My name is John H. Hankins, Senior Pastor of The Sanctuary Church in Cedar Rapids Ia. I once was young, but now I am older and very fortunate that God has rescued me from me. As a young man, I grew up in Church and had a very intimate and real relationship with the Lord. I wanted nothing more than to serve Him in my life. From ages 14 to 16, He showed me direction and portions of my life in very memorable and vivid visions.At the age of seventeen I joined the US Army in order to gain an education to asset in my calling. However somehow along the way I lost sight of the calling that was on my life. I soon got caught up in the things of the world and started spiraling down a road of self-destruction and carelessness along the way. Drinking and drugs soon became a major part of my life. During this time I was married and divorced twice.At forty one years of age I found myself in a most peculiar place. I had nothing, I was nothing and I hated living my life as me. Nothing and no one had any value to me. I no longer could stand the person that I had become. I had backed myself into a corner and knew that something had to change immediately. I was soon faced with only two options, the coward’s way out or total submission to the Lord. I did not feel worthy to talk to God much less ask forgiveness for the life that I was living and had lived. When I finally humbled myself, He did however touch my life and welcome me home once again. His gentleness and grace over the first four months was simply amazing. As I wept for months, in regret, He held me tight and close to His heart. I could not even lift my head up to heaven until one day He sternly said me, “Look up and know who you are, you are my child. Never look down or back again.” He was loving and soft with me even when I was not with myself.That was in the spring of 2008. Since that sobering day, my life has never been the same. God has restored me and all that I destroyed in my life. The impossible has become possible. He took me a broken man and made me whole again.God has restored my marriage after six years of divorce. We are both chasing the Lord and serving the Father as best as we can, with grateful hearts filled with abundant joy. He has shown us great mercy and favor in this new life that He has given us. He has sent me to Haiti five times and Kenya once on missions. I have assisted in building five churches over the years. He has blessed me with an education in theology through the INSTE Global Bible College. I have been involved with two church plants, and founded The Sanctuary Church in Cedar Rapids, in 2013. In 2014, He blessed us with a 29,000 sq. ft. building to allow us to house the Koinonia School of Discipleship. This is just a few of the great and many blessings that He has bestowed upon my life. He has put His Word back in my life and taught me how to love once again.I could talk for days about the countless blessing that I have received in my life since that amazing spring day in 08. I think about the entirety of my life and it is but a fog, except for the time that I have spent with my loving Father since 2008. My life is now full and in vivid color. Now I’m living life and living it free.Blessings to all.John H. HankinsRead more about this authorRead less about this author