Hello! I have struggled with addiction to methamphetamine since I was twelve. I am now thirty. I have been through a childhood of abuse, the loss of my father at age twelve, and my mother at fifteen. I went to Catholic and then Lutheran schools and was always judged and treated badly. I never felt accepted or welcome.
I had a period of eight years sobriety, had my children, and went to college. I graduated with my Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice Administration. During this time I wasn't in recovery, I was just not using. I did nothing to better myself emotionally. I relapsed after eight years sober, immediately following the death of a close friend. After this I had a CHIPS case with Child Protection, almost lost my kids, went to a few more treatments, etc.
I met the love of my life, Israel, when I was about six months clean. He is an alcoholic and was in recovery. We moved in together and I took on the role of a stay-at-home mom with his twin four-year old boys, and my four-year old son and seven-year old daughter. We started drinking together slowly. Only once in awhile and only a few. But eventually it ended up in a domestic situation and our lives fell apart.
I relapsed again using meth intravenously and I left home with my kids. We were both miserable and couldn't be away from each other anymore. We knew we needed help.
That's when we found The Crossing. We were immediately welcomed. People talked to us and the sermon spoke to us every time (and continues to!). The first time we attended I prayed that my cravings would be taken away. I haven't had a trigger or craving since that very moment, and this is a miracle, as I couldn't go a minute without thinking of using and entertaining the idea.
I currently have six months clean. I serve on the Quality Team, I went to an RTF session (Restoring the Foundations), and Israel and I both attend Growth Track. Israel also volunteered a lot of his time with the stage construction before Easter. We have grown together and see each other in such a beautiful way now. I love waking up and going to church every Sunday, and so do our kids. I am in my fifth week of my Masters program in Addictions Studies and I have huge goals and a vision for the future and what I can do to save lives.
My point is this: I never actually felt like I was in recovery or wanted to better myself until I walked in the doors of The Crossing. EVERY aspect of my life has changed. This is what was missing every other attempt at sobriety. I now have no fear of what's going to happen and I am now able to see the positive side of the negative experiences.
Israel and I are still facing the consequences and legal issues regarding the domestic situation we had and we have been fighting an uphill battle for almost a year now because of it. Even though this is happening to us, we wouldn't have done the work we have on ourselves and our relationship without that obstacle.
Now we walk with Jesus every day. We tithe and we are blessed in return. I just really wanted to share how much this church means to me and let you know that you really DO make a difference and you really really touch people! I am so grateful that I took that step into those doors! Thank you so much for making this all possible for us!
Before I knew I was pregnant, I was reading Jonah’s story to my 2-year-old, Eliza, from her little kid’s Bible, and something snapped into place: I would have a son, and his name would be Jonah.
It was like the sound of a seatbelt buckling, or when you dig a hole and drop a post into it – a perfect fit. I can’t explain it any better than that.
The catch, though, was that I already had carefully crafted names for ten potential Phelps children (approved by my husband), and Jonah was never on my radar. When I went to Dave with absolute certainty of “Jonah”, he wasn’t convinced. “I need to wait and make sure it’s right,” he said.
I puzzled over this for months. I knew God was trying to teach me something from that story of the stubborn prophet who God used to save thousands of people. Why on earth would he want me to name my baby Jonah? So random.
A week before my due date, The Crossing started a series called Life: On Mission – a 5-week series based on the book of Jonah. I could hear God chuckling up in heaven at his little pun; there was Dave’s confirmation.
What could this little boy have in his future? Before God even began forming him, He knew him by name. He knew the day he would arrive; He knows now when he’ll take his first step; He knows what he was created for. This boy has a future.
This is true for every human life.
Jeremiah 29:11 says, “I [God] know the plans I have for you, plans to bless and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”
This future didn’t start when we were born, though. It was before that, according to Psalm 139:14-16:
“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born.”
Jonah (the prophet) was called by God to bring a message of salvation to a city full of lost and evil people. He ran from his purpose at first, but God got his attention (pretty dramatically) and put him back on course. In the end, 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness turned from evil and began a life with their Creator, a God who is gracious and compassionate, slow to get angry and full of unfailing love.
