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Christian Artist Tasha Layton Talks About Finding Freedom When She Wanted To End Her Life

by Le-Jovale Vallejo
written by Le-Jovale Vallejo

Renowned Christian artist Tasha Layton shared why she almost ended her life when she was a teenager. Her story proves that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Christian Artist Tasha Layton

When Tasha Layton released a Christ-centric Christmas album, she aimed to bring joy to people, especially when the weight of the world comes against everyone during the pandemic. However, she struggled to find that joy at some point in her life. In an interview with 99.1 JOY FM, the Christian artist revealed that she tried to end her life during her late teens.

“And I think at that point, I was at a lowest of low and really needed Christianity to work for me,” she said.

This particular challenge was also one of the many things she talked about in her book, “What You’ve Done.”

 

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A post shared by TASHA LAYTON (@tashalayton)


Going Through An Identity Crisis

Tasha said that she once thought her identity in Christ was “sorted out,” but it actually wasn’t. She recalled feeling insignificant as a child when her father failed to listen to her. When he sternly told her to be quiet, she felt ashamed of the situation.

“And then I vowed to myself I’ll never let anyone get to know me. I’m not worth getting to know. For so many years I would cry out in my car and say, ‘God, when am I gonna feel free? When am I gonna feel Your healing in my life? When am I gonna walk at what You’ve called me to do and not be so afraid?’” Tasha recalled.

This could be where the idea for her song “Never” originated from.

Tasha Layton- Never (Official Music Video)

Christian Artist Tasha Layton: “Take Me Back To That Place”

When she realized that her inner child was still broken, Tasha invited God in that moment and revisited those times when she felt most hurt and alone.

“And so I invited Jesus into that moment because God stands outside of time. He was there when it happened but He’s still there,” she said. “And so I invited Jesus into that moment and I said, ‘Holy Spirit, take me back to that place.’ I could literally smell the room around me.”

READ: SINGER-SONGWRITER BRANDON HEATH OPENS UP ABOUT FORGIVING HIS DAD

God revealed His self to her, and that’s when she realized that He was there all along.

“And God has so met me in those moments the whole time, even in the darkest moments. Even in that room when I had a gun to my head. Even in the times I was crying out in my car and hitting the steering wheel. He was there, He’s always been there,” she said.

Watch the full video here:

Finding freedom and self worth as a Christian | with Tasha Layton

Reference: 99.1 JOY FM

Header image: Tasha Layton [99.1 JOY FM]. YouTube, 10 January 2022, https://youtu.be/ZzIrH21C2wQ

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Christian Artist Blanca Refuses To Let Her Past Define Her Future

by Le-Jovale Vallejo
written by Le-Jovale Vallejo

American Contemporary Christian artist Blanca shares her testimony about going through divorce and abuse in the past, and how God helped her through it all.

Blanca

Blanca Elaine Reyes, better known by her stage name Blanca, is an American singer-songwriter of contemporary Christian music who was born in Puerto Rico. She was part of Group 1 Crew until 2013 and now works as a solo artist. She once performed at the GMA Dove Awards with Jekalyn Carr, singing her song “New Day.”

“A moment I will never forget. Grateful for the opportunity to share my gift on the Dove Award stage next to my girl @jekalyncarr. You absolutely killed it sis!” Blanca wrote in a caption.

 

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A post shared by BLANCA (@officialblanca)

She also collaborated with the award-winning artist Tauren Wells on a song titled “Something Better.”

 

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A post shared by BLANCA (@officialblanca)

Blanca is a celebrated Christian artist. However, not many know about her life story.

Blanca Talks About Her Past

She was still very young when Blanca’s parents divorced. Her father was addicted to drugs. Because of her family background, a seed of insecurity was planted in her heart. However, that wasn’t the only thing she struggled with.

“The brokenness that I faced as a little girl dealing with sexual abuse for many years and the effects that that had on me you know now as an adult. But there was so much brokenness there,” she said.

