. God in h is mercy called me back to him at the age of 21. I rededicated my life to Jesus, was baptized as a believer, and realized for the first time that the Holy Spirit lived in me and that I had the power to say, “No” to sin. God has given me many Fresh Starts over the years. The one that has changed my life the most is at the age of 30, I began reading my Bible every day. God’s word is the greatest treasure you don’t have to hunt for! My time alone with Jesus every morning is vital to my following him. If yo u’ve been a Christian for a long time, but your life has little to show for it, I invite you to come to Fresh Start Church where we are all about Finding and Following Jesus. Valerie, Melbourne , FL

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Molested at 6, Pregnant at 19, I Lost My Child Because of Heroine Addiction, But God Gave Me a Fresh Start

I grew up in the Bronx and I was a very angry kid!! My life consisted of twelve years of Catholic school and a lot of drugs. At 19, I got pregnant, we got married, and I had my daughter, Melissa, in 1991. Before my daughter turned 1, I was doing heroin.

Everything they say will happen to a drug addict happened to me I lost my daughter, I went to jails, institutions, and had over doses. It took 10 years for me to realize that heroin was not my friend. I met my current husband, Michael, and I brought my anger into the relationship; which led to a lot of chaos and insanity. I was still very broken. I sought out therapy and also came across a women’s Bible study. I had no clue what a Bible study was! I asked if it was a cult, the women laughed and said, “Just come and see.” My anger towards God stopped me from 12

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being interested in becoming a Christ follower. I thought God didn’t love me and that’s why he allowed me to be molested when I was 6. That Bible study in New York, in 2005, led me to receive Christ as my Savior. I finally understood who Jesus was. Twelve years of Catholic school had explained nothing. Since becoming a Christ follower, I am no longer a raging person. I can feel a peace within me. I am no longer angry at God. I know God was with me through all of my experiences, and that he never left me, God cried with me. I really should be dead, but God gave me a Fresh Start by keeping me alive over and over again! If you are not a believer in Jesus yet, you are missing out on something so beautiful and fulfilling. Karen, Palm Bay, FL If you’d like a Fresh Start turn to page 21

I Joined A Cult, Then God Set Me Free I was raised Catholic. I thought I was a Christ Follower. I confessed my sins to a priest, repeated the prayers I was taught. I went to church on Easter, Christmas, and sometimes on other Holy Days. When I was 22 years old, I was working with a retail company that moved me to Austin, Texas. I didn’t kn ow anyone there, and eventually, someone who worked in the store next to me came over and we would chat. One day he brought over a Bible. Up until this point I never had my own Bible. As Catholics we were not taught to read it for ourselves, it was interp reted for us. When I opened my Bible for the first time, a whole new world of Jesus opened up for me. The first Scripture I learned when I received my Bible was, “Study to show yourself

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a workman of God.” (2 Timothy 2:15). Being a good Catholic girl, I we nt to the nearest Catholic church to ask a priest if this, indeed, was God’s true word. I was turned away with a religious paperback book about Mary. I continued to study with the group that first gave me the Bible, and that’s when God showed me, I was st udying with a cult! God removed me immediately by having me reassigned to a different store location in a different city! They tried to find me again, but at that time I was immersing myself in God’s word and stayed away from them. It was shortly after that I was baptized (again) as an adult believer. We are all broken people. And we make all these big life decisions in our brokenness. Only Jesus can fix what is broken within us. Living life with Jesus takes the fear, anxiety and loneliness away; and fills us with joy, hope, and love. What a better way to live! Lynn, Palm Bay, FL

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My Rock & Roll Lifestyle Led Me to Jail, But God Gave Me a Fresh Start

As a teenager growing up in Los Angeles, in a normal, middle class, two parent home, my early church attendance was purely for social reasons. My involvement as a musician playing in rock bands intensified my desire for sin…but my sin didn’t concern me. I was not a Christian, and my life did not honor God. At 21 years of age, my self destructive path resulted in jailtime for a DUI. I know now that God used the consequences of my disobedience to draw me closer to Him. Something inside of me was missing. I was searching there had to be more than the self indulgent, materialism offer ed by my culture. My spiritual emptiness led, for a time, to the Native Indian culture; which only resulted in more emptiness. In 1994, my company moved me, my wife and baby from L.A. to Central Florida. We knew no one. I was a new Dad, with a

