Rescued From Legalism, Transformed By Grace

I've attended church since I was a young child, but was raised in a very religious and legalistic environment where fear was instilled in me since childhood. For decades, I have been terrified of God and feared Him rather than loved Him.

For the past three months, I have been watching your broadcasts on Trinity Broadcasting Network every morning at 6:30am before going to work. I was leery and afraid, not wanting to be led astray by unsound doctrine, but the message of God's mercy reached into my life and rescued me. There are some days that I listen to you, and I'm like, "Lord, could this be for real?" I feel like a child again—brand new. It's a whole new world to me. I always called Him "God". I call him "Abba" and "Father" now, and I don't feel like He's against me waiting to chastise me and cause areas of my life to fall apart when I fall short.

I was taught to look at grace like a free ticket for Christians to sin repeatedly and abuse the reason Jesus died on the cross. I felt like a spiritual failure because in all my trying I couldn't hold myself to the standard of the law, and drove my 23-year-old daughter away, raising her to fear God lifting His hand of protection if she continued in her sin. Your ministry has helped me to see that by letting in God's true love, grace and mercy, it makes you want to live by His commandments out of love and respect, and not fear and terror of Him allowing some illness or accident to kill you.

I'm seeing transformation and changes in my life in the past few months that I can't take credit for. I portray God much differently to others now, including my husband, who has referred to my faith as a ton of rules. I'm appreciative to the Lord for not letting me stay the way I was, and for leading me to your message. I have begun telling others about your broadcast. There is liberty in Jesus. Thank you again. God bless you and may your message from God reach many!