Blanca admitted that she entered the marriage without proper counseling. Her marriage ended in divorce. Because of what happened, Blanca recalled a time in her childhood when she felt unworthy and not enough. But Blanca knew that God could do something about it.

Blanca Refuses To Let Her Past Define Her Future

“So I need to start figuring out how to break these things down to find where God is in this and what the truth is. Because right now it all just feels very cloudy,” she said.

Blanca started counseling even though at first, she thought it was a waste of time. Later on, she realized how much she needed it and how greatly it impacted her.

READ: JEREMY CAMP LEARNS TO TRUST GOD AFTER EXPERIENCING ANXIETY & PANIC ATTACKS

“Through my counselor, she was also a pastor but just so wise and had – not an open mind – but just was able to see things so clearly and protect me. But also get me ready for the different stages of divorce, different stages of grief,” she recalled.

Because of the process that she went through, Blanca could finally see that indeed, God turned broken things into a beautiful testimony.

“But there was so much good that came from such a painful place. So if you are a person who finds yourself in the middle of brokenness, of shame, of pain, of just any of these things that we’ve been talking about in our own healing journey, know that there’s hope there. There’s good there that God can use all of it and turn it around for something good,” she said.

Reference: 99.1 JOY FM

Divorce and Past Abuse Don't Define You

Header image: Blanca [99.1 JOY FM]. YouTube, 10 January 2022, https://youtu.be/78EECRxgDAo

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Brighter Days Singer Gets Real About Wrestling With God Daily

by Le-Jovale Vallejo
written by Le-Jovale Vallejo

Blessing, the singer of Brighter Days, talks about how he wrestles with God when the hardships of life show up and how he handled loss after loss.

Brighter Days Singer, Blessing

According to Movie Guide, Blessing was born blind in one eye. He never let his illness stop him from learning music, though. Just before he went blind in both eyes, he learned to play the piano when he was 10 years old. He also never stopped learning music, no matter what was going on in his life. His goal became to use music to bring people closer to God.

Blessing pursued the dream, but he admitted that it’s not always “fun.”

READ: CASTING CROWNS’ MARK HALL GETS REAL WITH HIS DARK PAST

In his younger years, his identity revolved around being the “athletic blessing.”

“My identity was wrapped up in being this top seventh, and eighth-grade athlete, which is in hindsight so narrow. But when you’re 12, that’s everything. And I remember thinking, “Okay, I have to find some way to convince my friends that I’m still the same person,’” he recalled.

Brighter Days Singer Gets Real About Wrestling With God

When he was going through everything that a teenager could experience, he asked God “what He was doing.”

“So going through that process of coming to grips with hard things and God’s place in those hard things, in the middle of those hard things, is something that I think… Whether it’s losing your vision, or going through some other illness, or going through a reversal of fortune,” he said. “Or going through whatever it is, life is just about us learning that lesson which is in the New Testament. It says ‘Who among you can add a minute to their life or hair to their head by worrying?’”

But Blessing also had days when it was hard to get by, especially when his sister died.

Life

“But I don’t want people to think, again, that this is some kind of 30-minute sitcom, where things are perfect. My sister just died a month ago and that has been awful. And me and God wrestle on a daily basis,” he said.

But life goes on for all of us, the same for Blessing. He learned how to move on and accept that not every day is perfect; we just keep moving forward, even if it hurts, is uncomfortable, and painful.

“And it’s because life is still life. You know what I mean? And it’s this weird thing where life just keeps moving for all of us. And until we find ourselves in front of God,” he said.

Reference: 99.1 JOY FM

If life feels heavy right now, you're not alone.

