Finding Your Purpose, Part 2

Finding You Purpose: Part 2 from Jim Jarrell on Vimeo.

Hello everyone, this is Jim Jarrell again, and this is Finding Your Purpose! 

In my first video in this series, I talked about the man who met Jesus as He got out of a boat. The man had been demon possessed for many years, and now he was healed. Luke 8:39 says;“But the man from whom the demons had gone out was begging Him that he might accompany Him; but He sent him away, saying return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you. So he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.” When I read this scripture I came to understand why God had done such great things in my life. I hope to tell everyone through this series exactly what God has done.

I spent twenty years doing drugs to hide from how I felt about myself. Some people have a drug of choice, mine was anything that would cause me forget for a little while. In early August 1989 while unloading my golf clubs from a cart, there was not a cloud in the sky. All of a sudden, a bolt of lighting came into my golf clubs, and went through my body knocking me some fifteen feet away from the golf cart. I looked at the people standing on the porch who saw what had happened and I said; “I guess God does not want me living this way.” I seemed to be OK, so I finished loading my clubs in the truck and left the golf course.

Tuesday August 29, 1989 nearly one month later. I came home after a long day at work to a small house beside an apple orchard in the mountains of Georgia. I lived alone because everyone whom I valued in life, I had driven away with how my drug use had changed my life. As I sat there on the couch thinking about all that had happened in my life, I began to shake uncontrollably. It became so bad that I went to bed thinking if I died, it would be days before someone found me. As I lay there in the dark, my room lit up like it was daytime. A being stood at the end of my bed who lit the room up with His presence. He was very tall and bright. When He spoke, He ask me did I want to live or die? I thought about what He had said for some time. I did not have much to live for, but I had this being asking me, and He really got my attention. I answered Him with if God thought enough about me to send you here, maybe I should chose to live. He spoke again and said, “You need to change your life.” He disappeared just as quickly as He appeared. I had just had an Angelic visitation and I did not ask Him one question. I did not even ask His name!

The next day I went to my boss and told him about my life. All he said was we do not need people like you working for us. I loaded up my tools and went back home to gather my things. They all fit in a small Ford pickup, what a shame. I drove down to Atlanta and met a friend who kept safe all my things until I could figure out what to do next.

Friday morning September 1, 1989 I checked myself into Northside Hospital, they had a drug rehab center there. They introduced me to the twelve step program, that was the change I had been looking for. The first step was easy, it did not take a rocket scientist to tell me how bad my life had become. The second step was a little harder, I came to understand that there was a God who could restore me to sanity. I knew that I had an Angel come to visit, but I did not dare tell anyone. The third step was the hardest of all: I made a conscience decision to turn my will and my life over to God. Turning my life over to God seemed impossible to me. I had been raised that I could be what ever I chose, now they are telling me I have to turn my will and my life over to God.

That would be the greatest decision I ever made. God has changed my life in so many ways. The best part was it was His idea all along. I have been drug free for over 30 years now. I have seen God do things that made me sit up and notice. I will tell you about these as time goes on.  Thank you for your time! 

Read more at: www.refreshinghope.org