From Addiction to Freedom: How Jesus Changed Everything

My name is Nick Green. I'm a junior and My name is Nick Green. I'm a junior and I go to the Bullitt County campus. I go to the Bullitt County campus. I go to the Bullitt County campus. >> [music] >> [music] >> [music] >> So, I never really grew up in the >> So, I never really grew up in the >> So, I never really grew up in the church. I went to a Catholic school, but church. I went to a Catholic school, but church. I went to a Catholic school, but once we moved out to Bullitt County, we once we moved out to Bullitt County, we once we moved out to Bullitt County, we really stopped going to church. Ever since then, I would just kind of Ever since then, I would just kind of like do my own thing and just stray away like do my own thing and just stray away like do my own thing and just stray away from God. So, I was definitely living on from God. So, I was definitely living on from God. So, I was definitely living on my own. I started vaping in seventh my own. I started vaping in seventh my own. I started vaping in seventh grade because my best friends were and grade because my best friends were and grade because my best friends were and then a couple weeks later I bought one then a couple weeks later I bought one then a couple weeks later I bought one for myself and it was just every night for myself and it was just every night for myself and it was just every night since then. At first, it was definitely since then. At first, it was definitely since then. At first, it was definitely just like a fun thing. All the cool kids just like a fun thing. All the cool kids just like a fun thing. All the cool kids are doing this. I'm one of them now. I are doing this. I'm one of them now. I are doing this. I'm one of them now. I thought I had to be cool to be loved and thought I had to be cool to be loved and thought I had to be cool to be loved and like we would actively be smoking like we would actively be smoking like we would actively be smoking together and then we go to church on together and then we go to church on together and then we go to church on Wednesday Wednesday Wednesday >> [music] >> [music] >> [music] >> and just like never really give a >> and just like never really give a >> and just like never really give a thought to it. Best friends since thought to it. Best friends since thought to it. Best friends since seventh grade. We did everything [music] seventh grade. We did everything [music] seventh grade. We did everything [music] together. We smoked together. We did all together. We smoked together. We did all together. We smoked together. We did all of our drugs together. He started going of our drugs together. He started going of our drugs together. He started going to HSM before I did and then he invited to HSM before I did and then he invited to HSM before I did and then he invited me and we would just go there, hang out, me and we would just go there, hang out, me and we would just go there, hang out, hang out with our group and talk every hang out with our group and talk every hang out with our group and talk every [music] week and it just became a habit [music] week and it just became a habit [music] week and it just became a habit for me to go like on my own even if for me to go like on my own even if for me to go like on my own even if David wasn't going. My relationship with David wasn't going. My relationship with David wasn't going. My relationship with Jesus back then, [music] I had somewhat Jesus back then, [music] I had somewhat Jesus back then, [music] I had somewhat of an understanding of like who he was of an understanding of like who he was of an understanding of like who he was and how he felt about me and how he saw and how he felt about me and how he saw and how he felt about me and how he saw me and [music] it just it just never me and [music] it just it just never me and [music] it just it just never really changed anything for me, but really changed anything for me, but really changed anything for me, but yeah, I never really changed for him.

yeah, I never really changed for him. yeah, I never really changed for him. The first day, I'm not going to lie, I The first day, I'm not going to lie, I The first day, I'm not going to lie, I wanted to go home, but I eventually wanted to go home, but I eventually wanted to go home, but I eventually started liking it on day two. We were we started liking it on day two. We were we started liking it on day two. We were we were in the praise pit singing and were in the praise pit singing and were in the praise pit singing and praising God. It was an experience that praising God. It was an experience that praising God. It was an experience that I had never had before. We're all I had never had before. We're all I had never had before. We're all experiencing the same thing together and experiencing the same thing together and experiencing the same thing together and like we can bond over the things that we like we can bond over the things that we like we can bond over the things that we experience because the Holy Spirit is experience because the Holy Spirit is experience because the Holy Spirit is moving throughout the entire room even moving throughout the entire room even moving throughout the entire room even if we don't know each other. Everybody's if we don't know each other. Everybody's if we don't know each other. Everybody's open to listen and it feels like open to listen and it feels like open to listen and it feels like everybody's there to hear you and to not everybody's there to hear you and to not everybody's there to hear you and to not judge you and to just love you and be judge you and to just love you and be judge you and to just love you and be there for you that week. I was there for you that week. I was there for you that week. I was worshipping worshipping worshipping down front [music] and then I see all down front [music] and then I see all down front [music] and then I see all these people around me like start these people around me like start these people around me like start crying. I kind of was like, "What is crying. I kind of was like, "What is crying. I kind of was like, "What is going on here? Why are people crying?" going on here? Why are people crying?" going on here? Why are people crying?" And then I felt like I needed to cry. And then I felt like I needed to cry. And then I felt like I needed to cry. Like I felt the Holy Spirit urging in my Like I felt the Holy Spirit urging in my Like I felt the Holy Spirit urging in my heart to let go of this this hard facade heart to let go of this this hard facade heart to let go of this this hard facade and to just um let go and surrender to and to just um let go and surrender to and to just um let go and surrender to the peace that he wants to give me and the peace that he wants to give me and the peace that he wants to give me and the love that he wants to overwhelm me the love that he wants to overwhelm me the love that he wants to overwhelm me with. I didn't want to cry in front of with. I didn't want to cry in front of with. I didn't want to cry in front of all these people. I was like, "Heck no, all these people. I was like, "Heck no, all these people. I was like, "Heck no, I'm not letting them see me cry." I'm not letting them see me cry." I'm not letting them see me cry." >> [music] >> [music] >> [music] >> And then, everybody else around me was >> And then, everybody else around me was >> And then, everybody else around me was crying. So, I just embraced the cry. And crying. So, I just embraced the cry. And crying. So, I just embraced the cry. And then, Jesus just used that in a then, Jesus just used that in a then, Jesus just used that in a miraculous way to just show me, [music] miraculous way to just show me, [music] miraculous way to just show me, [music] "You are loved. These things that the "You are loved. These things that the "You are loved. These things that the enemy says about you are not true. What enemy says about you are not true. What enemy says about you are not true. What I say about you is true." And just he I say about you is true." And just he I say about you is true." And just he revealed to me how much he truly loves revealed to me how much he truly loves revealed to me how much he truly loves [music] me. For a long time, I've been [music] me. For a long time, I've been [music] me. For a long time, I've been believing the lie that nobody could ever believing the lie that nobody could ever believing the lie that nobody could ever love me because the devil would get into love me because the devil would get into love me because the devil would get into my mind and say, "You're so weird.

