Personal Stories: Mark Walden's story
I Found Myself In A Hostel Provided By The Worthing Churches Homeless Project
Mark Walden expressing his Testimony on 30 January 2005 at New Life Church, Durrington.Even though I came to this church as a child, I wasn’t sure what it was all about. I had a vague idea and a sketch belief that there was something more to life, but I didn’t know what that was.
Over the years I have read books on spirituality, eastern mystics and other mumbo-jumbo, but none of these held my focus for very long, and left me empty.
After a break-up of a relationship and living on my own for the first time, I suffered depression and started to drink and gamble and this caused me to lose my home, and after a short period of sleeping rough I luckily found myself in a hostel provided by the Worthing Churches Homeless Project. It was here I started to read the Bible again. I had read it many times before but this time it was different. I started to find passages that were relevant to my current situation.
Then I went on a course with Alpha and started to investigate this and discovered it might be worth looking into. On Alpha I found the vague idea was basically truth. The course opened my eyes in a way that none of the other so called “new age” writings did. I suddenly understood that Jesus did die for me, and did so because he loved me so much and wanted me to follow Him.
Since I have been aware of this truth I have been able to make sense of my life. I was lost, but no longer. I have found the true meaning of life in Christ, in fact every day since.
I would like to thank everybody for all the love they have given me up to this great moment, and would like to thank everyone in advance for the help they will give me in the future, during times of trial and tribulation.
I love this church, it is incredible, and thank you for that, but most of all I want to thank you, Lord Jesus. Your love knows no bounds. Thank you, God.
Mark Walden
