#232 Jonathan Leonardo: What Happens When Standing for Christ Means Standing Alone?

Matthew Chan returns to share how his understanding of the gospel has deepened through the devastating loss of his family home in the LA fires and through the challenging process of receiving help from others.• Matthew's house burned down in the LA Eaton fires in January, completely destroying their home and possessions• While treating a patient during the fire, Matthew demonstrated supernatural peace, explaining that everything important to him is "hidden in Jesus"• The Chan family experienced an overwhelming outpouring of love and support from their community after the fire• Matthew initially resisted when friends wanted to create a GoFundMe, but learned that true humility means allowing others to love you in their way• The legitimacy of a gift is established in the love of the giver, not in whether the recipient deserves or needs it• Matthew's son wisely observed: "You didn't cry when you lost something; you cry when you receive something"• Even while growing in gospel understanding, Matthew continues to learn how to communicate truth with the right heart motives• Living "the unattached life" means having your primary attachment with the Father, freeing you from unhealthy attachments to temporal things💰 DONATE & SUPPORT our Ministry: lovereality.org/give👍 LIKE us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alovereality📷 FOLLOW us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riyoung31/📚 LEARN more at our site: lovereality.orgDownload the Love Reality app. Available in the App Store & Google Play.

Lauren Via shares her powerful testimony of walking through church conflict and finding healing after being forced to leave her beloved Oklahoma church community due to gospel misunderstandings.• Experiencing the difficult transition when church leadership began pushing back against gospel freedom• Suppressing her own emotions while supporting her husband and children through the conflict• Watching her four-year-old son develop anxiety as he witnessed his father's emotional distress• Having to leave their church without fully explaining the situation to their congregation• Moving to Texas and initially struggling to feel at home in their new church• Finding God's presence through repeated "dragonfly moments" at pivotal times• Experiencing breakthrough healing during a gathering in Missouri where friends prayed over her• Learning that freedom is a journey rather than a one-time event• Returning to Oklahoma a year later and experiencing the gift of forgiveness• Discovering that peace doesn't depend on circumstances but on our secure relationship with JesusIf you're going through a difficult transition or church conflict, remember that Jesus walks with you through every step. Your freedom remains secure even when your feelings suggest otherwise.💰 DONATE & SUPPORT our Ministry: lovereality.org/give👍 LIKE us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alovereality📷 FOLLOW us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riyoung31/📚 LEARN more at our site: lovereality.orgDownload the Love Reality app. Available in the App Store & Google Play.

Jonathan Leonardo returns to share his journey through the challenges of pastoring while maintaining gospel integrity, revealing how institutional pressure led to personal compromise before finding freedom in uncompromised truth.• Transitioning from evangelist to pastor created tension between preaching clear gospel freedom and meeting denominational expectations• The Seventh-day Adventist relationship with the law creates unique challenges when preaching freedom from sin• Public criticism from denominational leadership created real-world consequences for Jonathan and his ministry• Compromising gospel clarity for job security led to internal dissonance and declining mental health• The pain of rejection from a church community that had been like a "third parent" was particularly devastating• Finding freedom required choosing conscience over compromise, even at professional cost• Despite challenges, Jonathan maintains his Adventist identity while refusing to water down the gospel message• Moving forward with greater awareness while continuing to preach the transformative power of being in ChristJoin us for Internet Church in the coming months as Jonathan explores living without double-mindedness and dives into seeing the gospel in Leviticus and Hebrews.💰 DONATE & SUPPORT our Ministry: lovereality.org/give👍 LIKE us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alovereality📷 FOLLOW us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riyoung31/📚 LEARN more at our site: lovereality.orgDownload the Love Reality app. Available in the App Store & Google Play.