Regardless of the magnitude and severity of your mistakes, God sees you – just like He saw Nineveh – and wants to bring you into the light. He loves us with unfailing love. This theme is echoed through the entire Bible, ultimately shown by another man sent to bring people living in spiritual darkness into the light of love and grace: Jesus.
I don’t know what my new little man has in his future, but I do know that God has a plan to bless and not to harm him. The day that this boy chooses on his own to follow Jesus and walk into an abundant life of grace and hope and joy and peace… Only that day could possibly better than this one, the day of his (first) birth.
I know that some of you reading this don’t believe the same things as me, and that’s just fine. But, let me just say, without any agenda of trying to win an argument or prove that I’m smarter (because I’m probably not): The God of the Bible is real.
All I know FOR SURE is my own experiences, and over and over again, God has shown up in my life in countless undeniable ways, and my life is full of joy.
I’ve tried living life without Him, and I get by – but it sucked to know I would be alone in every situation I faced. My own efforts – or those of other flawed humans – would be my best hope for success and meaning in life.
When I follow Jesus, I know that all things work out for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28), that I can trust Him and He’ll make my next steps obvious (Proverbs 3:5-6), that I can commit all my plans to Him and He’ll make them succeed (Proverbs 16:3), and, more than anything else, every wrong thing I’ve done or will do in the future is already forgiven and being manipulated into something for my or others’ benefit (Psalm 103:12, Romans 8:28). That is the power and unfailing love of this awesome God.
When Jonah lived up to the calling God placed on his life, the world changed. I am convinced that when you step into the calling God placed on your life, whatever it is, the world would change, too. Give this God a chance to blow your mind –not just with how amazing He is, but how amazing YOU are, too – and how much he freaking loves you.
May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace as you trust in Him. Romans 15:13
Written by Karli Phelps
Last weekend in the service, Pastor Kelly said that God uses our giving to the church in many ways that we may never know. I'm going to try to make a long life story really short, but I want to show how much of an impact your church has had in my life.
Ten years ago, I was married with two kids and had everything that life could offer: multiple houses, new cars, all the toys, six figures a year. Life was good. I was doing my own thing, but God had lessons for me to learn.
The owner of the company I worked for got caught embezzling money, and my job was gone. Less than two months later, my wife left me for my best friend. In just a few months, my life was turned upside down. I was left with NOTHING.
I turned to the most convenient fix: drinking. I turned into a bottle-or-more-a-day person for the next nine years. I eventually became extremely bitter towards God and church, and I turned completely away from Him. I just went deeper into the easy-out of drinking.
Fast forward a few years, and I met an amazing girl. When our son was born, God really gave me a heavy heart about the way I was acting in my life with my drinking and all of the relationship problems that goes along with that. I was determined to find something – anything – to help, so we started coming to The Crossing. This was just the beginning, because I knew God wanted my heart.
Pastor Eric made a comment about recovery. He talked about how it was a "thinking problem" not a "drinking problem", and how focusing on God and what He had for us instead of focusing on quitting would be one of the first steps to a new life. I quit drinking, and quit both of my jobs in the same day because of the bad influences that they provided in my life. I trusted God with the first step in what I knew was going to be a long road to recovery.
Fast forward one year to the beginning of 2016. God has been doing great things in my life. We have been able to come to The Crossing consistently since before the holidays. Every single service has been both encouragement to keep going in His promises and also a challenge to press on and not be complacent. I came into this year determined to make it one of consistent attendance and involvement in a church community, in order to grow spiritually and to make this year the start of something good in my life. God-good, not my-good.
At Christmas time, Pastor Kelly talked about not leaving 2016 the way we came in. Perfect encouragement! God designed that entire talk just for me! In fact, with every single talk this year, I feel like God has spoken directly to me with encouragement and a challenge.
God has used The Crossing – the talks, the people, the children’s ministry – to allow the seeds that were planted in my heart to begin to grow. I had tears running down my face this morning during the talk, because I know that God has more for me, even though I spent almost 10 years telling myself that my destiny was in a bottle, and that's all that I could have.
