July 14th 2018

This was the day my whole world changed. I remember this Saturday morning, almost 3 years ago. I had been so depressed and just felt dead inside. I went for a walk into Preston town center. A man was playing a guitar and singing on the street, and I sat down on a bench near him. Turned out he was singing about Jesus, and I had a moment where time seemed to slow down and I felt calm and at peace.

Then I got up and walked around the block and there was a table set up, where a pastor and his wife were handing out leaflets and chatting with people. At first I walked by, but something stopped me, and I said in my mind, “okay, fine, I will go back and talk to them.” So I spoke with them, and I went to their church, and I ate with them and joined in with their community.

And then through the course of the next year, my life changed radically. I started a new job and moved to Manchester, I gave up smoking weed, my deep depression lifted, and for the first time in the longest time, I was happy and content. I had hope again for the future. I met my wife and we are about to move into a house together.

All because in that moment on the road that day, Jesus prepared a table for me, and I stopped and turned back. One small decision changed things forever. I just had to say “okay, I’ll give it my best try.”