Could this be real?

That's okay. No pressure here, ever.

Can I ask what's holding you back?

Fair question. Let's start with something simple.

Look at the phone in your hand. You've never met the people who designed it, but you'd never believe it just assembled itself. The design tells you there's a designer.

Now look at the hand holding the phone. Right now your body is running around 37 trillion cells, and almost every one of them carries a code about three billion letters long. It all works together without you even thinking about it.

Then look up. Most scientists believe the universe had a beginning, a single moment around 13.8 billion years ago when everything, space and time included, came into being. And everything that begins has a cause. Something had to start it.

"Every house is built by someone, but God built everything."Hebrews 3:4 ERV

Does it make sense that something this detailed had a designer?

Then here's the bigger question. If there is a Creator, what is he like? Is he distant? Angry? Does he even care?

That's exactly where Jesus comes in. He said the clearest way to see what God is like is to look at him.

"Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!"Jesus, John 14:9 NLT

And the way Jesus treated people, the broken, the ashamed, the ones everyone else gave up on, shows you exactly how God feels about you.

Would you like to know the most important thing he wants to say to you?

Honest is good. You don't have to have it all worked out today.

Here's a simple experiment. Tonight, when it's quiet, say something like: "God, if you're real, show me." That's it. He isn't offended by that prayer. People have been praying it for thousands of years, and he has a way of answering.

"If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me."God, Jeremiah 29:13 NLT

I'm sorry. That's real, and it matters. When people who use God's name hurt you, it can feel like God did it too.

But the people who hurt you are not Jesus. He was hardest on religious people who used God to control others, and gentlest with the ones they pushed out.

"He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle."Isaiah 42:3 NLT

Would you be willing to hear what he'd say to you, without the church bit for now?

Fair enough. Thanks for being honest.

If anything changes, a hard night, a big question, a quiet curiosity you can't shake, this page will still be here. And so will he.

God says

I created you.
I know you.
I've forgiven you.
I love you.
And I have a purpose for you.

He means the real you. The one you don't show anyone.

This is a pretty popular Bible verse, but it's so powerful I wanted to share it with you.

"Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him would not be lost but have eternal life."John 3:16 ERV

Jesus died for you. That's how much you matter to him.

Can I ask you something? Have you ever felt like something's missing? Like there has to be more to life than this?

Have you ever done something you wish you could take back?

Me too, more times than I can count. The Bible calls it sin, which basically just means missing the mark.

And it does something heavy. It puts distance between us and God. You can feel that distance too. It's that dull, deep ache inside that's always there, and no matter what you try, it never really goes away.

We were made to be close to God, and without him something inside goes dull, like a plant kept out of the sun. It leaves a void, and no matter what we try to fill it with, it never stays full.

Would you like to know what God did about that?

Jesus says"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me."John 14:6 NLT

He came to get you.

God didn't wait for us to sort ourselves out and climb up to him. He came down, as a man named Jesus. And the people he spent the most time with were the ones no one wanted to spend time with.

He let the Romans nail him to a wooden cross, and he died there, taking the punishment for the wrong things we've done. And three days later he rose again.

But the question we always get asked is: why the cross? Why couldn't God just say "you're forgiven" and move on?

Picture this. You're standing in a courtroom, and you're guilty. The judge loves you, but if he just lets it slide, he's not a fair judge. So he hands down the fine, the full amount, more than you could ever pay. Then he takes off his robe, walks down, and pays it himself. That's the cross. God didn't ignore what we did. In Jesus, he paid for it himself.

Who are God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit?

GodGod has always been. No beginning, no end. Everything you can see, from galaxies to the freckles on your arm, is here because he spoke and it happened.
JesusGod came to earth as a man, born in a feeding trough, and was given the name Jesus. You'll often hear him called Jesus Christ. Christ isn't his surname. It's a title that means the rescuer God promised to send.
Holy SpiritWhen Jesus went back to heaven, he didn't leave us on our own. He gave us his energy. The Bible calls it his Spirit, the Holy Spirit. The same energy that raised Jesus back to life comes to live inside you.

God, Jesus, Holy Spirit. Three names, one God. Not three gods, and not one God swapping costumes. One God who has always been love, even before there was anyone else to love.

Do you believe Jesus died for you and came back to life?

Honestly? That's fine. One of Jesus's closest friends, Thomas, said he wouldn't believe it until he saw it with his own eyes. Jesus still loved him. He showed up.