Header image: Blessing [99.1 JOY FM]. YouTube, 6 November 2023, https://youtu.be/LvsGQG_xpsM

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Granger Smith Learns More About Jesus By Listening To Billy Graham’s Sermons Online

by Le-Jovale Vallejo
written by Le-Jovale Vallejo

Country singer Granger Smith was at the lowest point of his life when his son died. However, in this desperate situation, he learned more about Jesus through Billy Graham’s sermons online.

Granger Smith

Acclaimed country singer Granger Smith was having a great year in 2019. It seemed like a happy family was at home because it was sold out. Until one terrible day.

“I was in the backyard with the three kids just kind of enjoying the last few moments before I head off the tour. I was playing gymnastics with my daughter and the boys were playing water gunfight,” he recalled.

When it became quiet, Granger wondered where his son, River, was.

“There he was in our pool, in the gated locked pool, in the middle, floating face down. I flipped him over and he was like a ragged doll. I panicked,” he said.

By the time the rescuers reached River, Granger and his wife Amber had already lost the battle. Their three-year-old son had passed away.

Visions

“I had this thing that I called the ‘slideshow.’ And I had these visions that would pop into my head at any moment. It’s River in the pool. It’s the ambulances screaming down that county road. And it’s the doctor walking in saying, ‘He’s not going to make it,’” Granger said.

Granger quickly found out, though, that he couldn’t just get through his pain. He tried therapy, self-help books, and meditation to stop the slideshow. Having grown up in a Christian home, he began reading Bible devotionals. However, the visions persisted. Then, a friend suggested to Granger that smoking marijuana might help him calm down. For a while, it did.

READ | ZACH WILLIAMS: ‘IF I’VE BEEN PERFECTED IN GOD’S LOVE, WHAT AM I AFRAID OF?’

But one night on tour in Idaho, everything came to a head. Six months after River died, Granger’s band had just played two sold-out shows in a row and wanted to go to a nearby bar to party.

“I got to the bus and that’s when it hit me. When I saw the back of the bus, I thought, ‘This is the first time I’ve been drunk since it all went down.’ And as soon as I started thinking that, the slideshow popped in,” he recalled.

Granger Smith Learns More About Jesus

Granger added, “I started sobbing. I was shaking, pulled out my gun, and put the gun up to my head. That’s when I had a thought, it was outside of my own consciousness the best way I could describe it. But the thought was, ‘This is the way to rest.’ I recognized that there was an enemy speaking to me. I said, ‘Jesus, save me. Please save me.’ And the slideshow stopped.”

Granger thought of Billy Graham, so he looked for him online. He listened to more than 100 sermons over the next few weeks.

Granger played his last show on August 26, 2023. After singing for 24 years, he decided to focus on studying the Bible and sharing the love of Jesus with everyone who would listen. His family was also blessed with another child, Maverick. Granger recently finished writing a book called “Like A River,” which tells a story of loss and redemption that he hopes will bring comfort to others. Granger says that Christ gave him a new purpose and believes that we can all find healing through Him if we believe.

Reference: The 700 Club

Granger Smith’s Radical Transformation @GrangerSmithMusic

Header image: Granger Smith [The 700 Club]. YouTube, 22 November 2023, https://youtu.be/bBh3BVZyChY

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Zach Williams: ‘If I’ve Been Perfected In God’s Love, What Am I Afraid Of?’

by Le-Jovale Vallejo
written by Le-Jovale Vallejo

Christian artist Zach Williams shared how God changed his life after he struggled with drug and alcohol addiction for fifteen years.

Zach Williams

According to his official website, Zach, a husband and a father, “has become one of CCM’s leading artists and songwriters. It was by carving a niche with his singular blend of southern rock, country, and faith-filled songwriting, which quickly awarded him his first GRAMMY Award® with his debut album, 2017’s Chain Breaker. With two additional GRAMMY nods among numerous other accolades, he now returns to share his boldly vulnerable and hope-filled sophomore album, aptly titled Rescue Story.”

However, it wasn’t a smooth road. Zach grew up in a Christian family, with both parents serving on the praise team.

