A 34-year-old man from Brentwood, Tennessee was on the brink of hopelessness during the summer of 2019 until he decided to log online and searched for biblical verses that would "help" him get out of his misery.
Baptist Press reported that Kenneth Durlin was having a "rough" summer that included getting a divorce. Durlin had no idea of what Christianity was about except for what he heard in the media about it because he has not for once attended any church that summer of 2019. His father was working daily so they never had an opportunity to go to church nor do they read the Bible.
But that one particular summer day, Durlin Googled "hopeful" verses he could find in the Bible to guide him on what to read.
"I was trying to find some kind of hope and faith and a path in life. When you're lost, that is what you are looking for. You're looking for some kind of guidance, path or direction to move forward. I had no idea what I was getting into when I read the Bible," Durlin told the Baptist Press.
"I was kind off just lost and unhappy in life, and I just needed some guidance and some help," he added.
His search led him to read the Bible daily for a couple of weeks before he decided to look for a church to attend to. This led him to Brentwood Baptist's Kairos Ministry for college students and young adults. He attended the ministry's Tuesday night service, which he enjoyed because of the music and the Gospel message preached in it.
Durlin was inspired to get involved in the ministry after being "deeply impacted" by the Gospel message. He was then invited to the Bible Study led by Kairos Discipleship Minister Matthew Purdom. Eventually, the Bible Study bore fruit with Durlin becoming baptized.
"I think the Bible study is what I got the most from. He (Purdom) was the biggest help in the world. After only going to church a couple times and reading the Bible on your own, it is a little overwhelming," Durlin recounted.
"He was a great teacher, and what was great with him was he brought it down to a level where a beginner could get going and understand it. He was also there if I ever had a question about anything. His teaching and everything else helped me continue on. I never really got discouraged because he was always around," he shared.
Durlin's baptism was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdowns that came with it. His work also impaired him from attending Kairos' Sunday night services, though he did his best to stay connected through online services.
With restrictions lifted in the fall last year, Durlin is able to attend church services again and his baptism took place on December 7. Durlin now encourages other youths to reach out to their local churches for the help and hope they need.
"I'm now able to see the bigger picture of life, and the bigger picture of living a God-centered life. I know God loves me and I'm going to do what's right to have my relationship with God. The decisions that I make are in reference to doing right with God. I feel like God has given me so much, and he is a part of everything in my life," Durlin revealed.
"When you feel lost in life you feel like there's no opportunity to get yourself on track and not feel lost, but there is, and it's church and everything that it offers. All you have to do is seek someone out and ask for help," he urged.
