#238 Danilo: A Filipino Adventist’s Journey from Legalism to Grace

We trace Danilo’s journey from fear and performance to a living trust in Jesus only, moving from legalism to grace and from isolation to a wider family of faith. A child’s question, a fresh reading of Ephesians and Romans, and the courage to post the gospel changed his life.• growing up Adventist under fear and performance• panic, shame and identity as “sinner always”• a child’s question that sent him to grace• discovering “Jesus only” and assurance• Romans 6 and freedom from sin, new identity• posting online, backlash and not being ashamed• rejecting last generation theology while staying Adventist• unity beyond denominations and shared Sabbath rest• counsel to his younger self: don’t run from kindness💰 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.org

We trace Hollie's journey from fear-based faith and purity culture to a lived identity in Christ that quieted years of anxious loops. Sensitivity turns from burden to gift as she learns to want intimacy without making it her identity and to teach, create, and love from fullness, not lack.• reframing sensitivity as strength rooted in identity in Christ• naming purity culture myths and their impact on worth and desire• moving from anxiety, perfectionism, and rumination to peace• camp community, Scripture, and a worship moment that marked change• practicing Philippians 4 focus and rejecting self-condemnation• teaching and photography transformed by freedom and empathy• living single without lack while holding honest desire• embracing grief, joy, and resilience in a complicated world💰 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.org

Carl Syvertson shares his journey from understanding salvation intellectually to experiencing the transformative revelation that God has already freed him from sin and given him a new identity.• Carl's spiritual journey began with a family legacy of seeking closeness to Jesus• His great-great-grandfather was a Quaker missionary who became an Adventist after a dream showing others closer to Jesus• Carl describes himself as having been a "hothead" with a prideful attitude before understanding the gospel• During college at Andrews University, Carl encountered the writings of Jones and Wagner about righteousness by faith• For decades, Carl believed in salvation but still thought transformation required constantly asking the Holy Spirit for power• A breakthrough came when Carl realized God had already transformed him and given him the Holy Spirit• Carl found this truth confirmed in Scripture and in the writings he'd studied years before• The revelation changed Carl's relationships, particularly with his wife and daughter• Angry outbursts that once caused multi-day arguments became shorter and less destructive• Carl began recognizing the Holy Spirit's promptings to share these truths with others• Understanding comes through intimacy with God, not just intellectual knowledge• The gospel revelation isn't just a doorway to knowing God but must lead to ongoing relationship

Arnold returns to share his journey of theological transformation and the unexpected challenges he faced after embracing the gospel message.• Reflects on his previous understanding that salvation was a "group project" between humans and God• Describes how reading Romans 6 as a historical fact rather than instructions completely changed his perspective• Explains the resistance he encountered from church leadership when sharing his new understanding• Details how he was prohibited from speaking, teaching, or preaching as the head elder• Discusses the painful experience of being rejected by his home church of over 40 years• Reveals how finding his identity in Christ rather than in being "right" helped him navigate the rejection• Shares his new understanding of 1 John 5:3, seeing God's commandments as not burdensome because His love enables our obedience• Explores the tensions between viewing Scripture alone as authoritative versus Scripture plus other sources💰 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.org

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.org

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.org

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.org

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.org

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.org