“I knew better, I was raised in church. I was raised to put my faith in Jesus. My parents really planted that seed at an early age for me,” he said.

Fighting Addiction

Additionally, Zach acknowledged that it was his parents’ faith that introduced him to God.

“Had it not been for their walk and their relationship, and just the way I saw them live their life, I wouldn’t have known that there was a God. To come running back to, or a God that loved me or could forgive me,” he said.

READ: SINGER-SONGWRITER BRANDON HEATH OPENS UP ABOUT FORGIVING HIS DAD

And then after college, Zach became a full-time musician. He then embraced a lifestyle that he found hard to get out of. For 15 years, Zach entangled himself with drugs and alcohol. But because of a song, Zach remembered his identity.

“I was kind of like, ‘All right. If you’re God, if You’re who you say You are, then if You prove it, I’m done with all this,’” he recalled.

Zach Williams Making It Right With God

And then he added, “And two weeks into that tour, we were in Spain, driving across Spain one day. About eight hours, and the guy driving our bus starts scanning radio stations and stops on ‘Redeemed’ by Big Daddy Weave of all places, in Spain.”

After years of running, finally, he was ready to come home.

“I called my wife and told her, ‘Hey, I’m coming home. I’m going to cancel my shows and start going to church.’ And June 10th, 2012, I gave my life to the Lord,” Zach recalled. “1 John 4:18 says, ‘There is no fear in love. Perfect love casts out all fear.’ And I just remember thinking, ‘Man, if I’ve been perfected in God’s love, what am I afraid of? If anything, the devil should be scared of me.’”

Reference: 99.1 JOY FM

Fighting an addiction? You're not alone. There's hope.

Header image: Zach Williams [99.1 JOY FM]. YouTube, 10 January 2022, https://youtu.be/1ApbBsG2rF4

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Christian Artist Hope Darst Reveals 30 Years Of Emotional Struggle

by Le-Jovale Vallejo
written by Le-Jovale Vallejo

Christian artist Hope Darst talks about how anger and fear became so crippling that these emotions almost landed her in the hospital.

Hope Darst

Hope Darst, a worship leader, desires to see people encounter the love of Jesus, restored and set free in His presence. Additionally, Hope has written and recorded many songs. Including Peace Be Still, Promise Keeper, Come Alive, and the Top Charting Radio single and title track of her latest project, “If the Lord Builds the House”.

Her latest single “Never Walk Alone” reminds us all of the faithfulness of God throughout our lives and that we are never alone. This is from her official website: https://www.hopedarst.com/

In her interview with 99.1 JOY FM, Hope revealed that she had an emotional struggle for 30 years that kept her bound.

Saved But Not Free

“I just remember feeling like the Lord just whispered into my heart, ‘Hope you’re saved. You love me. You are completely committed to me, but you are not free. And I didn’t come just to save you. I came to set you free,’” she recalled.

She remained faithful despite her parents’ brutally painful divorce. She had just had her second baby at that time too, but she was still serving in the ministry.

READ: JEREMY CAMP LEARNS TO TRUST GOD AFTER EXPERIENCING ANXIETY & PANIC ATTACKS

Hope was faithful in the ministry. She followed all the rules.

“And yet, internally, I was just riddled with so much anger. Insecurity, and fear, and hopelessness, and feeling unworthy, and feeling like I was never going to actually be better. I just so desperately wanted to be better at anything and everything. And it’s funny, you don’t plan your breakdown. You don’t prepare for it. You don’t mark it on the calendar,” she recalled.

Hope Darst: “Being on the floor at Jesus’ feet was the hardest and the scariest place to be”

One disappointment triggered Hope to break down, and she was on her bed for three days straight. Her husband, worried about her, told her that she might need to go to the hospital.