Either it's the greatest lie ever told, or the most important thing that has ever happened. Within a few years of his death, his followers wrote that more than 500 people had seen him alive, and that most of them were still around to be asked (1 Corinthians 15:6). Several of his closest friends were later killed rather than take it back. People don't die for something they know they made up.

Would you like to keep going, or explore a little first?

Opening your heart to Jesus is the best thing you will ever do with your life.

And the best bit is you don't need to do anything to receive it. It's a gift. All you have to do is say yes and trust what Jesus has done for you.

"God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God."Ephesians 2:8 NLT

Grace is God being kind to you when you haven't earned it.

Would you like to receive God's unconditional love, grace and forgiveness, and a fresh start at life?

Jesus says"Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends."Revelation 3:20 NLT

Okay, let's pray. There's no special way to pray. God just wants your heart. You can say it out loud if you like. Talk like you're talking to a close friend who's sitting right there with you, because Jesus is right there with you.

Jesus, I'm opening my heart to you.
I've tried to carry my life by myself, and I'm done trying to do it on my own.

Think of what you've done that you wish you hadn't. You don't need to say it out loud. He already knows, and he's still here.

Jesus, here is everything I've done wrong. I hand it all to you.
Thank you for dying on the cross to pay for my sins, and thank you for removing all of my guilt and shame.
I receive your forgiveness, like a gift.

Stop here for a moment. Take a slow breath. Be right here, right now. Then say this next line to yourself, slowly, as a fact. Not a hope. A fact.

Right now, I am forgiven. All of it. Everything is wiped clean.

Now think of the mean things people have said about you, or the things you say about yourself when no one is listening.

Jesus, heal what others have done to me.
I let go of every mean thing anyone has called me, even the things I've called myself.
I receive who you say I am.

I am not dirty. I am not too far gone. I am not forgotten.

Because of you, I am God's loved and cherished child. He is my Father, and I belong to him.

Breathe in slowly. Picture yourself being welcomed home.

Come and wash my heart clean. Give me a fresh start.
Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit, God's energy. Come and live in me. Lead me, and change me from the inside out.

Amen just means "so be it." It's your way of saying, I mean every word of this.

I'm yours, and you are mine. Amen.

If this prayer meant something to you, we'd love to hear about it. And if you're up for it, we'd love to walk this with you, with the odd email and video to help along the way.

Congratulations. Opening your heart to Jesus is the best decision you can make.

Jesus said there's a celebration in heaven every time one person turns around (Luke 15:10). Right now, that party is about you.

You might feel peace, tears, lightness, or nothing at all. All of it is normal. What you received doesn't depend on what you felt. It depends on a promise, and Jesus always keeps his promises.

The next four steps will help you on your journey with Jesus.

That's really normal.

Some people cry, some feel lighter, some feel nothing at all. It doesn't depend on what you felt. It depends on a promise, and God keeps his. If you meant it, he heard you.

The next four steps will help you on your journey with Jesus.

That's okay. Honestly.

Jesus said he stands at the door and knocks. He never forces himself into anyone's life. You can pray the prayer when you feel ready. He'll still be knocking tomorrow.

Keep exploring. Here are three simple ways to find out for yourself.

Step 1 of 4

Jesus says"If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him."Luke 11:13 NLT

Be filled with the Holy Spirit, God's energy.

When you opened your heart to Jesus in that prayer just now, the Holy Spirit came into your life. The Holy Spirit is the energy of God, and now that energy lives in you. It's the same energy that raised Jesus from the grave. So with God's energy in you, you can get through whatever life throws at you.

But the Bible also talks about being filled with the Spirit, and that's something you can ask for again and again. Think of it like this. He moved in once. Now you're inviting him into every room.

Jesus called him the Helper, and promised he'd never leave.

Would you like to ask him to fill you right now?

Here's how. Read this through first, then put your phone down. Open your hands in front of you, like you're about to be handed a gift. Breathe slowly. Then pray something like this, out loud if you can:

Holy Spirit, I welcome you.
Fill me. Every part of me, every room of my heart.
Fill me with your love, your peace and your power.
I don't want to do this life on my own anymore.

I receive you. Amen.

Now just sit quietly for a couple of minutes. Don't rush. Notice what happens.

Whatever you feel, or don't feel, he's there. Jesus said the Father gives the Spirit to anyone who asks. You asked.

Step 2 of 4Step 1 of 3

Read the Bible.

The Bible is God's word. It's how he speaks to us, and it's still alive today.

"Your word is like a lamp that guides my steps, a light that shows the path I should take."Psalm 119:105 ERV

A light on the path shows you where you're heading, like a vision for your life. A lamp at your feet shows you the very next step. That's what the Bible does. It shows you the big picture, and it shows you what to do tomorrow morning.