Ange shares her powerful journey from growing up with a transactional view of God to discovering the freedom that comes through understanding her true identity in Christ. She opens up about childhood trauma, religious performance, and how gospel truth transformed her life.• Grew up in an Adventist family in Rwanda believing God's love was conditional on her behavior• Experienced childhood trauma that led to shame and unhealthy coping mechanisms• Struggled with self-worth and body image issues throughout adolescence• Used romance novels and pornography to regulate emotions when feeling rejected• Believed Romans 7 meant Christians were destined to struggle with sin forever• Health scare in 2020 began shifting her understanding of God's character• Discovered the truth that she was already right with God through Jesus• Found freedom from addictive behaviors not through trying harder but by understanding her identity• Now experiences a relationship with God based on love rather than fear• Regulates emotions through talking to God and community rather than unhealthy coping mechanismsThe world doesn't think that the gospel can change your life, but we know that it can and that's why we want you to hear these stories, stories of transformation, stories of freedom, people getting free from sin and healed from sin because of Jesus.💰 DONATE & SUPPORT our Ministry: lovereality.org/give👍 LIKE us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alovereality📷 FOLLOW us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riyoung31/📚 LEARN more at our site: lovereality.orgDownload the Love Reality app. Available in the App Store & Google Play.

Doug Wilson shares his journey from legalistic striving to gospel freedom, revealing how discovering his identity in Christ transformed his understanding of salvation and relationship with God. The conversation explores the damaging effects of a "Jesus plus" mentality and the liberation that comes from resting in Christ's finished work.• Born and raised in Oklahoma with minimal church background• Initially approached religion as a set of doctrines rather than a relationship• Spent a decade as a church elder trying and failing to live up to legal standards• Left church completely for two years after burning out spiritually• Discovered through a new pastor that the gospel offers complete freedom• Found his true identity in Christ rather than in religious performance• Now views the Sabbath as resting in Christ's salvation rather than as a legal requirement• No longer judges others but sees them as people Christ loves• Learned that we can be honest about our anger while still responding in love• Encourages others that "the fight's already been won" through Christ.💰 DONATE & SUPPORT our Ministry: lovereality.org/give👍 LIKE us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alovereality📷 FOLLOW us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riyoung31/📚 LEARN more at our site: lovereality.orgDownload the Love Reality app. Available in the App Store & Google Play.

Michaela returns to share how the gospel has transformed her life from depression and suicidal thoughts to freedom and purpose over the past four years.• First freed through Romans 6:7 - "you are free from sin"• Initially struggled with "firehosing" people with the gospel, expecting everyone to receive it as enthusiastically as she did• Found that people outside church settings were often more receptive than those in religious environments• Discovered the Bible became a completely different book - from rules and condemnation to a love story• Shifted from talking about the gospel constantly to living it out authentically, which has proven more effective• Received a powerful garden metaphor from God about removing different types of "weeds" (lies) from her life• Learned that weeds (lies) about God must be removed first before addressing other areas• Currently navigating infertility challenges while learning to experience joy alongside suffering• Growing in understanding that God is safe and trustworthy, not a disappointed authority figure• Realizing that behavior change follows heart transformation, not the other way around"Rate and subscribe to our podcast on Apple and Spotify. Join us in Denver, Colorado from September 26-28 for fellowship and ministry. Partner with us at loverealityorg/give to help us continue preaching this gospel."💰 DONATE & SUPPORT our Ministry: lovereality.org/give👍 LIKE us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alovereality📷 FOLLOW us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riyoung31/📚 LEARN more at our site: lovereality.orgDownload the Love Reality app. Available in the App Store & Google Play.

Audree shares her powerful journey from carrying overwhelming guilt and shame over past mistakes to finding complete freedom in Christ and learning that God's love transcends our darkest moments.• Growing up under a controlling father who ruled the family with a strict, dictatorial approach• Running away from home at 17 and facing an unplanned pregnancy without support• Choosing abortion and carrying the heavy burden of guilt for two decades• Joining the military, getting married, and struggling with postpartum depression• Committing adultery during a difficult period and almost destroying her marriage• Facing her father's cancer diagnosis and death while dealing with marital crisis• Finding a church community where she could ask questions and learn about God's grace• Getting baptized and experiencing a transformative moment of freedom• Sharing her testimony publicly and watching how her vulnerability helped others heal• Understanding that one in four women have had abortions and many carry hidden pain"I no longer had to carry the guilt and the shame and the unforgiveness for myself, the condemnation, all of it. It just fell away."💰 DONATE & SUPPORT our Ministry: lovereality.org/give👍 LIKE us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alovereality📷 FOLLOW us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riyoung31/📚 LEARN more at our site: lovereality.orgDownload the Love Reality app. Available in the App Store & Google Play.