“Wanting to just rewind, just go to three days before and start over. And figure out how to not get to that place. But the thing is I didn’t get there in three days. I had gotten there over 30 plus years of just stuffing and ignoring. Not believing that God actually could be my healer and bring freedom,” she recalled.

Desperate for change, Hope prayed and lay down on the carpet, waiting for God.

“And I found that being on the floor at Jesus’ feet was the hardest and the scariest place to be. But it’s the only place I found freedom. It’s the only place I found healing. It’s the only place that I found redemption,” she said.

Watch the full video here:

Why do I struggle with fear and anger as a Christian? with Hope Darst

Reference: 99.1 JOY FM

Header image: Hope Darst [99.1 JOY FM]. YouTube, 10 January 2022, https://youtu.be/-udb92MFfNM

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Natalie Grant Opens Up About Battling Fear And Depression

by Le-Jovale Vallejo
written by Le-Jovale Vallejo

Christian artist Natalie Grant shared about how she overcame postpartum depression.

Natalie Grant

After Sadie, her third daughter, was born, Natalie experienced postpartum depression. She battled postpartum depression for around eighteen months, during which time it worsened.

“And I remember one of the things I feel like kept me in that place for so long was the shame attached to it,” she said.

She struggled with fear and anxiety, constantly thinking about the possible outcomes. When she didn’t know, it would cause more fear.

“And for me, my palms begin to sweat. When that panic sets in, my hands become paralyzed. It’s like they’re clawed up and I can’t force them to relax and to unfold,” she recalled.

Making It Through

Going through postpartum depression made her wonder if she’d ever make it through. Natalie described it as not knowing “how you’re going to make it through to the other side.”

But there’s one thing that helped her breakthrough.

READ: JOEL SMALLBONE SHARES ABOUT BEING A ‘RECOVERING CONTROL FREAK’

“At that point, I felt like, ‘What do I have to lose?’ I find so much healing when I give it voice,” she said. “And when you keep it private, I kind of feel like the enemy of our souls loves when we keep things inside. And keep things silent because that’s when his whisper is loud. When you’re not listening to anybody else’s voice, or anybody else’s input, the lies of the enemy just seem to get louder, and louder, and louder.”

Natalie Grant: “The reason we need Jesus is because we’re broken”

The moment that Natalie opened up about what she was going through, that’s when she realized she wasn’t alone. Many people were experiencing the same struggles she faced. And they were struggling in silence.

“Because they feel like, ‘What a fraud, what a fake, lack of faith, you’re not a good Christian.’ All of these things that we put on ourselves that are actually not found in the Word of God,” she said.

And then she added: “And the reason we need Jesus is because we’re broken. It’s our broken condition that makes us aware of our need for Him. … All I know is I need Him. I can’t make it every day without Him. And in my weakness, His strength is made perfect.”

Reference: 99.1 JOY FM

Why do I battle fear and depression as a Christian? | Natalie Grant

Header image: Natalie Grant [99.1 JOY FM]. YouTube, 10 January 2022, https://youtu.be/VbsCsdsHVEI

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Christian Musician Austin French Testifies About Growing Up In A Broken Family

by Le-Jovale Vallejo
written by Le-Jovale Vallejo

After growing up in a broken family, Christian artist Austin French shares how these scars affect the way he loves his wife and kids.

Austin French

On his website, Austin French shared how he hated his family back then.

“I grew up in church, was surrounded by church culture, but I hated Christians for a long time,” Austin says. “Our family was the family that pretended to be perfect on Sunday but was falling apart behind closed doors. As an eight-year-old boy, I was living two different lives, expected to be perfect on Sunday and then living in fear at home.”

In his interview with 99.1 JOY FM, Austin said that he was just eight years old when his mother asked him if she could leave his father.

“And as an eight-year-old kid, I just remember saying, ‘Mom, I just don’t want to be hurt anymore.’ She asked me what I would think if she left my dad, and I just remember it was turmoil at home. I remember it being painful. I remember it being scary,” he said.

