Matthew Struggled with Same-Sex Attraction, was Excommunicated, then Found Freedom in Jesus Christ
“ When I rooted my identity in the Lord like I never have before, I realized that I am not the carnal desires of my body… “Therefore, crucify the lusts of the flesh and walk in the spirit.” (Gal 5:5). As I’ve done that, I have come to realize full-heartedly, I am not my sexuality.. in the scriptures it says freedom comes where the spirit of the Lord is, and freedom comes when sin is no longer your master. I have experienced freedom from same-sex attraction. It doesn’t mean that God came and removed the thorn in my side, but it means that when I walk in His Spirit, I can stand immovable and unwavering in the face of temptation as Jesus did.” – Follow Matthew on socials: @mattrichardson.official on Instagram – 00:00 Paralyzed By Blackmail 06:35 Teen Years And Inner Turmoil 14:33 Identity Shattered 18:43 Mission Highs And Dark Relapse 26:50 Divorce and Dark Spiral 32:25 Rock Bottom to Scripture Routine 38:49 Deliverance and New Life 46:05 Baptism Miracle – Tickets to the Come Back to Christ Event: www.comebackpodcast.org Mike’s Auto Shack https://mikesautoshack.com/ Serve Clothing code COMEBACK for 15% off https://serveclothing.com/ – If you have a story to share please submit here: https://comebackpodcast.org/submissions/ – For inquiries contact info.comebackpodcast@gmail.com – Come Back Team: Director, Founder, & Host: Ashly Stone Editor: Cara Reed Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Assistant Editor: Britt Smallze Art Director: Jeremy Garcia Production Director: Trent Wardwell
James Lost Everything… Until He Finally Learned to Listen to God
“ God changed me. Life brought me to my knees, humbled me enough to just hand it all to Him. It is the greatest decision I ever made in my life.” – 00:00 Shower Wake Up Call 05:10 Family Crisis and Porn 09:13 Sent Home From Mission 11:31 Drift after Marriage 14:04 Divorce Sparks Daily Prayer 21:03 Repentance And Membership Loss 24:05 Faith Questions And Return 32:37 Rebaptism and New Marriage– Mike’s Auto Shackhttps://mikesautoshack.com/ Serve Clothing code COMEBACK for 15% off https://serveclothing.com/ – If you have a story to share please submit here: https://comebackpodcast.org/submissions/ For inquiries contact info.comebackpodcast@gmail.com – Come Back Team: Director, Founder, & Host: Ashly Stone Editor: Cara Reed Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Assistant Editor: Britt Smallze Art Director: Jeremy Garcia Production Director: Trent Wardwell
David Believed Christ Could Save Everyone but Himself
“That just fills my heart with such love for Jesus Christ, that He would do that, that He would descend below me. I mean, it kind of scares me that He had to go through that much, but I just am so thankful for Him and what He has done for me. I just truly have had a change of heart.” – Serve Clothing code COMEBACK for 15% off https://serveclothing.com/ – If you have a story to share please submit here: https://comebackpodcast.org/submissions/ – For inquiries contact info.comebackpodcast@gmail.com – Come Back Team: Director, Founder, & Host: Ashly Stone Editor: Cara Reed Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Assistant Editor: Britt Smallze Art Director: Jeremy Garcia Production Director: Trent Wardwell
Meth Addict, Felon, Excommunicated—Troy’s Transformation From Darkness to the Light of Jesus Christ
“Never judge a book by its cover. Because I’m covered with tattoos. You know, I got tattoos all over my neck, everywhere I’m covered. Don’t ever look down on nobody. The only time you look down at somebody is if you have a hand stretched out to help the person up. Just like my Savior had His hand stretched out to me. For so long. Finally I grasped ahold of His hand and He lifted me right outta my darkness, and now my light can shine. It’s my prayer and my hope now that people want to know Christ because they know me.” 00:00 Introduction and Early Struggles 03:02 Troy’s Early Life and Conversion 13:38 Descent into Addiction 16:38 Legal Troubles and Incarceration 28:36 Baptism and Reconciliation 30:57 Challenges and Misunderstandings 32:37 Seeking Guidance and Support 37:47 Restoration of Blessings 40:07 Temple Experiences 42:38 Sharing the Journey 48:43 Final Reflections and Gratitude Memor Jewelry code COMEBACK for 10% off https://memorjewelry.com/ Serve Clothing code COMEBACK for 15% off https://serveclothing.com/ If you have a story to share please contact ashly.comebackpodcast@gmail.com For inquiries contact info.comebackpodcast@gmail.com Come Back Team: Director, Founder, & Host: Ashly Stone Editor: Cara Reed Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Assistant Editor: Michelle Berger Assistant Editor: Britt Smallze Art Director: Jeremy Garcia Production Director: Trent Wardwell
Porn & sex addiction led to betrayal & excommunication, until Steven finally found hope in recovery