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new job, in new surroundings. I know now that God was pursuing me and wanted to get me alone. Two Christian families “adopted” us and showed us what living for Jesus looked like. I started questioning my values and my purpose in life. I wanted to be around other people who lived for a higher purpose. So, we started visiting churches. I learned that Jesus freely gave His life for me, to pay for my sin, to save me, and to restore my relationship with His Father. Jesus lives, and because He lives, I can have eternal life. I gave my life to Jesus and was saved. I found what I was looking for I felt free, like a burden was lifted. I started to understand how much God first loved me. My life has greater purpose and is much more fulfilling since I became a Christ Follower. I have seen and felt God’s presence and He has answered my prayers. David, Palm Bay, FL If you’d like a Fresh Start turn to page 21

I Said God Was Dead, But He Gave Me a Fresh Start When I was twelve, I started running numbers for the mob in New York. I was bigger than most kids so when I turned fourteen, they gave me a baseball bat and I became the collector. After a few years I wanted out but was told I would never be able to leave the mob. If I had stayed in New York, I’d probably be dead, but I joined the Air Force and never looked back. God gave me a Fresh Start. I served in the Air Force for twenty one years, and then worked as an Integrated Logistics Support Manager at Harris for twenty two years. I have three kids, four grandkids and seven great grandkids. Most important of all I am a follower of Jesus. Jack, West Melbourne, FL

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I Said God Was Dead, But He Gave Me a Fresh Start I like Fresh Start Church because: the people are friendly, there are Connect Groups for everyone, I can understand the sermons and they make me want to learn more! Lori , West Melbourne, FL

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We Dropped Out of Church For 30 Years! We were very active in church for years and then we got hurt…badly. We dropped out of church for 30 years. We saw a video on Facebook where Pastor Bruce said he was starting a new church for people who had never been to church before and for people who’ve been hurt by churches. We visited and it was the most amazing thing to me that we would feel the way we did when we walked in the door. Beautiful people that cared about you right away. It was just wonderful to have folks smiling and welcome you in. Fresh Start is exactly what we needed to hear. That we would get a fresh start, and that meant the world to us. Dutch & Mary, Palm Bay, FL

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Are You Ready For a Fresh Start with God? Our mission at Fresh Start Church is to help you Find & Follow Jesus. This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun ! 2 Corinthians 5:17 Here’s how to get started! Admit that you are a sinner. If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 1 John 1:9 Believe in Jesus! Not just with your head, but with your heart! If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 Commit to follow Jesus. Change directions and ask Jesus to be the leader of your life. Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you If you’d like a Fresh Start turn to page 21

wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. Matthew 16:24 Are you ready? Pray something like this, “God today I confess that I am a sinner. I’ve made lots of mistakes and I am sorry! Please forgive me for everything I’ve done wrong. Today I am placing my belief and my faith in Jesus Christ. Thank you for sending Jesus to die on the cross to pay for all of my sins. Today I am asking you to save me. Today I commit to following Jesus for the rest of my life. Go to ________ to let us know about your decision, ask questions and to learn more about Following Jesus.

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Come As You Are! What I love about Fresh Start Church is that you can come no matter where you’re at in your spiritual journey , just as you are. You can come and you’re going to be welcomed. You’re going to be accepted. You’re going to be loved. You’re going to want to come on Sunday. You’re going to want to come to the connect groups during the week, and you’re going to grow and it’s awesome! Jessica, West Melbourne, FL

I Said God Was Dead, But He Gave Me a Fresh Start I like Fresh Start Church because I feel welcome and cared for. Diane, Palm Bay, FL If you’d like a Fresh Start turn to page 21

Fresh Start’s mission: To help you find and follow Jesus We are NOT into religion. We’re all about a relationship with Jesus. We believe it’s a sin for church to be boring. We believe church should be a celebration! We celebrate who God is and all that he has done for us. We have a huge heart for people who have been hurt by Christians or churches. Fresh Start is a safe place for you to heal and allow our church family to love you and encourage you. We also love people who have never been to church before. This is a safe place for you to come with all your questions and doubts as you explore the concept of following Jesus We’re not concerned with where you’ve been or what you’ve done. We believe in God’s radical, unconditional and unending love for us. We are all broken people, with messy pasts but God is putting us back together. We’d love to have you visit Fresh Start this Sunday. For location and meeting times go to:

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