Growing Up In A Broken Family

As an eight-year-old kid, that was ingrained in his memory. It became a core memory that doesn’t ever seem to go away. Austin said that their family was not treated well in their little town at the time. People started to take sides between his mom and dad. But it wasn’t the only thing that he was concerned about. Austin remembered that he and his sisters tried to help his mother in any way possible.

READ: CASTING CROWNS’ MARK HALL GETS REAL WITH HIS DARK PAST

“And so what it built in me and my sisters is, ‘Hey, we’re in this together. We need to pull our weight. We need to get jobs. And we need to do whatever we can to help Mom out,’” he recalled.

Now that Austin is a father himself, he couldn’t help but get emotional seeing his 8-year-old son not go through the same. Even though those wounds “shaped him,” he’s grateful that their home is a safe place for their kids.

No Longer A Broken Family But A Safe Place

“And I look at him and he doesn’t worry about where his meal’s coming from. Doesn’t worry if someone’s going to hit him. He just feels safe. And I’m so grateful that me and my wife can create a safe place for my kids,” he said. “And now getting to be a dad with a little boy around that age of when my life fell apart, I feel that. I feel the responsibility and also the gift of just being able to do it differently.”

Now that Austin is a father himself, he couldn’t help but get emotional seeing his 8-year-old son not go through the same. Even though those wounds “shaped him,” he’s grateful that their home is a safe place for their kids.

“When you’re willing to walk into the uncomfortable, grace is there to meet you. Because, I don’t know, redemption isn’t supposed to be easy. Satan is going to try to grip as tight as he can. Isolate [you] as good as he can. And make you feel as alone as he can. But redemption rolls back the stone and says, “Lazarus, come forth,”” Austin said.

Reference: 99.1 JOY FM

I wish every person living in a broken family could watch this.

Header image: Austin French [99.1 JOY FM]. YouTube, 1 January 2024, https://youtu.be/Q7bhGhyeMJA

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Jeremy Camp Learns To Trust God After Experiencing Anxiety & Panic Attacks

by Le-Jovale Vallejo
written by Le-Jovale Vallejo

Grammy-nominated Christian singer and songwriter Jeremy Camp shared about letting go of control in order to trust God more.

Jeremy Camp

Known for his award-winning Christian songs, Jeremy Camp is also notable for his story featured in the movie “I Still Believe.” It chronicles the life of a 20-year-old Jeremy Camp and his first wife, Melissa Henning-Camp.

The movie narrates his journey through love and grief, focusing on the discovery of Melissa’s cancer and the relationship between Jeremy and Melissa. It conveys a message of hope, signifying that despite suffering and pain, there is something bigger and better out there. Just last year, Jeremy Camp shared something he hadn’t experienced before.

“So finally, after not being able to even go outside feeling this immense amount of terror, even having thoughts like, ‘God are you real?’ I’ve never. Even when I went through the loss of my wife,” he said.

Jeremy Camp After Experiencing Anxiety & Panic Attacks

It was during the time when he took his daughters on a mission trip to Uganda. At that time, the cases of malaria and yellow fever were high. He was terrified for his daughters’ health. But deep inside, he knew it was more than that.

“And I felt so shaky. I’m like, ‘What is happening?’ I’ve never experienced that. I wasn’t nervous because it wasn’t nerves, it was something different. And so, I played the show like a thousand people responding to the gospel. Of course, I’m rejoicing. But also like, ‘What’s happening?’” Jeremy recalled.

READ: ABDOMINAL PAIN HEALED AFTER CLAIMING PRAYER FROM A LIVE BROADCAST

He was confused about what was happening and described it as a “very, very dark thing.” Then finally, after praying to God, he received an answer.

“He said, ‘You’re trying to control everything,’” Jeremy recalled.