Don't start at page one. Start with John. He was a fisherman who became one of Jesus's closest friends, and he was there for all of it. Near the end he tells you why he wrote it down: so that you would believe. One chapter a day and you'll finish it in three weeks.

Heads up: chapter one opens like a poem, and it calls Jesus "the Word." Stick with it. It's God introducing himself.

Read John free, right nowThe Bible App by YouVersion. Plain English translation. Prefer paper?Look for the NLT (New Living Translation). It reads like a normal book.

Step 3 of 4Step 2 of 3

Jesus says"When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth."John 16:13 NLT

We talk to God just like we talk to a friend.

There's no right or wrong way to pray. It's just talking to God about whatever's going on in your heart. Your questions, your doubts, the things you need help with, or just saying thank you.

How do I know if God is speaking to me?

Most of the time, God speaks through your thoughts. A thought drops in that doesn't quite sound like you. It's kinder than you, braver than you, or more generous than you'd normally be.

So how do you know it's him, and not just you or last night's pizza? Two simple checks.

OneIt fills you up. When the thought comes, you feel hopeful, confident and full of faith. Stronger somehow, almost like an excitement deep inside you. Even if it's not what you'd normally think, and even if it's a bit scary, deep down it feels right.
TwoIt never goes against the Bible. God will never tell you to steal, cheat on your partner or hate someone. If a thought does that, it isn't him.

He usually whispers, so get quiet. Put your phone face down, ask him a question, and listen.

Try our 7 day prayer plan. Five minutes a day.

See the 7 days

Day 1. Thank him for three specific things from today.
Day 2. Tell him the thing you've never told anyone.
Day 3. Pray for someone who annoys you. Yes, really.
Day 4. Read John chapter 3, then talk to him about one line that stood out.
Day 5. Ask him for help with one real thing you're facing this week.
Day 6. Pray the prayer Jesus taught his friends. It's in Matthew chapter 6, verses 9 to 13.
Day 7. Say nothing for two minutes. Just listen.

Step 4 of 4Step 3 of 3

Jesus says"Where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them."Matthew 18:20 NLT

You were made to do this in community.

Following Jesus is something we get to do with other people. Look at who he chose to hang out with. Fishermen, a tax collector everyone hated, people the rest of society had forgotten about. People who would never normally be in the same room, all sitting around the same table.

That's church. Some of the people are a bit weird, some are great, and that's the beauty of it.

Church isn't perfect, because there are people there.

You might meet someone a bit random on your first visit. You might not love every song.

Different churches suit different people, too. Some are big with a band and lights. Some are small and quiet. The style matters far less than this: do they love Jesus, teach from the Bible, and make you feel welcome?

And if a church ever pressures you for money, tries to cut you off from your family and friends, or tells you they're the only ones who are right, that's not how Jesus treats people. It's okay to walk away and try another.

And if you've been hurt by church before: fair. That's real, and it matters. But the people who hurt you are not Jesus. Don't judge him by the worst of his followers.

How to find a great church.

Enter your postcode below and we'll show you the churches near you. Have a look at their websites, and as you scroll through, let the Holy Spirit, God's energy, highlight one to you. Then go check it out on Sunday. Give it a few visits. If it doesn't feel right, try another. Keep going until it feels like where you want to be.

Not ready for a Sunday yet? Try Alpha.A relaxed evening with food and questions, run by local churches around the world. Find one near you.

What to expect your first Sunday

Wear what you'd wear to a café. Nobody is checking.
There'll be music, a talk about the Bible, and usually coffee after.
At some point they might take up an offering. Please don't feel you have to give. It's for people who already believe in what the church is doing and want to see more people find Jesus. If you want to give, go for it. If you don't, you're not doing anything wrong.
You don't need to do anything you're not comfortable with. If you don't want to stand, don't stand. If you want to sing, sing. If you don't, that's fine too. Nobody is going to judge you for being yourself.

God has a community for you. Somewhere near you are people who will become your family. They just haven't met you yet.

Congratulations.

Thanks for exploring.

We're praying you find the full life Jesus talked about, the kind that doesn't run out.

If you gave us your email, we'll check in now and then to see how you're going. You don't need to reply.

If you ever need a hand, reply to any of our emails, or talk to someone you trust who follows Jesus.

And if you found this page through someone's bio, send them a message. They'd love to hear from you and help you take the next step.

Lots of love from all of us at couldthisbereal.com.