God has been doing a great work, but that is just in MY life; I'm one of many! Thank you for having a heart for what God wants and for allowing Him to work through you.
I started coming to The Crossing Church after several invites from my daughter. It was during the Chasing Happiness series, which I cried most of the way through. I didn’t have a strong Christian upbringing – it was definitely more guilt-based than grace-based. I remember being very young and my Grandmother telling me that God would get me back tenfold for every one of my sins. I think I believed in God more out of fear than out of true faith.
I started partying and using when I was 13 years old. I gave birth to my second daughter before I graduated from high school, was widowed by age 21, and had my third daughter shortly after. I had broken every one of the Ten Commandments in some fashion, had tolerated years of domestic abuse that I believed I deserved, and was on medication for anxiety and depression when I walked through the doors to The Crossing. Nothing I did could help me escape the guilt, shame, and resentment I felt from my past. The hardest part of feeling so hopeless was trying not to let my daughters see it in me. I had taken them to church when they were younger, and tried to teach them faith, but I wasn’t living it myself – and attending church just made me think of all the ways I had let God down.
When I walked into church I had not used for almost three months, and I didn’t know how to function. I had nothing to dull the emotions. I had no hope. After attending every week for a month, I was still hurting but I was also trying to fill up my mind and soul with all of the good things I was learning about God. Hearing every week that “God is for you, He is not against you”, “He forgives you… He’s not mad at you”, and simply “He loves you” – that planted the mustard seed of faith I needed. It made me HOPE!
Finally, I had a conversation with a pastor after a Tuesday night believer’s service where I bent a knee and asked Christ to lead my life. In that moment, my life changed. I have purpose. I am forgiven. I have hope.
Now I’ve been baptized, I get to serve on an awesome team, I’m attending The Crossing College - all because The Crossing has put those opportunities out there for people like me to increase their faith and hope and to grow in relationship with Jesus. It’s all about Jesus! I’m not perfect, but I’m saved – and it is because of Jesus and the outreach mission of The Crossing Church.
I am so very grateful to Pastors Eric and Kelly and the amazing staff at The Crossing Church. I’m grateful for your hearts and passion for Jesus. I’m grateful that you are living your calling of helping lost people find Jesus. You have passed that passion on to me! Truly, I thank you for bringing me to this place in my life.
Has there ever been a moment that you heard about The Crossing College and you felt that little twinge of, "Oooohh, I wanna do that!" and then the next feeling is some mix of excitement/fear/worry about money/determination/desire to know Jesus more than ever? Ok, then you're in the same boat as all Crossing College graduates! :D
Is The Crossing College a challenge? Yes. Will it teach you a LOT about your faith, grow you closer to Jesus, and help define your direction and purpose in life? Yes, Yes, YES! As you're making your New Year's resolutions, resolve to invest in and grow YOURSELF and become a 2016-2017 graduate of The Crossing College. Your life will be forever changed! Applications open in May, but start praying, planning and preparing now!
Here's the story of a current College student, Lynn. She's halfway through this year, and God has already shown up in amazing ways in her life! Borrow Lynn's faith as you read her story!
Britney Ahlmann, The Crossing College Director
I have a Bachelor’s degree, a cosmetology diploma, and work as a full-time waitress. So when I felt the desire to enroll in the Crossing College I thought, “Here we go again, another degree.” But this education is nothing like I have ever experienced before!
Since enrolling in The Crossing College, God has spoken to me as He opens up my mind, heart, and soul to His plan for my life. The college has given me direction and an education about God that I would not have had otherwise. It has led me on hard days to speak against shame and not accept defeat as I would have in the past. Now, I have a closer relationship to my Jesus and the tools to help me not only in hard times, but in my day-to-day life.
God called me to The Crossing College to do His work. He has a divine plan. I had no clue what that plan was, but I’m beginning to learn, as doors open and my relationship with Jesus deepens. I am grateful for the college because God is using it to show Himself to me; His works, His wonders, His plan for my life. I am here for a reason, and for that, I am so incredibly thankful. I am grateful that I listened to that still small voice that brought me to The Crossing College.
