Have You Ever Hit Rock Bottom?
Have You Ever Hit Rock Bottom?
A few weeks before my 18th birthday, I waved goodbye to my parents as I boarded a Greyhound bus with my bike, guitar, and a suitcase. I was college bound and excited about what lay on the horizon. Once I had moved into my quaint university dorm room shared with two other girls, I pulled out my guitar and played. A musician from down the hall heard me and introduced herself. Her smile was so wide it seemed to light up the room. I wasn’t sure what it was, but something about her was different.
Julie and I hit it off instantly. Her infectious laugh and overflowing joy made even a casual get-together lively. During the months that followed, when we needed a break from studying, we’d play our instruments and sing Julie’s upbeat gospel music together—and it brought a smile to my face every time. It didn’t take long before we started singing at coffee shops on campus just for fun.
Over time, I learned what was so different about Julie. She was the first person I’d ever known who was born again! She attended a weekly campus fellowship group with about 40-50 other on-fire Christians. They were raw, real, and wonderful—at least that’s what she told me about them. I’d never braved the door of her fellowship group or church. She met me where I was—in the dorm. And God used it!
What Happened When I Hit Rock Bottom
Have you ever hit rock bottom? You know—that moment when the emotional pain is so deep you genuinely don’t know what to do next. One cold, dreary Sunday afternoon, I found myself there. Out of nowhere, a significant relationship in my life ended abruptly. As I walked alone across campus in the rain, the emptiness felt almost unbearable. I was overwhelmed, hurting, and unsure where to turn.
When I arrived back at my dorm room, I shut the door, got on my knees, and prayed with absolute sincerity, “Help me!” That was all I knew to say, but I meant it.
God heard and answered my two-word heartfelt prayer. That evening, Julie knocked on my door. I explained what happened that afternoon, and after 7 months of friendship she said something she had never said to me before. Her timing was spot on.
“Do you know what you need?” Julie asked.
I shrugged. “No. I don’t.”
She then gave me a huge smile. “You need a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ!”
Hope stirred in my heart as she said that. “That’s exactly what I need! How do I do that?”
“Come to fellowship group with me next Sunday night!”
We went to the gathering of about 45 or so, all crammed in a towering historic home’s living room just off campus. An acoustic guitarist led worship, and I loved it. The closeknit college students made me feel sincerely welcome. The following Sunday I went back to fellowship group with Julie, and at the end of the service the minister unfolded the simple Gospel with clarity. He gave the first altar call I had heard in my life. From what I recall, he shared something like this….
Each of us have sinned and needs a Savior.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:23
There is a penalty for our sin.
The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23
God loves you so much that He sent Jesus to die for you and pay the price for your sins.
God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8
You have a decision to make. If you choose to make Jesus your Lord, you will be saved!
If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:9
The message was sinking in, and my heart was pounding as I listened to the Gospel for the first time. The minister invited us to raise our hand if we wanted to be saved. I shot mine up as fast as possible. I thought, Absolutely! That’s exactly what I need! He asked me and one other person who responded to come forward and get on our knees. We did, and then we followed him in a prayer that went something like this:
Father, I come to You in the name of Jesus.
I ask You to forgive me of my sins.
Cleanse me with the precious blood of Jesus.
I believe Jesus is the Son of God.
I believe He died on the Cross and paid the price for my sins.
I believe He rose from the dead.
I confess Jesus is the Lord of my life.
Thank You for saving me.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.
When I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior, the emptiness I had felt in my heart after hitting rock bottom was replaced with joy. From that moment on, everything became new!
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17
It was the fellowship group’s custom when someone was born again to drive to a nearby spot to baptize them in water. So, we piled into a few cars, and off we went! By the light of the moon, we sang a couple of worship songs and the minister baptized me. It was about ten p.m. on a late-April evening in Michigan—and it was chilly—but I didn’t care! I was born again that night, and I’ve never been the same since! The power of the simple Gospel changed my life, and it can change yours too!
What about you? Have you hit rock bottom? If so…look up! Reach out and receive the One who loves you most—Jesus! I invite you to pray the prayer above from your heart today. Your life will never be the same again!
If you just received Jesus, contact us at Connect@TeamRedmond.org so we can rejoice with you and send you a free resource to help you on your journey.
By: Ellen Redmond