Josh Newbegin shares his powerful journey from living a party lifestyle to becoming a burned-out church worker to finally discovering true freedom in the gospel of grace. His testimony reveals how the most significant transformation in his life wasn't leaving his partying days behind, but escaping the performance-based Christianity that kept him in a spiritual cage.• Grew up in church but left to pursue adventure and the party lifestyle in snowboarding communities• Found emptiness in his dream lifestyle despite achieving everything he thought would fulfill him• Returned to faith but approached it with a performance mindset, trying to earn God's approval• Experienced burnout from working so hard in ministry while simultaneously battling secret shame• Discovered through mentorship that his value is intrinsic, not based on performance or others' opinions• Realized he had become like the older brother in the prodigal son story – doing the right things for wrong reasons• Found freedom when he understood God already declared him enough and worthy of love• Now helps other men find freedom from pornography addiction by addressing the underlying pain• Continues practicing "gospel" daily, reminding himself of the truth that he is already enough in ChristIf you're struggling with feeling that you're never doing enough for God, remember that your value isn't based on your performance. The gospel declares you are already enough because of what Jesus has done.💰 DONATE & SUPPORT our Ministry: lovereality.org/give👍 LIKE us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alovereality📷 FOLLOW us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riyoung31/📚 LEARN more at our site: lovereality.orgDownload the Love Reality app. Available in the App Store & Google Play.

Diana shares her transformative journey from rigid religious legalism to experiencing God's unconditional love and freedom in Christ. Her story reveals how understanding grace completely changed her life, healing her from addiction and anxiety.• Growing up without a father, Diana was taught from childhood that God was her father• Began experimenting with alcohol at age 10 while living as a latchkey kid• Met her husband Micah in elementary school and married shortly after high school• Struggled with postpartum depression after the miracle birth of their son• Initially embraced extreme legalism in parenting and spiritual practices• Became angry when her husband started exploring a grace-centered approach to faith• Experienced a life-threatening COVID battle that became a spiritual turning point• Found freedom from addiction and anxiety when she truly understood God's unconditional love• Discovered in Romans 5:8 that God demonstrates His love through Christ's sacrifice while we were still sinners• Now passionate about sharing the liberating truth of the gospel with othersIf you want to experience this same freedom, join us for our Bible studies where we're growing and learning how to walk in liberty. Visit loverealityorg to get connected and partner with us through your generous giving.💰 DONATE & SUPPORT our Ministry: lovereality.org/give👍 LIKE us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alovereality📷 FOLLOW us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riyoung31/📚 LEARN more at our site: lovereality.orgDownload the Love Reality app. Available in the App Store & Google Play.

The gospel brings freedom from sin and transforms lives, yet preaching this message often comes with unexpected costs and opposition from established religious systems.• Wes Vi discusses his complicated relationship with the church as an institution• Understanding the "dark night of the soul" as a spiritual experience where God feels distant yet remains present• Finding confidence in ministry through seeing the gospel transform lives• How preaching changed when Wes began trusting the Spirit rather than perfectly planned manuscripts• The controversy that arose when Wes partnered with Love Reality for evangelistic outreach• Opposition growing through misrepresentations and accusations about Wes's theology• Discovering that official church doctrinal statements actually aligned with his gospel teaching• Making the painful decision to leave a church community he deeply loved• Finding God's blessing and continued ministry opportunities in a new setting• Learning that the gospel provides resilience through suffering without becoming bitter• Baptizing sixteen people on his final Sabbath as evidence of gospel transformation"You can stay and I'll bless you, or you can go and I'll bless you." When you walk in freedom, God remains faithful no matter where your journey leads.💰 DONATE & SUPPORT our Ministry: lovereality.org/give👍 LIKE us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alovereality📷 FOLLOW us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riyoung31/📚 LEARN more at our site: lovereality.orgDownload the Love Reality app. Available in the App Store & Google Play.