I cannot remember a time in my life when I did not love God with all my heart. What I did not understand, however, was that the God I loved so deeply was being presented to me through the lens of a high-control religious organization. I spent 25 years as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. I was taught that Jehovah had created the heavens and the earth and given many good things—but I also learned to see Him as a hard, exacting God who was difficult to please.
From a young age, I believed I needed to be willing to turn my back on family and friends if they ever walked away from the organization. Any “wrong” decision of my own could result in shunning, leaving me isolated from everyone I knew and loved. I spent countless hours going door to door, sharing what we called the good news. Over time, I began to realize it wasn’t truly good news at all—it came with unbearable burdens and a system that broke apart families in the name of God.
Eventually, questions began to stir in my heart—questions about the doctrines and teachings I had been told never to question. As I sought answers, God in His mercy led me not to a new organization, but to the real and living Savior, Jesus Christ. I surrendered my life to Him, and everything changed.
I have now been out of the organization longer than I was in it. I understand the tactics that high-control religious groups use to keep people trapped, and my heart aches for those still inside. Today, I am a seminary student pursuing my Master of Divinity, loving the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength—just as Matthew 22:37 calls us to do.
My deepest desire is to point as many people as I can to Jesus Christ, the true Savior, who offers freedom, forgiveness, and eternal life. I am passionate about equipping Christians to speak with Jehovah’s Witnesses in ways that encourage sincere questions—questions that can open the door for someone else to encounter the real Jesus and know Him as their Lord and Savior.
All glory to God, who rescues, restores, and sets captives free.