“I got some relief from the incredible fear and pain and darkness that was surrounding me when I made the decision to get honest. That was a profound experience. There’s a great scripture that I actually experienced in that event, it was Alma 34:31-Yea, I would that ye would come forth and harden not your hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the day of your salvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately will the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you. That scripture I found later in my repentance process spoke to me because I had experienced what happened when I had a change of heart. From fear of coming forward and being honest, to I will get honest. I will do whatever is required. I could lose my marriage, lose my church membership, lose my family, lose my job. All of those things were possibilities. But yet I realized that I didn’t have any alternative except to get honest. And when I chose to do that, that was a changing experience for my life.” Home https://SAL12step.org Betrayal trauma book written by Rhyll Anne Croshaw: “What Can I Do About Me?” 00:00 Life-Changing Event 03:46 Mission in New Zealand 04:28 Addressing Sexual Addiction 09:10 Personal Recovery Journey 14:57 Rhyll’s Perspective 17:00 Second and Third Disclosures 34:27 Understanding Betrayal and Addiction 44:05 The Importance of Parental Involvement 48:29 Steven’s Excommunication and Re-baptism 01:02:01 The Power of True Doctrine Cozy Earth code COMEBACK for 40% off https://cozyearth.com/ Mike’s Auto Shack https://mikesautoshack.com/ Serve Clothing code COMEBACK for 15% off https://serveclothing.com/ Memor Jewelry code COMEBACK for 10% off https://memorjewelry.com/ If you have a story to share please contact ashly.comebackpodcast@gmail.com For inquiries contact info.comebackpodcast@gmail.com Come Back Team: Director, Founder, & Host: Ashly Stone Editor: Cara Reed Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Assistant Editor: Michelle Berger Assistant Editor: Britt Smallze Art Director: Jeremy Garcia Production Director: Trent Wardwell
Maxine Hanks discusses mormon feminism, excommunication, and finding her way back to the LDS church
“I’m a feminist theologian who was excommunicated and I’d been a Gnostic Christian for 15 years. I didn’t know where to start. We let Christ, the living bridge be the bridge between us. We didn’t presume to come from our own perspectives. You know, I was saying things like. “Well, you know, I was excommunicated. Do we need to go back and revisit all of that?” And they said, “No, no. All we care about is your relationship with Christ. Tell us about your faith and your relationship with Christ and with God.” And so I did and we just turned it over to God and prayed and then it was beautiful. This is what’s hard for a lot of my friends and a lot of feminists to understand. Like, was I recapitulating? Was I surrendering? Was I giving up my feminism? No. They never asked me to recant or give up anything. We were exploring a new relationship between feminists and church leaders. I saw them as my brothers. They were like pillars. They were so loving and so kind, and it was just utterly healing.” 00:00 Excommunicated over Women’s Studies 04:39 Maxine’s Historical and Theological Journey 15:00 Excommunication and Its Impact 20:26 Exploring Other Faiths and Gnostic Christianity 32:10 Divine Feminine in LDS Doctrine 35:03 Returning to the Church 38:09 Feminism and Healing 46:58 Experiencing the Body of Christ Latter day MatchMaker Serve Clothing code COMEBACK for 15% offhttps://serveclothing.com/memor jewelry – 10% Discount code: COMEBACKhttps://memorjewelry.com/ Serve Clothing code COMEBACK for 15% off https://serveclothing.com/ If you have a story to share please contact ashly.comebackpodcast@gmail.com For inquiries contact info.comebackpodcast@gmail.com Come Back Team: Director, Founder, & Host: Ashly Stone Editor: Cara Reed Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Assistant Editor: Michelle Berger Assistant Editor: Britt Smallze Art Director: Jeremy Garcia Production Director: Trent Wardwell
Addicted to pain pills and in prison, Laura turns to God and finds that He was waiting for her all along
CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains sensitive content that may be triggering or offensive to some audiences. Parental discretion is advised. “We can go through hard things. We can be the most horrible or the worst human. Christ still loves us and He still waits patiently for us to come back. It’s been awesome going to the temple. It’s been amazing! I ended up recently speaking at stake conference because addiction is rampant. I don’t know any household that isn’t either being touched by it in one way or another. It’s either somebody in their family or something. And I feel, almost a duty, if you will, to want to try and help. I want to help people see it differently. I’m an ex-convict. I’m a felon, you know, but those words typically have a negative connotation, right? They stand for something negative. And I think we need to teach our kids or even just within the church that you know what? Good people can also struggle.” Come Back Team: Director, Founder & Host: Ashly Stone Producer: Lauren Rose Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Editor: Cara Reed Assistant Editor: Michelle Berger Art Director: Jeremy Garcia Episode sponsor: Serve Clothing https://serveclothing.com/?gad_source=1
Dana was excommunicated for a teen pregnancy – but that didn’t stop her from following the Savior.