"Just give it a year. One year. And if your life isn’t better, you can go back to it."
These were the exact words that came out of my friend’s mouth the day I told him I quit drinking. It was my third day sober. I heard these words, and, 125 days later, I was approved for my first credit card in ten years.
Money and alcohol can be a deadly duo for those with an addiction. They could be compared to the Joker and the Riddler duo versus the sought-after dynamic duo of Batman and Robin.
In my early 20’s, I messed up my credit, hugely. I shopped, I partied, and I traveled with my boyfriend, only to find myself in a huge credit hole four years later.
Before I got married, I decided bankruptcy was the answer. So then I was married, a clean slate of credit, only to have that tarnished within three years.
Christmas shopping was dreaded and done the night before Christmas Eve, as work was always pretty slow in the winter (I’m a waitress). Paying for gifts up front always added stress to the holiday cheer. Somehow though, I always managed to find money for my drinks. Before or after work, a well-earned bottle for at home, or a few drinks for my friend and I so I didn’t have to drink alone. I’ve always been generous, and when it came to drinks, I’d be sure to buy one or ten for myself and/or a friend.
Since I became sober on January 15, I’ve watched as my bank account no longer became my enemy. The anxiety I felt checking the balance Monday morning has disappeared, as I now have a pretty good idea of what it will be after a weekend of working and not drinking.
Proverbs 10:16 “The earnings of the godly enhance their lives; but evil people squander their money on sin.”
I began tithing in October of last year. When I got sober in January, my tithing became more consistent, and I give ten percent of anything that is earned or auto-deposited into my account. My finances have taken a miraculous turn and my anxiety and fear of lacking money has begun to disappear.
I’m a jack of many trades, but many of them are commission-based. I used to get stressed before a shift, but that’s one thing God’s assured me about: He’s in control. He will give me what I need.
My soft credit approval shocked me. Not going to lie, I only applied for the card for the 30 percent discount, so when it came back approved, I was shocked! But I know it was a Godwink, saying, “I got you.”
I’ve let go of financial stress and dwelling on the “what-ifs” and “what’s-to-come”. I've exchanged them for, “God, I give it to you.”
God’s got you. He can enhance our lives in miraculous ways, whether it is through a friendship, a new home, a pet, a credit card, or His unquestionable peace. He’s got you. All you have to do is let go and let Him.
In 2013, I realized we had to do something different. We were sitting in church and our younger daughter was plugged in to her iPod with a scowl on her face. Our older daughter was not living at home because of her life-threatening struggles. My husband had difficulty sleeping due to insomnia, and I felt overwhelmed with anxiety. We decided to check out The Crossing Church to find some hope and a place where our daughters could grow in faith.
Now in 2015, our younger daughter shares that from the first time we came to The Crossing, she knew it was special. She affirms that from the start she sensed God's presence. Besides the friendly atmosphere and amazing music, she was totally engaged and busy taking notes through Pastor Eric’s talk. She found the talk, Power of Words from the Random series and found hope for healing from the negative words that were spoken over her in the past.
My husband and I knew The Crossing was special, not only because our daughter actually wanted to go to church, but because God was speaking to us through the talks. We came during the Ace Your Test series in the Fall of 2013.
After the first two talks, we tearfully acknowledged that the time of suffering we were in was a test. It would make us stronger in the end, as Deuteronomy 8:16 says, “He did this to humble you and test you for your own good.” During the Monster Mash and Chasing Happiness series, our whole family wore a yellow bracelet and wrote FAITH on sticky notes to remind us to focus on the positive.
We prayed for a breakthrough against all the negative circumstances our family was facing during the Break Out Christmas series and gained hope for a new beginning during the Under Construction series.
As we were facing multiple challenges, we were reminded to not magnify our trials by focusing on our problems, but to remember our big God, who is able to do the impossible if we trust Him by faith. Each week, we went to church looking for hope, and were happy to hear from Pastor Eric that he was a “hope dealer” and that we could choose to be “prisoners of hope” until we experienced God’s miracle (Zech 9:12).
