Please be aware this article references themes including self-harm and attempted suicide.
For Charlie, finding God quite literally saved his life. It was at his lowest point that Charlie decided to give his life to God, and trust in him.
One night, unable to sleep, Charlie turned on the radio and found Max McLean’s show where he was reading aloud the Psalms. Awestruck, all Charlie could do was keep listening. Through verses of rejoicing and anguish, he was transfixed, until he eventually fell asleep. From that night onwards, whenever he couldn’t sleep Max McLean kept him company.
One night while Max read from the Gospel of John, Charlie heard about the resurrection, and it changed the course of his life.
“I had never heard that Jesus physically came back from the dead in a new, slightly different, resurrected form before, and I gave it my undivided attention."
"When doubting Thomas saw Jesus and Jesus said the words: “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believed,” I said to myself right there and then that surely this is the Son of God."
Relying on God
This concept sparked a flame of interest in Charlie, and so in January last year he picked up a Bible he had been given for Christmas and began to read.
In April Charlie’s faith faltered. Against a backdrop of family turmoil and his own depression, Charlie became overwhelmed and tried to take his own life. At this darkest hour he felt God reach out to him and show him he could be relied upon. God could save him.
“That was when I decided not to trust in man but to trust in God.”
Finding meaning in serving others
Charlie resolved to give himself to God and lead a faithful life. Through the lens of the New Testament he began to make changes in his life.
“I was transformed. Before God came into my life I self-harmed, I argued with my parents, I ate inconsistently and was up weird hours of the night playing on my Xbox. God changed me – I am unrecognisable. I was inspired to go and help people."
“My faith has changed me. Before I was taking and giving nothing back. Now I want to serve people and I find deep meaning in that.”
Charlie finished reading the Bible in September and a few weeks later started to attend church at Whitchurch, where he met the Revd James Leach and his wife Debbie. James began one-on-one Bible study with Charlie, finding him an eager student with questions to answer. Thanks to the love and kindness he found in James and Debbie, Charlie took the next step in this journey of faith on the first day of Advent, when he was baptised by full immersion in a river – just as Jesus was.
Today, Charlie works as a gardener, employed by Debbie, and continues walking with God.
“Since then, I have kept up my study of the Bible and I can just about fathom God’s amazing plan of salvation through Jesus Christ.”
As told to Pathways by Charlie Brennan.
If you have been affected by anything in this article, or you are experiencing a mental health crisis, the Samaritans are there to listen 24 hours a day.