My name is Carol Byler. I have walked two paths searching for true love. One path led me into a life of drugs, prostitution, and murder. The other path led me to redemption, wholeness, and a true love with Jesus Christ.

 

I lived a life of horrifying choice and circumstance, but it changed dramatically when I met Jesus. Now I look back on that life, and I choose to be transparent, allowing those long-buried skeletons to be exposed. My desire is that each woman who hears my story will experience hope, that she will identify with my suffering, and that she will understand that she too can survive. I want every woman to realize she can have the strength and courage to escape her situation - whatever it is - just as I did. As a survivor myself, I want every person to be encouraged that, no matter how dark their circumstances are, Jesus provides a way of escape.

 

I hope that, by being transparant about my own pitfalls, I can help give women direction in their lives; it's something I never had. Many will identify with the poor relationships I had with my parents. The lack of parental love and direction affects many of these women. When this basic need is not filled, we go through life finding ways to fill the emptiness, but nothing works until we find Jesus. I open my heart to help others find the freedom I now have.

 

I found true love when I totally surrendered my life to my heavenly Father. Like an earthy father, you can climb into the heavenly Father's lap just as a small child would. You can tell Him your heart's desire and all that is going on in your life. He is all knowing, but He wants you to share the secrets you hold so dear. He will hold them close to His heart. He never will betray you. He is eager for you to share every detail of your life with Him. He knows them before you speak them, and He longs to make you whole.

 

There was nothing I could do or say to make Him want me; all I did was surrender to His grace. This is not religion. My Jesus, my God, is my personal friend. People with a past have always been able to come to Jesus. He makes us into wonderful and marvelous people. If you give me the chance, I will share my God, my personal friend, with you. If you are in a mess don't be upset; God specializes in fixing up messed up lives.God will take your messed up life and turn it into a message to helping others who are hurting.

 

God is all about restoration. He turns broken lives into a miracles. He did mine.

Please read the love letter on the next page.