Our older daughter came to church with us and also felt loved and accepted. Instead of feeling like an outsider, she felt that she could be herself. She felt the music made her want to worship God and that the teaching was relevant and interactive. Instead of enduring “some guy in a suit,” she respected Pastor Eric because he was real, honest, and open.
Going through the book Unhooked and Untangled helped her experience a breakthrough of victory over self-destructive thinking and behaviors. To our joy, she was baptized during the Easter service as a way of showing her love for Jesus.
We’re very grateful for all the ways God has used The Crossing Church in our lives, and we are trusting Him continue the good work He is doing in us!
Looking back over this last year and asking the question why I chose The Crossing College, I have a different answer now than I did when I signed up.
Last year, around March, my friend told me I HAD to get my temperament profile done. She said it was life-changing. Of course I did, because I’m a doer! After finding out that my temperament profile was that of a leader, I had small seeds planted in my head that would prepare me for where I am now. I didn’t really jump into the idea of myself being a leader, and I was still processing a lot of the information I had learned from Dr. Keller. Later that summer, I had to do a strengths finder test through my workplace, and again, had a profile of that of a leader. So now twice, in two completely different environments and tests, I was being told I am capable of being a leader.
The videos of The Crossing College students from last year started playing at church, and I was intrigued by the different stories and outcomes everyone had received during their time at the college. My friend, who graduated from the college, said I HAD to sign up and it was life-changing! I’m a doer, so of course I signed up.
At the start of the school year I didn’t really know what to expect or to take away from the college. I was learning how to dive deep into the Bible and understand the stories and the life of Jesus. I was learning history and the incredible, scary, awesome things that had happened thousands of years ago. In the associate portion of the college, I was learning life skills based on biblical principles. This was the biggest takeaway for me.
I tell people that what I have learned in the last nine months has been more valuable than what I have learned through all my years of school and college. Sure, math is important, and learning about our history of the world, and maybe even physics! But the life applications taught in The Crossing College has prepared me for a life of success!
I have learned how to have a relationship with God. I have learned how to work though difficult times in life with God beside me. I learned that my environments are extremely important (family, church, work, friends). I gained so much knowledge about finances. I know how to honor my future husband when I’m married and how to raise my future children. I know how to communicate clearly! I know how to be a leader based on the principles laid out by Jesus.
My friend had stated in her story a year ago that the Bible is a guidebook to life. At the time I didn’t really understand what she meant, but now being involved in The Crossing College, I can confidently say the same thing: the Bible is a guidebook and THE ONLY guidebook to your life. I wish our society was in a place where we could have Bibles in school and learn directly from scripture about how to live life and be successful.
A normal tradition for me after finishing school is to burn all the paperwork of the classes I hated! But that tradition will not be carried on with The Crossing College. Every piece of paper I have will be kept in a safe place for me to reference for myself, for others, and for my family. I am equipped for my future and for those around me -- their futures as well!
So, initially when I signed up for the college, I did so because I was a doer and my friend said it was life-changing. Today I can boldly state that The Crossing College was God’s plan for me. After learning I had the characteristics of a leader, the next best thing to be involved in was the college. In those nine months, I gained so much knowledge on being a leader and how to lead. The best part is I can look up to the greatest leader in the world, Jesus.
A lot has changed in my life this last year, and it is because of God leading me to be in the college. I am 24 years old and I walked away from a steady, reliable job to start my own nonprofit business in Princeton, MN. God told me I had to walk away from where I was, and if it weren’t for the college, I probably wouldn’t have listened.
I learned how to discern God’s voice and to be still and to let Him work. I learned to trust Him and that His plan is greater than any plan I could ever think of. By honoring God, the doors have been wide open with opportunities for me. Life is still tough, and crap still happens, but knowing that I walk strongly on God’s path allows no fear inside my head. I walk boldly in my faith and I look forward to all the incredible things that will happen.
I thank God everyday for where He has brought me, but I also thank The Crossing and Pastors Eric and Kelly for being a source of life change in our community, and for the dedicated staff whose heart is to find those that are lost and to bring them home.
I owe so much to this church and I just want to let everyone I am so thankful!
Applications for The Crossing College 2015-2016 academic year will open mid-May.
