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It all began soon after I moved to a new town to be near my family.  I had ended an 8 year relationship and was counting on them for support.  Then soon after I moved, they unexpectedly had to move away so I was alone.  And then my grandfather died.  It was one of the hardest times of my life.
I found out my new church offered Stephen Ministry and asked for one.  At first I was afraid of talking to a new person about my hurts.  We started slowly and I learned to trust her.
I had some spiritual wounds that were pretty intense and needed healing— things I didn’t want to share with family and friends. But on one visit, as my Stephen Minister walked next to me, I felt safe and comfortable. So I shared my deepest hurts with her—some really painful things that I feared she might judge me for and that made me wonder if God could possibly love me. After I told her those things, I was really nervous and dreading her response. I was worried that she would think I was an awful person. But instead, she gently said, “I’m sorry you had to go through that.” And that was a turning point for me. To go from fear of judgment to a positive affirmation of care, empathy—and even sorrow for what I’d been through—it was so meaningful. That’s when I began to feel God’s love again.
What she gave me most was unconditional love and acceptance.  We can’t really see God except through others.  Stephen Ministers help those they care for experience God during those times in life when they might be wondering, Is God even there?
Asking for a Stephen Minister is the best thing I could have done for myself. Stephen Ministry is transformational.  I would encourage anyone who is suffering, discouraged, or going through a difficult time to ask for a Stephen Minister. And if someone offers a Stephen Minister to you, say, “Yes!” It really is life-changing.
-Adapted from http://www.stephenministries.org/PDFs/Megan’s_Story.pdf  go to the link for the full story.