“If you were to ask me to translate an ancient document and to organize the people and a whole religion — I would never want that kind of authority thrust on me. I know I would misuse it, I absolutely would. So this process has really brought me to this place of grace for those who have come before in the gospel. And also, these things that I get so frustrated about or that I don’t understand, they’re not mine to understand right now and it’s okay because it’s temporary. The reality is that Christ is our savior and the gospel is real. And when we turn to Him, the peace that is there, and the love, and the understanding surpasses everything else. There is no substitute.” Come Back Team: Director, Founder & Host: Ashly Stone Producer and Senior Editor: Lauren Rose Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Editor: Cara Reed Assistant Editor: Michelle Berger Art Director: Jeremy Garcia Episode sponsor: Serve Clothing https://serveclothing.com/?gad_source=1
Jason’s testimony of how the Power of Christ’s Atonement changed him from a homeless addict to running successful rehabs.
“I had an experience laying in my bed where I asked God to help me to know His will for me. I then had a powerful experience where I felt water rush off my body as I was coming up out of these waters. Then I see one of my very best friends’ faces pulling me up and he’s in white. It was that experience where I understood that God would like me to consider being rebaptized. I had a long road until that point. I hadn’t even been excommunicated yet. So when I was asked in the disciplinary council, ‘what do you think, Jason?’ I said, I wanted a fresh start where I could finally forgive myself for all the things that I have experienced and done. Through the ordinance of baptism — I feel like if I can go through that experience I would be able to forgive myself. Where maybe just a disciplinary counsel and a probation, being less extreme, I would have missed going through that and burying that old guy and to symbolically start fresh. And I had some beautiful, beautiful, powerful experiences.” – Jason’s Business: https://brickhouserecovery.com/ Jason’s book “Unhooked” https://a.co/d/cSqfNCI – Come Back Team: Director, Founder & Host: Ashly Stone Producer and Senior Editor: Lauren Rose Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Editor: Michelle Berger Art Director: Jeremy Garcia
Growing up Emily was a wild child, as she got older she noticed a pervasive darkness in her life. Learn what happens as she gets on her knees and turns her life back over to Christ.
“I just called out to Heavenly Father and said, help. I was very aware that there were angels all around me protecting me, I knew that Heavenly Father was rescuing me. He was hearing my prayer and that black feeling immediately was replaced with warmth, and love, and total mercy. It was like, I’ve been waiting for you, I got you. And I just was totally honest with Him and I told Him everything that I needed to say. I told him ‘I’m so insecure. I don’t know how to do this. I don’t know who to be. I don’t know how to commit to being a good girl. I don’t know what that looks like. I’m attracted to all of these things that I don’t know how to reconcile.’ I just didn’t know what to do next, but I knew that I couldn’t continue in that life that I was in. I was so honest and submissive and just like, I’m gonna give this all to you and you help me figure out what to do next. And it was beautiful, it was amazing, it was the most sacred thing that’s ever happened in my life. Then I felt like I should go see a bishop.” Come Back Team: Director, Founder & Host: Ashly Stone Producer and Senior Editor: Lauren Rose Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Editor: Michelle Berger Art Director: Jeremy Garcia