Jeremy Camp Learns To Trust God

He added, “My family, my finances, and my future– these three. It was as clear as day that I was not trusting God with any of those things. I was trying to control them. And that control was so overwhelming that it sent me into a place of just feeling out of control. That was the whole panic and terror and just I felt out of control.”

Knowing all this, Jeremy Camp learned to trust God deeply. He was grateful for what God revealed to him. Finally, he repented and asked God’s forgiveness for not trusting Him enough.

“I think that sometimes, He allows those thorns in our life, like Paul, to make us rely on Him. Jesus said it in John 16:33. He said, ‘I say these things to you so that you will have peace. In this world you will face trials of many kinds.’ You’re going to face trials. We live in a fallen world and that’s just a part of what’s going to happen. But then He said, ‘But take heart, I’ve overcome the world,” Jeremy concluded.

Reference: 99.1 JOY FM

Battling anxiety and/or panic attacks? There is hope.

Header image: Jeremy Camp [99.1 JOY FM]. YouTube, 2 January 2023, https://youtu.be/W58HVXds8FM

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Singer-Songwriter Brandon Heath Opens Up About Forgiving His Dad

by Le-Jovale Vallejo
written by Le-Jovale Vallejo

In this exclusive Healing Out Loud video, Brandon Heath talks about his battles with addiction and depression, as well as how forgiveness helped him on his path to recovery. He was able to forgive his father for his past actions and understood that forgiveness is a lifelong process.

Brandon Heath

When he was struggling, Brandon Heath began to withdraw from his loved ones. He stopped attending men’s groups and counseling sessions and didn’t open up to anyone.

“I started to turn to places on the internet that I knew that I shouldn’t go to,” he said. “Social media all of a sudden became this place where I would compare myself to other people. I was allowing myself to watch movies that were dark in content.”

Brandon Heath felt that he was going “dark.” He distanced himself from his wife and everybody else, and his secrets grew deeper.

“In early July, I confessed to my wife that I had been hiding and that I was not really feeling like myself anymore. So, we stayed up until the light came up. And called my best friends and told them that I just needed them. I needed help,” he said.

A Husband And A Father

Everyone listened to him and offered to help. He finally opened up to them about his struggles and vulnerably admitted that he wanted to focus on being a husband and a father rather than on his career. Additionally, he started attending therapy sessions.

READ | WOMAN SURVIVES FROM A RUPTURED CAROTID ANEURYSM; DOCTOR CALLS IT A MIRACLE

“One of the things that I realized with the help of a therapist is that I needed to forgive my dad. It’s hard to forgive someone who’s gone, who you can’t speak with,” he said.

Brandon’s dad married four times. As much as he loves him, he couldn’t deny the fact that he felt he wasn’t good enough for him.

“My core wound is not feeling good enough,” he said. “I’ve found that that has filled a little bit of a void, but it can’t fill the void that only God is really meant for. That He is the one that tells me my worth and who I am. I did forgive my dad when I was in college.”

Brandon Heath Talks About Forgiveness

Brandon Heath said that he had a misconception about forgiveness before. He thought it was a one-and-done kind of situation.

“I think maybe God is the only one-and-done forgiver out there,” he said. “Jesus is the one-and-done. For the rest of us, there is the ‘seven times 70 times.’ So I’ve learned that there is a reason that Jesus said that. Because for me, even though I’ve forgiven my dad and when he passed away, we were in a really great place.”

But even beyond his death, Brandon Heath said that he should forgive his dad over and over again.

“Some of the wounds that I’ve had as a kid are coming up in different ways. The best way through those wounds is just to say, ‘I know what this is. Dad, I forgive you. God, I know that you forgive me.’ And then to walk through that in light and in hope and know that there really is restoration on the other side of forgiveness,” he concluded.

Reference: 99.1 JOY FM

Wrestling to forgive someone? Listen to this.

Header image: Brandon Heath [99.1 JOY FM]. YouTube, 12 March 2023, https://youtu.be/cOav8po2iWA

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