my mind and say, "You're so weird. my mind and say, "You're so weird. You're so cringey. Nobody could ever You're so cringey. Nobody could ever You're so cringey. Nobody could ever love you. You're not valuable." And love you. You're not valuable." And love you. You're not valuable." And Jesus just spoke into that. And he said, Jesus just spoke into that. And he said, Jesus just spoke into that. And he said, "No, I love you. It doesn't matter what "No, I love you. It doesn't matter what "No, I love you. It doesn't matter what they think, whether they love you or they think, whether they love you or they think, whether they love you or they don't. I love you, and that's what they don't. I love you, and that's what they don't. I love you, and that's what truly matters." truly matters." truly matters." I used that encounter to um keep a I used that encounter to um keep a I used that encounter to um keep a relationship with God when I went home relationship with God when I went home relationship with God when I went home and just keep building that. and just keep building that. and just keep building that. The night we got home from camp, I put The night we got home from camp, I put The night we got home from camp, I put all my stuff away, and [music] then I all my stuff away, and [music] then I all my stuff away, and [music] then I said, "God, if this takes me away from said, "God, if this takes me away from said, "God, if this takes me away from you, I will throw it out. I will you, I will throw it out. I will you, I will throw it out. I will surrender all of it." So, I smoked one surrender all of it." So, I smoked one surrender all of it." So, I smoked one last time, and I just felt like it was last time, and I just felt like it was last time, and I just felt like it was such a distraction from God and that I such a distraction from God and that I such a distraction from God and that I needed to throw it away. Woke up in the needed to throw it away. Woke up in the needed to throw it away. Woke up in the morning super early before everybody got morning super early before everybody got morning super early before everybody got up, threw it all out, never touched a up, threw it all out, never touched a up, threw it all out, never touched a drug again. [music] drug again. [music] drug again. [music] Jesus actually took my full addiction Jesus actually took my full addiction Jesus actually took my full addiction because I was doing plenty of different because I was doing plenty of different because I was doing plenty of different things, addicted to plenty of different things, addicted to plenty of different things, addicted to plenty of different things for such a long time, and I just things for such a long time, and I just things for such a long time, and I just gave it up, and it's like I never had gave it up, and it's like I never had gave it up, and it's like I never had the urge to do it [music] ever again. A the urge to do it [music] ever again. A the urge to do it [music] ever again. A couple months later, after I got home couple months later, after I got home couple months later, after I got home from camp, I just made it a goal for from camp, I just made it a goal for from camp, I just made it a goal for myself every day to go to school and myself every day to go to school and myself every day to go to school and tell somebody that [music] Jesus loves tell somebody that [music] Jesus loves tell somebody that [music] Jesus loves them and just just found a love for them and just just found a love for them and just just found a love for letting God speak through me. You matter letting God speak through me. You matter letting God speak through me. You matter [music] to God, and he sees you in your [music] to God, and he sees you in your [music] to God, and he sees you in your struggle, no matter what you're feeling, struggle, no matter what you're feeling, struggle, no matter what you're feeling, all the shame that you're going through.

all the shame that you're going through. all the shame that you're going through. Jesus loves you, and Jesus sees you. Jesus loves you, and Jesus sees you. Jesus loves you, and Jesus sees you. Nick Green before Jesus is definitely a Nick Green before Jesus is definitely a Nick Green before Jesus is definitely a rebel. He definitely wants to fit rebel. He definitely wants to fit rebel. He definitely wants to fit [music] in with the crowd and be a [music] in with the crowd and be a [music] in with the crowd and be a follower and be someone who needs to be follower and be someone who needs to be follower and be someone who needs to be validated by the world. Nick Green today validated by the world. Nick Green today validated by the world. Nick Green today is [music] somebody filled with joy and is [music] somebody filled with joy and is [music] somebody filled with joy and the love coming from Jesus Christ. the love coming from Jesus Christ. the love coming from Jesus Christ. Someone redeemed, someone changed, Someone redeemed, someone changed, Someone redeemed, someone changed, someone completely new, someone someone completely new, someone someone completely new, someone um um um fearfully and wonderfully [music] made.