Jesus freed Ann-Sofie from addiction, despair and anxiety

Ann-Sofie Norén was an addict, but was instantly freed from addiction when she met Jesus. Through a long process, she is also free from anxiety and despair. Today, after two years at Bible school, she is feeling better than ever.

Ann-Sofie Norén grew up outside Södertälje in a home with tough conditions. It led to her feeling a great insecurity in life. Yet faith in God has always been there. At Christmas they went to church and the tears were close.
– In the church at Christmas they played music and I was ashamed, because the tears were so close, Ann-Sofie says.
She also remembers times at school when she felt God’s presence, for example when the miss read about Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus. Then a good feeling came inside.
But Ann-Sofie started abusing and she both drank and took drugs. Her time as an addict was tough and it sometimes happened that she was beaten by different men.
She tried to quit the drug many times, but failed each time.
– I fought on my own and could not handle it, Ann-Sofie says.
Just over ten years ago, Ann-Sofi got to know some neighbors who were Christians.
– They talked about God and Jesus and took me for walks when I was drunk. The man in the family read from the Bible. It was like balm in my chest, Ann-Sofie remembers.
– The only requirement they had was that they did not want to meet me when I was affected. They did not give up but continued to tell me about Jesus until I was saved, she says.

Completely Free from Addiction

She began to understand that Jesus existed and loved her. She said yes to Jesus and at the moment of salvation she was completely freed from the addiction.
But not everything has been easy. Pain from her childhood experiences began to surface when she could no longer escape the addiction.
– It has been tough many times, but Jesus has taken me through and I have not fallen back into either drugs or alcohol, she says.
She cried for many years at home in her apartment with Jesus. Then a desire was born to go to Bible school, but the supply was uncertain.
– When I submitted the application, the financial part was arranged. Even though some who promised to help me betrayed me financially, it still worked out.
She started Bible school and the first year she continued to cry and cried a lot of anxiety, sadness and pain. Today, after two years of Bible school, the anxiety is gone.
– I actually thought about it the other day, that I almost never have any anxiety anymore. It is important that I take care of my health and sleep well, but I no longer have anxiety.
God healed memories and she can look back on both growing up and being addicted without feeling bad. She can even pray for the men who abused her.
– I pray that they will be saved and meet the love of God.

Better than ever

Ann-Sofie has also experienced what it is like to be burnt out. The doctor told her she would never be able to work more than ten hours a week.
During the burnout, Jesus challenged her:
– He said “I want you to run for an hour”, says Ann-Sofie who accepted the challenge and started running at home in the apartment.
– I set the clock for an hour and then I ran for an hour and I had the strength. The rest of the day I lay in bed.
Now, two years after the burnout, Ann-Sofie is feeling better than ever.
– I got rid of so much despair and hopelessness at Bible school that now I cry very rarely. Of course I can be sad if someone hurts me, but as good as I feel now I have never done in my whole life.
Now she will also soon become a grandmother and would like to continue going to Bible school. In the future, there are also plans for a book about life.
– Jesus has told me that what I do not want people to know about me, we will write a book about in the future.

Anna-Karin Stenberg. With permission from the magazine  Inblick.

INBLICK  is the news magazine that describes the surroundings from the little person’s perspective. With weight in Christian opinion issues and a clear stance for “these my little ones”, news reporting with a social focus is conveyed. In each week’s newspaper there are also several wonderful reports about  what Jesus does in ordinary people’s everyday lives.  Coming out on Thursdays. Contains detailed TV appendix from  Kanal 10  and Kanal 10 Norway.