Hi, my name is BeniaminoMantelli. I was born and raised in a Christian family and I used to attend the meetings with much interest, but I didn’t know what it really meant to accept Jesus in your life. As I grew up, I didn’t want to go to Church anymore; I used to pray now and then, so I thought there was no reason to go to Church in order to have a relationship with God. I had not converted yet, but I loved God and I was convinced that He existed.
When I was 16, I began to smoke, to drink alcohol, and finally to use drugs. My relationship with God got worse; I had only a vague memory of it. At the age of 18, I felt a deep emptiness and sadness inside, I was desperate and I began to wonder: “What’s the point of living?” I had no joy. In the deepest darkness, I asked God for help. Sometime later, I met a group of very special guys, and we began to talk about existence. They told me about their relationship with God, and they also told me what I had to do in order to get out of the darkness. Long story short, they told me about Jesus Christ. Accepting Jesus into my life wasn’t easy. There was something trying to discourage me, telling me I couldn’t make it. I fought against myself, but my friends were always by my side; they really loved me. Finally, one day, the Lord Jesus Christ knocked on my heart’s door, and I opened up with all the strength I had. The Light entered my heart. The world seemed to have changed; everything got better and quiet. I was very happy and wanted to be like Jesus. I felt His presence inside of me, I didn’t feel lonely anymore. Since that day, I had to face incredible times of trial, especially during the last years; I fell down many times, I recognized my weaknesses and my flaws. I’m sorry for all the mistakes I’ve made and for all the people I hurt. But the most important thing now is that Jesus is a wonderful friend; He loves me as I am. I know that if I’ll follow Him, He’ll make my life and my heart better. Be courageous! You’renot alone!